Details
Reference number
422002
Salary
£54,857
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
Job grade
Grade 7
Contract type
Permanent
Business area
MCA - Corporate Services
Type of role
Analytical
Investigation
Policy
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
Number of jobs available
1
Contents
* Location
* About the job
* Benefits
* Things you need to know
* Apply and further information
Location
Southampton
About the job
Job summary
Have you got experience working in a counter fraud prevention environment with experience of fraud risk assessments?
Have you been responsible for overseeing and providing advice on compliance and control frameworks?
Do you maintain productivity and focus under pressure or during uncertain times and manage competing priorities in a high-pressure environment?
If so, we'd love to hear from you
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) is an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport (DfT), providing multiple statutory functions as flag, port and coastal State and delivering international obligations for search and rescue, environmental protection and responding to major maritime incidents. The Finance function is a key enabler for the Agency to ensure we can deliver against this remit, managing an annual budget of c. £500m.
As part of the Directorate of Corporate Services, the Counter Fraud and Compliance function is embedded within the Financial Controls Team and responsible for leading the agency's adherence with the Counter Fraud Functional Standard. In addition, this role is responsible for the casework management associated with Raise a Concern- Whistleblowing in support of the Nominated Officers and Financial Compliance.
Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:
* Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
* 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King's birthday
* Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
Read more in the Benefits section below
Find out more about what it's like working at MCA: Maritime and Coastguard Agency - Department for Transport Careers
Job description
Reporting to the Assistant Director of Financial Control, this role leads the Agency's adherence to the Counter Fraud Functional Standard as set by the Cabinet Office and Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA).
The post is responsible for overseeing and providing advice on compliance with policy, standards, accountabilities and controls in relation to Counter Fraud, Bribery, Theft and Corruption prevention, fraud risk management and metric assessments.
In addition this role oversees tax compliance (including VAT, IR35 off payroll and employee tax (i.e. dual workplaces, overseas working and benefits in kind assessments) and Cabinet Office / HM Treasury/ DfT Controls.
As a key member of the Senior Management Team within the Finance Directorate, the role provides effective and inspiring leadership to the Finance team and wider community, fostering a high performing culture through continuous improvement.
Your responsibilities will include, but aren't limited to:
* Lead the Agency's adherence to the Counter Fraud Functional Standard acting as the Agency's main point of liaison between MCA, DfT and the Public Sector Fraud Authority
* Ensure that counter fraud processes are compliant with the functional standard with specific responsibility for updating and maintaining the agency's Counter Fraud Strategy
* Lead the management of fraud risk assessment process across the Agency
* Lead fraud risk assessment evaluation throughout the business case and procurement life cycles
* Working with the Head of Information Security and Senior Information Responsible Officer (SIRO) assess fraud risks associated with IT, Cyber and Artificial Intelligence (AI) fraud risk
* Lead on counter fraud engagement with the National Audit Office (NAO) and Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA)
* Lead the training and communication updates to all staff
* Responsible for the management of Raise a Concern – Whistleblowing casework
For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.
Person specification
To be successful in this role you will need to have the following demonstrable experience of working at a senior/practitioner level:
* in a counter fraud function and investigation processes and procedures
* of developing, implementing and monitoring fraud strategies, policies and response plans
* in fraud risk management and implementation of mitigation strategies
* Highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills
Additional Information
* Some travel in the UK which may involve overnight stays
* Security clearance (SC) required
Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements
Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.
Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.
This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.
The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.
If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).
Visa Sponsorship
Please note that we will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. Therefore, this role is not open to applications from those who require sponsorship – candidates must ensure they have the appropriate right to work in the UK before applying. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Seeing the Big Picture
* Leadership
* Changing and Improving
* Making Effective Decisions
* Communicating and Influencing
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
* Counter Fraud Knowledge
* Risk Management
* Business Analysis and Measurement
* Evaluation and Review
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £54,857, Maritime and Coastguard Agency contributes £15,892 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:
* Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
* 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
* 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King's birthday.
* Access to the staff discount portal.
* Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
* Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
* 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
* Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies .
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's skills, and potential fit within our organisation.
The selection process for this role will be:
Stage 1: Sift of CV and personal statement
Stage 2: Interview and a presentation
You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.
Stage 1: Sift
At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:
* Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (1000-word count). Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:
* in a counter fraud function and investigation processes and procedures
* of developing, implementing and monitoring fraud strategies, policies and response plans
* in fraud risk management and implementation of mitigation strategies
* Highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills
The sift will take place week commencing Monday 8th September 2025.
Stage 2: Interview and Presentation
At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:
* Behaviours – Seeing the Big Picture, Leadership, Changing and Improving and Making Effective Decisions
* Technical – Counter Fraud Knowledge, Risk Management, Business Analysis and Measurement, Evaluation and Review.
You will also be required to create and deliver a presentation to assess the Behaviour Communicating and Influencing and the Technical framework Counter Fraud Competency framework. Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.
The interviews will take place week commencing Monday 22nd September 2025.
This interview will be conducted in person at our Southampton office. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site .
Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.
Further information on the selection process
We will also hold a 12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.
AI Tools and Platforms
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Reasonable Adjustments
As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
Complete the "Assistance required" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Document Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email for assistance.
Further Information
For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.
Pre-employment Checking
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.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .
See our vetting charter .
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)
* 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
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code 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 .
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
* Name : Jane Jackson
* Email :
Recruitment team
* Email :
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint you should contact in the first instance.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here