Accredited Financial Investigator

Job summary

The Insolvency Service is a leading Government agency which plays a crucial role in providing essential services to the public and to business. The work we do is important to the proper functioning of markets, the economy in general and support for thousands of people each year who are in financial difficulty.

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.

Introduced as part of the new Companies House Reforms Act and the Economic Crime Levy this is an interesting and exciting role based in the Proceeds of Crime Team, part of the Investigation and Enforcement Services directorate within the Insolvency Service.

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 9 active employee network groups available to join or become an ally, these include, Carers Network, Disability network group, Employee Assistance, Representatives, FACES Network Group, LGBT+, Mind Matters, Part Time Workers, The Shed - Men’s Network Group and Women’s Network Group.

We offer full-time, part-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!

Job description

In this role, you will directly contribute to the wider objectives including the Companies House Reform legislation, preventing the abuse of the Company Register and in the protection of the UK, its citizens and its economy from economic crime.

Your primary responsibility will be the planning and preparation of financial investigations under Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) in England and Wales, presenting case material, including financial statements and attending court where necessary.

This is a travelling officer role and the successful candidate will be prepared to undertake travel with infrequent stays away from home. On occasion, you must also be prepared to work unsocial hours.

The post holder will:

• be confident in their ability to produce excellence in investigations as directed, with an ability to innovate and to operate in a high governance environment, under pressure both alone and working as part of a motivated team
• be responsible for their own casework and will be expected to conduct and successfully manage a number of investigations at any one time. You will fully contribute to the operation of the team, undertaking project work tasks when required
• be a trained Financial Investigator or Accredited Financial Investigator who is registered on Financial Investigation Support System (FISS) with the National Crime Agency or be able to immediately re-register once appointed
• be using your powers under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Account Freezing Orders) or restraint and confiscation qualifications under Parts 2 and 8 of the same Act
• be responsible for making recommendations as to whether or not consent to Defence Against Money Laundering reports should be granted

Responsibilities

As an Accredited Financial Investigator, you will:

• be authorised to conduct confiscation or account freezing order investigations in England and Wales using POCA Part 2, 8 and 5 powers
• work within an investigation framework and complying with Insolvency Service and legal standards
• maintain your financial investigation accreditation status on FISS by undertaking CPD as necessary
• research legislation
• produce investigation plans to deliver managerial objectives
• liaise with the stakeholders in respect of evidence gathering and timetables
• be effective and proactive in client relationship management
• gather the evidence identified to meet the requirements of the investigation plan
• make court applications in respect of POCA orders & warrants
• produce high quality POCA statements for the Crown or Magistrates Court and for management
• prepare case files for prosecutors
• manage Criminal Procedure and Investigation Act disclosure responsibilities
• comply with data management requirements under Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation
• complete tasks as efficiently as possible and play a full part in all aspects of the operation of the team

Person specification

The successful candidate will:

• be an experienced, trained Accredited Financial Investigator used to using the powers provided by the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and subsequent legislation
• have a keen interest in asset recovery work and highly developed financial investigation skills
• have excellent oral and written presentation skills and be used to giving evidence under oath in legal proceedings as a witness of truth
• have an enquiring mind and be enthusiastic about diving deeply into company structures, financial statements and banking records to unearth money laundering networks
• have a track record of working with internal and external partners, ideally across jurisdictions, to get things done and deliver excellent results

Essential Criteria

You must be a trained Financial Investigator or Accredited Financial Investigator who is registered on Financial Investigation Support System (FISS) with the National Crime Agency or be able to immediately re-register.

Upon application, you must confirm that you are an Accredited Financial Investigator registered on the Financial Investigation Support System (FISS) with the National Crime Agency (NCA). You should be validated by the NCA for using powers under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Account Freezing Orders) or for restraint and confiscation qualifications under Parts 2 and 8 of the same Act.

This accreditation is linked to the recruitment and retention supplement associated with this role. The Insolvency Service will conduct accreditation checks on applications prior to candidates being shortlisted and invited to interview. Please include the date of your accreditation within your CV.

There is a requirement to maintain Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Further Information

From 1st October 2026, applicants will be required to meet nationality and residency requirements so that National Security Vetting (NSV) checks can be conducted. If you want to learn more, visit NSV national requirements (opens in a new window).

Qualifications

Accreditation as an Accredited Financial Investigator (AFI) and current registration on the Financial Investigation Support System (FISS) with the NCA.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Explain the difference between Particular Criminal Conduct and General Criminal Conduct.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,259, Insolvency Service contributes £11,373 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We want you to have a good work-life balance and want to support you in all that you do, so we offer a great benefits package including:

• flexible working arrangements and flexi-time
• full time new entrants to the Civil Service and those Civil Servants on modernised terms and conditions will be entitled to 25 days leave increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service
• in addition to this you are entitled to 8 public/bank holidays plus an additional day of privilege leave
• competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave
• 5 days paid leave for learning and development
• 5 days paid for volunteering
• a Cycle to work scheme
• staff have access to an employee assistance programme, Workplace Wellness, for confidential, independent support and advice during difficult times in either their professional or personal life

Your pension is a valuable part of your total reward package where the employer makes a significant contribution to the cost of your pension. Your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken. This means, if you pay tax, your take-home pay will not be reduced by the full amount of your contribution; and your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire. For more information, visit www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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 candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.

As part of the sift process, you will be asked to complete:

• Online Tests
• CV
• Personal Statement

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test and Civil Service Numerical Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 28/04/2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Your CV should provide a clear overview of your employment history, key responsibilities, relevant qualifications, and the skills and experience you’ve gained throughout your career including any notable achievements.

Note: Your CV will not be scored as part of the assessment process and will only be used for reference purposes.

Your personal statement should be no more than 750 words and must demonstrate how your personal skills, qualities, and experience align with the requirements of the role. Please ensure your statement references the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.

If successful at the sift stage, at interview, you will be assessed on the following:

• Experience
• Behavioural Competencies- assessed through:
  • Behaviour 1- Communicating and Influencing
  • Behaviour 2- Making Effective Decisions
  • Behaviour 3- Changing and Improving
• Technical Skills

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Sift – from 30 April 2026

Interview – from 21 May 2026

Location – Manchester or London (see addresses below)

North West Regional Centre: 2nd Floor, 3 Piccadilly Place, London Road, Manchester, M1 3BN

London Regional Centre: 16th Floor, 1 Westfield Avenue, Stratford, London, E20 1HZ

Your interview will be conducted face to face. Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Visa Applicants

To sponsor a candidate under the Skilled Worker visa, a sponsorship licence is required. The Insolvency Service does not currently hold this licence and therefore, cannot legally sponsor Skilled Worker visa applicants.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Insolvency Service 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put 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 insolvencyrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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 successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

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.

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.

Visa Applicants

To sponsor a candidate under the Skilled Worker visa, a sponsorship licence is required. The Insolvency Service does not currently hold this licence and therefore, cannot legally sponsor Skilled Worker visa applicants.

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 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 (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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) (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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).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 theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) 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 : IES Workforce Planning
• Email : IES_WorkForcePlanning@insolvency.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : InsolvencyRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Complaints Process
If you feel there have been procedural irregularities at any stage of the recruitment process or that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact hr.recruitment@insolvency.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive you can then contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

Applying for a Job - A Candidate Guide Opens in new window (pdf, 3061kB)Insolvency Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 6509kB)