About the job

Job summary

We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates  

At DfE, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have active & vibrant staff networks, special leave policies and workplace adjustments put in place for those who need them. We are continuing to build a diverse DfE, in an inclusive environment which nurtures and realises potential in all, at all levels.

Equality and Diversity - Department for Education

The Investigation & Enforcement Team is a national team of specialist counter fraud and investigation professionals. The team works closely with colleagues across the ESFA and the wider Department for Education to ensure public funds are used for the purposes intended and takes appropriate action where required.

The team investigates allegations of irregularity and/or fraud and undertakes investigations to gather evidence to support the ESFA in holding individuals and/or institutions to account. The team are also required to undertake complex financial management and governance audit type reviews that may arise from allegations, leading to identification of serious non-compliance with regulatory requirements and/or poor governance arrangements and potential loss of public funds.

Job description

The Department for Education is responsible for children’s services and education, including early years, schools, higher and further education policy, apprenticeships and wider skills in England. The Department’s vision is to 'provide world-class education and care that allows every child and young person to reach his or her potential regardless of background'. 

The ESFA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Education (DfE), which provides £68 billion of funding for education and training for children, young people and adults. The Agency regulates academies, FE colleges, employers and training providers. The Agency intervenes where there is risk of failure and /or where there is evidence of mismanagement of public funds.

This role is within the ESFA’s Finance & Provider Market Oversight (FPMO) directorate which improves the oversight of education funding and providers and is an expert function that aims to prevent, detect, deter the misuse of public money. FPMO comprises approximately 130 staff based at DfE sites across the country.

As a Senior Investigator, you will manage a caseload of investigations using your existing skills to establish accurate findings and ensure timely completion of casework. 

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

Investigation specific:

• The role involves travelling nationally to providers with overnight stays. 
• Plan, manage and lead investigations on cases of potential fraud and financial irregularity, including reviews of financial governance and management failings and regulatory breaches, in providers funded by the ESFA.  This may include leading and management of other investigators.
• Manage and oversee the quality of case information to ensure the quality and completeness of investigation files
• Analysis and assessment of a variety of data sources, including learner data and financial information to support the conduct of triage of allegations received by ESFA.
• Conduct all investigative lines of enquiry, including compilation of relevant evidence and witness statements as required to support potential sanctions.
• Lead face to face investigative interviews with complainants, witnesses, and individuals under investigation, including interviews of senior external stakeholders.
• Draft investigation reports to appropriate quality standards with evidence-based decisions identifying recommendations for change. 

Wider team contribution

• Identify lessons learned arising from investigations and share best practice
• Contribute to ministerial briefings on specific high-profile investigations as required
• Contribute and support the wider delivery tasks of the team and the directorate.

Further information about the Department can be found at www.education.gov.uk

Person specification

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate they have the following essential skills:

• Must demonstrate experience of investigations, accountancy and/or internal audit.
• Must demonstrate experience in using MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and IT systems.
• Strong communication skills.
• Experience of presenting complex information.
• Ability to prioritise workloads in a fast paced environment.

In addition, the following are desirable requirements:

• Experience of the education sector environment would be an advantage. 
• Part / fully qualified accountant (CCAB), internal auditor or financial investigator.

Desirable criteria will only be assessed in the event of a tie break situation to make an informed decision.  

Benefits

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK, with an average employer contribution of 27%.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King's Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours. Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and Statement of Suitability. 

Your CV should cover details of employment history, previous skills and experience and education, training and professional qualifications. 

Your Statement of Suitability (max 500 words) should include details of how you meet the essential skills detailed in the person specification above including examples of evidence. Please adhere to the word count limit as anything over 500 words will not be taken into account.  

Interview 

At interview you will be asked questions to assess your experience in line with the essential criteria listed above. 

At interview you will be asked a technical question about undertaking investigations.

You will also be asked questions around the behaviours : 

• Making Effective Decisions 
• Communicating and Influencing 
• Managing a Quality Service 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Sift will take place week commencing 22 January 2024 (this may be extended if a large volume of applications are received).

Interviews will likely take place in the week commencing 5 February 2024 and will be conducted in person.

Other Information

We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.

The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.   

DfE cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DfE holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs

Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.

Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.

Reasonable adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.