Chief Investigator, Criminal Investigation
| Posting date: | 01 December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £56,799 per year |
| Additional salary information: | £56,799 (national) , £58,874 (London) |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 14 December 2025 |
| Location: | Exeter |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 438964/4 |
Summary
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 7 employee network groups available to join or become an ally, these include LGBT+, FACES, Break the Stigma, Disability & Health, Part Time Workers, Women’s and Carers.
We offer part-time 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, though 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.
Investigation and Enforcement Services (IES) directorate aims to deliver and promote a range of investigation and enforcement activities, both civil and criminal in nature, to support fair and open markets. We do this by effectively enforcing the statutory company and insolvency regimes, maintaining public confidence in those regimes, and reducing the harm caused to victims of fraudulent activity and to the business community.
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 our civil investigation teams and our Legal Services Directorate internally and other Law Enforcement partner organisations to ensure that we fulfil our role in delivering Governmental strategies.
Reporting to the Assistant Director, this post is responsible for the leadership, management and operational delivery for a team of approximately 24 investigators/investigator managers carrying out criminal investigations (mainly under the Insolvency Act 1986, Fraud Act 2006, Companies Act 2006, Theft Act 1968, and Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986) and responsible for ensuring the team meets their objectives.
Regular attendance to these offices will be required. Regular travel to other sites and to attend liaison meetings with stakeholders and other regulators, often at other offsite locations across the country will be required. Occasional overnight stays may be required.
The main duties of the role include:
- Provide clear, proactive, positive leadership, being accountable for team objectives and performance, outcomes (including criminal proceedings and disclosures to other regulators), people capability improvements and governance and risk management in a positive environment that fosters open, transparent communication and which embraces challenge and change and innovation
- Leading and managing the Investigation Managers and their teams of mixed capability, including trainees, undertaking a range of criminal investigations including high profile and/or complex cases, ensuring they are conducted to the appropriate Government Counter Fraud standards and in accordance with best practice and relevant legislation e.g. PACE , RIPA, CPIA, GDPR
- Oversee the work of the team, supporting the Investigation Managers to proactively manage the investigators and cases, providing technical guidance, ensuring quality and when required, act as Officer in Charge of investigations and as the Authorising Officer under certain aspects of PACE and RIPA
- Taking the lead and driving follow up action arising from criminal investigations. This will include contributing to discussions with solicitors and counsel, attending court as a witness as well as representing the Agency in dealings with stakeholders and the media
- Working collaboratively, internally with our Legal Services Directorate, civil investigators and Financial Investigators or externally with other law enforcement partners, investigators, prosecuting and enforcement authorities as well as Regulatory Bodies to ensure enforcement action is progressed appropriately and promptly - ensuring value for money for the taxpayer
- Playing a significant role in the leadership management team, the Directorate Senior Leadership Team, and the Agency and acting as part of a network with fellow criminal Chief Investigators providing mutual support, ensuring consistency and best practice and continuous improvement
- Contributing to Agency development and capability initiatives e.g. working with the training team in developing and delivering internal training and taking on a strategic role for IES and becoming a Champion for a particular topic e.g. Criminal Disclosure.
- Delivering the agency's enforcement strategy within the business area
- Contributing to the planning of future IES and Agency strategies including the Agency’s Future Organisational Design and contributing to projects, meetings and other Agency-level activities
- Working collaboratively, internally with our Legal Services and Official Receiver Services Directorates, our Intelligence Unit, Proceeds of Crime Team, and Civil Insolvent Investigation and Case Targeting team, or externally with other law enforcement partners, investigators, prosecuting and enforcement authorities as well as Regulatory Bodies to ensure enforcement action is progressed appropriately and promptly - ensuring value for money for the taxpayer
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to:
- Develop their leadership skills
- Manage and develop a team of investigators and investigation managers, building their capability and professionalism
- Play a key role in developing the future Investigations & Enforcement Services Directorate, best practice and embedding the Government Counter Fraud Profession and standards within IES
- Appreciate the bigger picture of the investigation and enforcement environment across government and the Agency’s contribution to it
- Oversee and lead investigations into serious and complex criminal matters
Please note: These posts are full-time only due to the nature of the role and the responsibilities involved, including leading sizeable teams.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme