Senior Investigator

The SFO is a unique law enforcement organisation which both investigates and prosecutes the most serious and complex cases of fraud, bribery and corruption. We focus on conduct which undermines confidence in the UK financial markets, compromises the level playing field that investors deserve, or has a particularly strong public interest dimension. We currently employ approximately 400 permanent staff including lawyers, investigators, accountants, digital forensic experts and administrators. We work closely with our colleagues across law enforcement and the wider criminal justice system, both at home and abroad.

This is an interesting and engaging role where you will be required to work on investigations into suspected serious and complex fraud or bribery and corruption effectively. This may include working towards a Deferred Prosecution Agreement.

Working with the Principal Investigator, you will be responsible for leading strands of the investigation, obtaining key evidence, and managing investigators on the case. SFO cases are from inception to prosecution, and the SFO is unique in the way we work within multi-disciplinary teams made up of other investigators, lawyers, accountants, IT experts and Counsel to bring cases to timely and successful conclusions.

This is an important role and as an experienced investigator you will take responsibility for ensuring high profile cases are expedited.

As a Senior Investigator you will be responsible for:

• Conducting investigations in accordance with legislation, policy and procedure to successful outcomes in a complex, multi-strand legal and investigative environment.
• Reporting to a Principal Investigator and working closely with multidisciplinary colleagues, leading areas of the investigation including key lines of enquiry and overseeing the work of junior investigators and other team members.
• Ensuring investigations are kept under constant review and providing regular updates and briefings to senior colleagues.
• Ensuring appropriate suspect and witness accounts are sought, obtained and strategically used, following relevant lines of inquiry.
• Producing key financial and investigation witness statements for SFO cases and giving evidence in court when required.
• Conducting the disclosure process in order to satisfy the obligations of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996.
• Line managing and development of staff including agreeing objectives, monitoring, reviewing and recording performance against agreed objectives and addressing performance issues where appropriate.
• Any additional duties as required, including but not limited to providing cover for the Principal Investigator.

For more information about the role and for a full list of key responsibilities, please see attached Job Pack

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.

Application stage

As part of the application process you will be required to provide:

• A personal statement of no more than 500 words that explains how your skills and experience meet each of the essential experience criteria as listed in the job pack.
• Please include an additional 250-word statement where requested explaining how you meet the following technical criteria, this is a lead criteria and will be assessed first, candidates who do not meet the required standard will not have the remainder of their application considered.
• Recognised investigative qualification or accreditation OR
• Recognised accountancy qualification OR
• Current and demonstrable experience of leading and investigating serious and complex crime or regulatory matters.

Please note, desirable experience will only be taken into account if there is a large volume of applications and there is a need for further shortlisting for interview.

• A supporting CV of no more than two A4 sides, outlining your job history and qualifications.

It will not be possible to provide feedback to applicants who are unsuccessful at the application stage.

In Person Assessment

Successful candidates will be invited to attend an in person assessment which will assess your abilities against the essential experience criteria as listed in the Job Pack. You will be required to work alone, using a standard laptop, to respond to a series of questions on a work based scenario. Candidates will have the opportunity to attend an optional session to find out more about the assessment via MS Teams on November the 11th at Midday.

Interview stage

Candidate who are successful at the assessment stage will be invited to a final stage interview. Behaviours as outlined in the job pack will be tested at interview.

Full details of the assessment and interview process will be made available to shortlisted candidates at each stage.

Timeline

Sift to take place from 28th October

Optional introduction to the assessment via MS Teams on November the 11th at 12 Midday.

In Person Assessments to take place from 16th November. (Due to the nature of the exercise, it will not be possible for the assessment stage to be conducted remotely as an adjustment).

All dates are indicative and subject to change.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. To be eligible you must meet the following residency requirements dependent of the level of security vetting required:

• SC: 5 years residency in the United Kingdom preceding this application.

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