Learner Investigator- Live Company Investigation, Manchester

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.

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 10 active employee network groups available to join or become an ally, these include, Carers Network, Disability & Health, FACES Network Group, Grass Roots, LGBT+, Mind Matters, No Limits, Part Time Workers, The Shed, and Women’s Network Group.

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. Our Live Investigation Teams conduct confidential fact-finding enquiries into live companies using powers derived from Section 447 Companies Act 1985. Under these powers, Investigators are authorised by the Secretary of State to require the production of documents and information from a company and from third parties, as well as having the power to enter and remain on premises used in the company’s business.

Investigators are responsible for progressing their own case/s and the investigation process requires a range of initiative, interpersonal, problem solving and evidence-gathering skills including investigative interviewing, dealing with conflict, data gathering, analysis and legal interpretation.

A comprehensive and detailed factual report is drafted by the Investigator and once an enquiry is completed, our team considers the appropriate course of action which may include, taking no further action, bringing winding- up proceedings in the public interest against the company, making appropriate disclosures and, potentially, bringing disqualification proceedings against a named director or directors.

Job description

This is an interesting and exciting role within Investigation and Enforcement Services directorate to conduct investigations into live companies where complaints or intelligence suggests they may not be trading in the public interest.

You will be required to use your own initiative to progress investigations to a successful conclusion and the role will involve the need to conduct remote field work including unannounced visits to company premises.

Responsibilities

The main duties of an Investigator in the Live Investigation team include:

• Managing and progressing a portfolio of investigations conducted using compulsory powers under Section 447 of the Companies Act 1985 in accordance with internal guidance and Government Counter Fraud Standards and with a view to gathering evidence to establish whether the activities of a company are being carried on in the public interest
• Reviewing and researching available source information
• Attending (unannounced) at company premises to serve and exercise the Section 447 authority, overcoming objections and using interpersonal skills to obtain cooperation from company representatives
• Making contact with company directors or third parties (e.g. solicitors, accountants, customers, suppliers, banks, etc) who may be reluctant to engage
• Undertaking investigative interviews with company directors and other third parties
• Identifying relevant accounting and other documents and making formal requirements for timely production and ensuring compliance
• Logging, reviewing, and analysing the documents and information produced during the investigation to identify wrongdoing, misconduct, or potential criminal offences
• Making timely, clear, reasoned, and robust recommendations to managers to progress the case to the appropriate conclusion
• Dealing appropriately with confidential and sensitive information, understanding that a strictly enforced disclosure regime exists in relation to Section 447 investigations, and understanding the impact of other legislation on the investigation, e.g. FOIA & GDPR
• Drafting evidence-based reports on the findings of an investigation to a standard suitable for testing in both civil and criminal courts or capable of forming the foundation for further action by other regulators
• Liaising professionally and expeditiously with legal professionals instructed on behalf of the Secretary of State and colleagues elsewhere in the Service
• Providing primary evidence in relation to investigations by way of affidavit or witness statement and appearing at Court to give oral evidence on behalf of the Secretary of State

Person specification

The successful candidate will need to have the following qualities:

Essential Skills

• Ability to work independently and on own initiative with resilience and confidence whilst away from the office environment
• Ability to respond quickly, flexibly and effectively to tight deadlines, managing and prioritising competing caseloads and tasks
• Good attention to detail and skills to analyse complex data sets to produce meaningful and compelling information
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, written and verbal

Desirable Skills

• Experience in a comparable environment
• Relevant professional training and qualifications

Additional Information

The Insolvency Service has a training programme, the Insolvency Service Investigator Programme (ISIP), which is based on workplace assessment and training. Applicants must complete the programme within the 2-year period allowed. Alternatively, where applicants have either completed an associated ISIP, such as an Insolvent Investigator programme (or are part way through such a programme), they must undertake the respective modules of the Live Investigator ISIP programme (in order to finalise their training). Completion of this programme is a condition of employment. This programme is a key part of the Insolvency Service’s commitment to the Government Counter Fraud Profession.

During the initial 3 months induction period you will be expected to attend a number of mandatory in-person training events which may require overnight stays and/or travel for up to a week at a time.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,659, Insolvency Service contributes £10,909 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, Strengths, Ability and Experience.

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

• Online Tests
• CV
• Personal Statement
• Behaviours:
• Behaviour 1 – Making Effective Decisions
• Behaviour 2 - Communicating and Influencing

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Before submission of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test and Civil Service Numerical Test.

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 19th January 2026. If you fail to complete the online tests before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the tests will be available when you are invited to take the tests. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

CV Guidance

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 be scored as part of the assessment process and will be assessed against the criteria outlined in the job advert.

Personal Statement Guidance

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, as well as any desirable criteria. This will help provide a clearer basis for scoring and will be particularly useful in the event of tied scores.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement, assessing candidates against the essential criteria. Only those who meet the essential criteria at this stage will proceed to a full assessment of their application. If a candidate does not meet the minimum requirements during the initial sift, the remainder of their application will not be reviewed. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

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

• Behaviours - assessed through:
• Behaviour 1 - Communicating and Influencing
• Behaviour 2 - Delivering at Pace
• Strengths
• Additional Assessments:
• Candidates will be presented with an investigative scenario at interview stage

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Sift – week commencing 19th January 2026

Interview – week commencing 2nd February 2026

Location - Manchester Office, 2nd Floor, 3 Piccadilly Place, London Road, Manchester, M1 3BN

Your interview will either be conducted face to face. You will be notified of this if you are selected for interview. 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.

Hybrid Working

Insolvency Service operates a hybrid working policy subject to business need, giving people the flexibility to choose when and where they work and collaborate with others.

Individuals are expected to work from one of the office locations stated in the advert to connect with their colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs. There is flexibility to split the working week, spending a minimum of 60% in the workplace, which includes the office, site visits, court etc.

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.

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.

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 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

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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 : Paul Bardsley
• Email : HR.Recruitment@insolvency.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

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 Commission’s 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 (6) Opens in new window (pdf, 3061kB)Insolvency Service Candidate Information Pack (Sept 2025) (6) Opens in new window (pdf, 6459kB)