Job description
Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) provides HMRC with an effective investigation arm to enforce the Department’s compliance policies. This enables the Department to deliver against the strategic responsibilities across all the taxes and duties it administers. This includes complex offshore evasion, international smuggling of illicit excise goods, exports of controlled weapons and technology, labour market abuses, VAT and Self‑Assessment repayment frauds and a host of other fraud attacks targeted at the tax system.
FIS is home to a wide range of people with a variety of skills and professional backgrounds – including accountants, cybercrime specialists, criminal justice professionals, tax professionals and operational delivery support teams to name but a few. We use a range of powers and approaches to protect funding for UK public services, investigating the most harmful tax cheats and ensuring nobody is beyond our reach.
In this role
In this role, no two days will be the same. You could be helping to search premises one day and supporting interviews with suspects the next. You will receive full, high‑quality training to help you build the skills needed to investigate tax fraud and protect public money.
This is a Band O role eligible for a Flexibility Payment (FP) at Level 2 (National), worth £12,400 per year, paid in addition to basic salary. In return you’ll work your hours flexibly (including out‑of‑hours, at weekends and on public holidays) and change your work pattern at short notice. You’ll also undertake periods of on‑call and work additional hours. Payment of FP is dependent on successful completion of training – you can find more detail about this and other FP requirements in the attached document.
We are looking for people who can be fair, open‑minded and professional at all times. You will work as part of a team, alongside colleagues from across HMRC, supporting others with different ways of working while focusing on shared goals. The role can sometimes involve difficult or challenging situations, so you will need to stay calm, make balanced decisions and work well under pressure.
As a Criminal Investigation Officer, you will be expected to follow clear rules and guidance and take responsibility for your actions. This may include giving evidence in court, so you will need to be able to communicate clearly, both when speaking and in writing. There are strong opportunities to develop your career, with structured training designed to help you grow your investigation skills and confidence.
Job Duties
* Undertake operational activities such as searches of premises, seizure of goods and detention of goods
* Apply laws, always adhering to legislation and policy
* Undertake arrests, conduct searches of person and interview under caution, diffusing potentially confrontational situations
* Use powers granted to HMRC to investigate and gather evidence
* Develop and maintain knowledge of relevant legislation and regulations
* Use own judgement to assess evidence
* Take ownership and be accountable for planning, decisions and activities regarding investigations
* Utilise forensic evidence and understand how and when to use forensic services
* Interact and collaborate with a wide range of internal and external people including other parts of HMRC, the Police, Border Force, National Crime Agency, Solicitors, Crown Prosecutors and colleagues from other government departments
* Take witness statements from a variety of people, both internal and external
* Attend court to give evidence in criminal prosecutions and / or financial recovery hearings
* Undertake the role of Disclosure Officer / Reviewing Officer in relation to reviewing and revealing material, created or obtained in the course of an investigation to the prosecutor in line with legislation
* Analyse evidence, preparation of written material and official documents, including Search Warrants and Production Order applications, case files and detailed reports
* Identify, classify and handle information connected to an investigation and ensure legal obligations are discharged effectively
* Conduct briefing and de‑briefing activities to identify improvements and best practice, sharing that knowledge appropriately
Person specification
* Communicate effectively and confidently with colleagues and senior stakeholders, both verbally and in writing.
* Demonstrate a strong ability to quickly grasp new concepts, adapt to change, and take initiative in learning and task execution.
* Accurately and efficiently interpret and analyse data using Microsoft Excel and the broader Microsoft 365 suite.
* Exhibit strong organisational and time management capabilities.
* Ability to organise and prioritise to complete multiple tasks at once.
* Resilience and ability to deal with challenge and/or confrontation.
* Ability to carefully analyse large sets of data to spot patterns and draw conclusions.
* Demonstrate balanced judgement under pressure; follow rules and guidelines.
* Work respectfully with others to achieve common goals while appreciating different working styles.
* Work with integrity, impartiality, professionalism and objectivity.
* Take accountability for decisions made and be prepared and able to give evidence in court.
* Committed to developing specialist investigation skills and building a career at HMRC.
* Flexibility to meet business needs, including working on‑call, whether that be at night‑time, weekends, public holidays, and at short notice.
Working Arrangements
Work your hours flexibly to meet business needs, including at night‑time, weekends and public holidays, and change your work pattern at short notice. If required, you must also be able to be on‑call throughout the day and night for 1 week out of every 4, and work a specified number of additional hours.
Business areas
Successful applicants will be placed within the FIS business area of Small Business Evasion and Enforcement for approximately 2 years before opportunities may be available to move to other areas, including Organised Crime, Offshore Corporate and Wealthy and Individuals and Business.
Training Requirement
A comprehensive training programme is provided. There will be a requirement for you to attend residential training which may take you away from home for up to eight weeks. Throughout this training period you will be required to be available full‑time. Furthermore, applicants that are eligible, will join as an apprentice under the Counter Fraud Investigation Apprenticeship programme.
Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST)
PPST is a crucial element of becoming a criminal investigator. This is a PASS/FAIL event that includes digital and face‑to‑face training where you will learn practical techniques to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues, as well as how to apprehend and physically restrain suspects and apply handcuffs. The event is mainly physical and includes scenario‑based exercises where you will require an appropriate level of fitness and mobility such as being able to carry equipment up and down stairs and get up and down from the floor unaided. All officers undertaking this training must obtain a valid occupational health certificate stating they are fit to undertake regular physical training. Once this training is complete, you will have to have a one‑day refresher training event at least every six months after this to ensure you are able to carry out operational duties.
To recognise these additional attendance requirements, the Criminal Investigator role is eligible for an annual attendance allowance called the Flexibility Payment.
Flexibility Payment
This post attracts a Level 2 Flexibility Payment (FP) that is paid monthly with salary. This FP allows HMRC flexibility to change your work pattern at short notice, to meet business needs. Additionally, you will be expected to work longer hours from time to time, at weekends and outside your normal working hours/days (including bank holidays). For example, you may be required to undertake periods of on‑call at a frequency of 1 week in 4. You may also be expected to work additional hours. In applying for a position and accepting the FP you agree that you can and will meet those attendance requirements. Payment of FP is dependent on successful completion of role specific training. You are not eligible to receive FP Level 2 until that stage is reached. Where additional FP eligibility applies, you will move to that in stages. FP levels are reviewed annually – on a business need and personal basis – and may be subject to change. If you currently receive the Flexibility Payment, which may include Transition Protection and/or a Maintained Pension Value, moving to a new role may affect your payments. Details of the Flexibility Payment can be found in the attached document.
Behaviours
* Making Effective Decisions
* Working Together
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £31,096, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £9,008 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.
We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.
* Pension – We make contributions to our colleagues’ Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
* Family friendly policies.
* Personal support.
* Coaching and development.
To find out more about HMRC benefits and what it’s really like to work for HMRC, hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.
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