Criminal Investigator, South Region

The Insolvency Service is a leading government agency which plays a crucial role in providing essential services to the public and to business. The work we do is important to the proper functioning of markets, the economy in general and support for thousands of people each year who are in financial difficulty.

Investigation Services, within the Insolvency Service’s Enforcement Group, delivers civil and criminal enforcement activities that supports fair and open markets, maintains confidence in the company and insolvency regimes, and helps reduce the harm caused by fraudulent activity.

Inclusive and diverse teams are important to us. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups underrepresented in our workforce. The Insolvency Service strives to ensure that the agency is a safe, inclusive, and welcoming place for everybody to bring their true self to work and to help the agency to achieve its diversity objectives. We have 9 active employee network groups available to join or become an ally, these include, Carers Network, Disability network group, Employee Assistance, Representatives, FACES Network Group, LGBT+, Mind Matters, Part Time Workers, The Shed - Men’s Network Group and Women’s Network Group.

We offer full-time, part-time, job share and flexible ways of working. We value capability, technical skills and experience and we place great emphasis on lifetime development to support our people. We encourage our employees to become more involved in areas they feel strongly about, whether it be for the benefit of the agency, through our Engagement network or in their own local communities via volunteering opportunities.

The Insolvency Service is a great place to work, learn and grow your career!

The Criminal Investigation Team is responsible for conducting criminal investigations into insolvency and corporate related criminal offences which support the Agency’s objective to tackle financial wrongdoing. The team works closely with civil investigation teams, our Legal Services Directorate internally, and other Law Enforcement partner organisations to ensure that we fulfil our role in delivering Governmental strategies. We strive to target offences under the Companies House Reform Legislation along with others including misuse of government backed Covid recovery funds.

We are recruiting criminal investigators for the Criminal Investigation Team South who will play a key role in the team, carrying out criminal investigations mainly under the Insolvency Act 1986, Companies Act 2006, Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986, Fraud Act 2006, Theft Act 1968 and Economic Crime and Transparency Act 2023. Reporting to the Investigation Manager and the Chief Investigator.

The role will be based in in Stratford, Croydon or Ipswich. Regular attendance will be required in the selected office in accordance with the hybrid working model of 60% office attendance. Regular travel to obtain witness statements and to interview suspects will be required in addition to meetings with stakeholders and other regulators. Occasional overnight stays may be required. The jobholder will be required to be flexible regarding the length and timing of the working day to meet the demands of the business. Occasional evening/weekend work may be necessary – to be worked in compliance with the European Working Time Directive.

Responsibilities

The main duties of the role are to:

• investigate a range of criminal offences including complex fraud, bankruptcy, insolvency and Covid related offences
• obtain detailed statements from witnesses in accordance with provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1967, Magistrates Court Act 1980 and the Criminal Justice Acts of 1988 and 2003
• interview persons suspected of offences under the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE)
• prepare case files with detailed evidence-based reports on the findings of investigations, in accordance with the management of disclosure material under the Criminal Procedures and Investigations Act 1996 (CPIA) – these will be to a high standard suitable for testing in Criminal Courts, often to tight timescales
• work closely with line management to effectively manage your caseload, reviewing the progress of cases, maintaining quality and meeting legislative demands
• ensure quality in the preparation of cases, leading to criminal proceedings or disclosure to other regulators
• work closely with the Agency’s prosecution and advisory lawyers and counsel
• take the lead and drive follow up actions arising from criminal cases
• contribute to discussion with lawyers and counsel, being a witness in appropriate cases and attending court as a witness/disclosure officer
• work closely with other investigation/prosecution/enforcement disciplinary agencies and stakeholders to ensure enforcement action is progressed appropriately and promptly, ensuring value for money
• contribute to the performance of the team and the achievement of the team targets by embedding continuous improvement activity, as well as maintaining investigation standards

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)

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

As part of the sift process, you will be asked to complete:

• CV
• Personal Statement

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the CV, assessing candidates against the essential criteria. Only those who meet the essential criteria at this stage will proceed to a full assessment of their application. If a candidate does not meet the minimum requirements during the initial sift, the remainder of their application will not be reviewed. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

Where high volumes of strong applications are expected or received, we may raise the ‘benchmark’ minimum score required at the sift stage. If a high volume of candidates meet the benchmark score, we may further raise the score required for interview selection. Scores will be applied fairly and consistently. Applicants eligible under a recruitment scheme may, where appropriate, continue to be considered against the agreed ‘benchmark’ score, to support the purpose of the scheme.

Your CV should provide a clear overview of your employment history, key responsibilities, relevant qualifications, and the skills and experience you’ve gained throughout your career including any notable achievements.

Note: Your CV will be scored as part of the assessment process and be assessed against the criteria outlined in the job advert.

Your personal statement should be no more than 500 words and must demonstrate how your personal skills, qualities, and experience align with the requirements of the role. Please ensure your statement references the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.

If successful at the sift stage, at interview, you will be assessed on the following:

• Behavioural Competencies - assessed through:
• Behaviour 1 – Making Effective Decisions
• Behaviour 2 – Delivering at Pace
• Behaviour 3 – Communicating and Influencing
• Technical Skills

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Sift – w/c 05/10/2026

Interview – w/c 02/11/2026

Location – Stratford (see address below)

London Regional Centre: 16th Floor, 1 Westfield Avenue, Stratford, London, E20 1HZ.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Visa Applicants

To sponsor a candidate under the Skilled Worker visa, a sponsorship licence is required. The Insolvency Service does not currently hold this licence and therefore, cannot legally sponsor Skilled Worker visa applicants.

Queries and Support

When contacting us or the Government Recruitment Service (GRS) using the contact details at the bottom of this advert, please include the 6-digit Vacancy ID, job title, your full name and, where applicable, your 8-digit Applicant ID in the email subject line. This will help us process your enquiry more efficiently.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Insolvency Service from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

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 Government Recruitment Service via InsolvencyRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as 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 an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be 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 circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

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

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

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