HO - Capabilities and Resources Group , Internal Investigations, Professional Standards Unit - Investigating Officer Manchester, England
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About the job
Job summary
The Professional Standards Unit (PSU) sits within Corporate Enablers. The PSU provides a fast paced and immediate investigative capability, across Government, in what is a challenging, but deeply interesting role. PSU consistently scores highly in the people survey demonstrating staff are interested in their role, have clear objectives and understand how their work contributes to the Home Office’s objectives.
PSU also provide the Civil Service Investigation Service (CSIS), which is a cross-Government investigation service on a subscription basis, servicing approximately 20 Other Government Departments. Consequently, PSU undertake the most complex and challenging disciplinary and grievance (inc. Bullying, Harassment & Discrimination) investigations on behalf of Government.
PSU’s remit is wide, and as a consequence, our Investigators undertake investigations into a wide spread of case types. In addition to the work conducted under CSIS, Home Office investigations range from serious external complaints (from members of the public), internal misconduct cases which constitute discipline and grievance (inc. Bullying, Harassment & Discrimination) investigations, Whistleblowing, Oversight bodies, e.g. Independent Office for Police Conduct, Management Reviews and Safeguarding Practice Reviews.
Job description
The role of the Investigating Officer is public facing, with a high-emphasis on decision-making, analysis and excellent drafting skills. You will be part of one of five teams of Investigating Officers, each led by an experienced Senior Investigating Officer. You will need the ability to build collaborative relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. Attention to detail, excellent communication skills and problem solving will be required to carry out the core tasks to help deliver investigations to strict timescales and quality standards.
As an Investigating Officer you can expect a unique opportunity to develop or demonstrate operational delivery by undertaking thorough and comprehensive investigations into a number of different case types. These investigations are subject to strict deadlines.
Additionally, Investigating Officers have an important role in recommending prompt remedial action and that lessons are learned.
The nature of the role requires travel throughout the UK and sometimes abroad. This may include overnight stays.
There will be flexibility to adopt a hybrid working pattern which would see post holders spend part of their week working from home.
The roles can be based in Soapworks, Croydon, or Harmondsworth IRC.
Due to the nature of the role, this post is available on a full-time basis only
Person specification
Key requirements include:
- Plan, manage, and deliver a portfolio of investigations, ensuring all relevant lines of enquiry are identified and pursued.
- Conduct face to face interviews with complainants (including members of the public), witnesses, staff, and contractors at Home Office sites, Police Stations and other locations throughout the UK as well as visiting the sites of incidents.
- Draft investigation reports with evidence-based, objective decisions, and recommendations for organisational change.
- Have personal responsibility for operational delivery of Departmental targets in handling allegations and adherence to relevant guidance, procedures and statutory requirements in the field of investigations.
- Support the Courts, other Government Departments and Law Enforcement Agencies, such as our partners in the Police, as well as the IOPC, PIRC (for Scotland), the Prison and Probation Ombudsman and other oversight bodies by providing evidence or reviewing appeal cases and answering enquiries in the interests of justice.
- Give evidence at Coroner’s Courts, Employment Tribunals and other legal forums concerning investigations that you have conducted, when required.
- Take on a stakeholder role with an agreed area of the business, and be able to brief senior managers (up to SCS) confidently about investigations and measures to reduce risk in the areas identified.
- Additionally, Investigating Officers have an important role in recommending prompt remedial action and that lessons are learned. These recommendations form part of the wider Lessons Learned/ Threat Assessment process and is a key tool in driving change and reducing risk.
As an Investigating Officer you will manage and be responsible for your own investigation workload and there is an element of flexible working and an AHW payment is applied as long working days can be expected to meet investigation requirements. This payment is currently set at 8.9%.
Essential skills
- Excellent drafting skills.
- Effective organisational skills, take a systematic and methodical approach, can prioritise work effectively and manage competing priorities to deliver a number of investigations to tight deadlines.
- Ability to follow, and refer to appropriate policy and guidance, and use this in investigations.
- Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to form effective relationships with stakeholders, both internally and externally to the Home Office.
- Ability to effectively use MS Office packages; MS Word and Excel.
Desirable skills
- Good knowledge or experience in, either civil or criminal investigations.
- A qualification in, or related to investigation or interview, practice. This is not essential as training can be provided.
- Previous experience in operational delivery in a public facing unit. We would also welcome candidates with experience of complex HR casework, or casework more generally.
Licences
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, a Suitability Statement (1000 words max) and a number of Behaviour examples.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
The Statement of Suitability should explain how you meet the requirements in the job description, responsibilities and essential criteria.
The sift will be based on the CV, Behaviours and the Suitability Statement.
In the event a high volume of applications are received, an initial sift may be based on the CV and Statement of Suitability. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Candidates shortlisted will be invited to an interview which will be a blended approach of Strength-based questions (no preparation necessary) and Behaviour based questions on all listed behaviours.
Sift and interview dates
Sift is expected to take place week commencing 8th May 2023.
Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 22nd May 2023. We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however on occasions these dates may change.
Interviews will be carried out via video. Candidates will be required to have access to:
- A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
- Good internet connection
- Microsoft Teams
PLEASE NOTE: Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.
Further information
For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
A reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.
We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.
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.
For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.
Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.
Transfer Terms: Voluntary.
If you are invited to an interview you will be required to bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.
Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.
Any move to the Home Office 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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Reasonable Adjustments
If a person with disabilities is 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 [email protected] 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 interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional
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
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
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).
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