Senior Enforcement Investigator (Labour Abuse Prevention Officer)

Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority

United Kingdom

Hybrid

Expires: Expiring in less than 2 weeks

Social Work

Full time

£32,000 - £37,500 per year

Job summary

Do you thrive in a challenging environment and actively seek solutions? Do you want to be part of a dedicated and passionate team striving to stop worker exploitation and Modern Slavery? We are currently recruiting for Senior Enforcement Investigators (Labour Abuse Prevention Officer). There will be 12 roles which may include cross border working. These roles are essential in the GLAA’s approach to tackling Modern Slavery (Forced or Compulsory Labour) and Labour Exploitation in order to protect some of the most vulnerable victims in the UK.

About the GLAA

At the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), we provide exceptional service to the public, businesses, and workers in the fight to stop worker exploitation. We are seeking thorough Investigators with a proven background, role model exemplary behaviours, and those that can deliver our vital services to our wide range of beneficiaries with a focus on efficiency and excellence. Building a culture of belonging, we are committed to providing an experience that is inclusive, equitable and kind. We prioritise diversity and believe in a culture rooted in collaboration, growth and team cohesion. Everyday, everyone on the team contributes to stopping worker exploitation.

The GLAA is one of the principal investigative law enforcement bodies for labour exploitation in the UK. The GLAA ensures that workers in the UK are treated fairly, properly and are protected from abuse and exploitation. We have three core functions:

Regulation - We regulate businesses that provide workers to the horticulture, agriculture, shellfish gathering and food processing and packaging sector. Our regulatory work includes operating a licencing scheme, undertaking inspections to ensure compliance with that scheme, and taking enforcement action where there are breaches.
Prevention – We work with a broad range of stakeholders locally, nationally, and internationally to help prevent workers from being exploited.
Enforcement - We investigate allegations of worker abuse under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. GLAA Officers conduct civil and criminal investigations and take enforcement action, including prosecutions and court orders to disrupt criminal activity. We also support victims who have been abused, in particular by ensuring they can access specialist help from our partners.

Job description

Reporting to an Investigations Manager the postholder will be expected to professionally investigate allegations of Modern Slavery, Labour Exploitation, and other relevant Labour Market offences and in doing so protect and safeguard individuals exposed to these risks. The postholder will lead investigations from the reporting stage through to successful court proceedings by providing credible investigative expertise to protect vulnerable workers and prevent exploitation. Safeguarding and provision of care and support to potentially vulnerable and exploited workers will be required.

The role holder is responsible for:

Conducting and taking responsibility for criminal investigations under the Gangmasters Licensing Act 2004 and the Modern Slavery Act 2015
Carrying out risk assessments for victims and potential victims of exploitation, identify immediate risk to victims and where necessary take appropriate action to safeguard individuals.
Undertaking witness and suspect interviews in line with PACE and associated procedures in relation to investigations that could include serious and complex crime.
Performing lawful arrest and process of suspects for exploitation related criminality in line with PACE.
Maintaining personal responsibility for all aspects of file preparation including gathering, recording, storing, accessing, and sharing of evidence in compliance with organisational procedures, codes of practice and legislation.
Ensuring that all evidence and exhibits are properly recorded and stored, and that the continuity and integrity of that evidence is always maintained by GLAA personnel. In addition, ensuring that all Disclosure management rules and processes are followed in accordance with CPIA 1996 acting as Disclosure Officer for criminal investigations.
Attending Crown Court, Magistrates’ Court, Civil Hearings and Appeal Hearings and give evidence as required.
Obtaining, monitoring, and enforcing Slavery and Trafficking Risk Orders (STROs), Labour Market Enforcement Undertakings (LMEUs) and Labour Market Enforcement Orders (LMEOs)
Attending multi agency case conferences/meetings as a representative of the organisation.
Working in partnership with other agencies including law enforcement agencies in operational activities.
Supporting with delivering the ‘Prevent’ agenda for the GLAA.
Gathering and submitting intelligence relating to Modern Slavery, Labour Exploitation and Labour Market offences to assist the GLAA and partner agencies to protect vulnerable persons in line with the National Intelligence Model.
Ensuring best value is a primary factor in all aspects of operation.
Undertaking any other reasonable duties that may be required by the GLAA

We are currently underrepresented by female, transgender, non binary, ethnic minority and disabled colleagues, and are keen to change this, so welcome applications from all parts of the communities we serve.

Things you need to know

The Government’s plan to Make Work Pay included a commitment to establish a single enforcement body to enforce workers’ rights, including strong powers to inspect workplaces and take action against exploitation. Bringing together state enforcement for workers’ rights will better support businesses who want to comply with the rules, create a strong, recognisable single brand so individuals know where to go for help, and lead to a more effective use of resources and coordinated enforcement action. Bringing state employment enforcement together will create a single executive agency of the Department for Business and Trade known as the Fair Work Agency (FWA). The FWA will bring together the enforcement bodies – HMRC’s National Minimum Wage enforcement function (HMRC NMW), the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EAS), the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) and the Director of Labour Markets (DLME) strategic functions.

This role is part of a transition process and is expected to transfer to The Fair Work Agency (FWA) as part of planned organisational changes. Further details will be provided as appropriate during the recruitment process

Person specification

When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with essential and desirable criteria below:

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

Experience of working within a law enforcement/regulatory or similar environment.
Experience in conducting criminal investigations.
Working knowledge of relevant investigatory legislation (e.g. Police And Criminal Evidence (PACE) Act 1984, CPIA 1996 and the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act, 2004, Victims Code of Practice).
Experience of criminal case file preparation and an understanding of evidential requirements.
Ability to work on own initiative without supervision but also as a pro-active team member.
Experience of multi-agency and/or partnership working.
Ability to work to tight time scales and to manage conflicting priorities.
Ability to write clear and concise reports.
IT literate with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office products.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA:

Experience of investigation of Modern Slavery and Labour Exploitation associated crime.
Experience of dealing with vulnerable victims and witnesses
Trained as a Victim Liaison Officer (VLO).
Qualified to undertake ABE and suspect interviews.
Experience of submitting intelligence in accordance with NIM.
Knowledge of the National Referral Mechanism and support providers.
Qualified to PIP level 1 and 2.
An understanding of digital forensics.
Experience of attending Crown Court, Magistrates’ Court, Civil Hearings and Appeal Hearings and giving evidence as required.
Experience of making applications for search warrants or other orders to the court.

All offers are subject to satisfactory references, DBS, Security Clearance (SC) and Police Vetting (NPPV LEVEL3).

Licences

Full UK Driving Licence

Behaviours

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

Delivering at Pace
Seeing the Big Picture
Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,000, Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority contributes £9,270 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We offer a generous total package to our employees which includes the following:

32.5 days annual leave (FTE) in addition to 8 public holidays
Flexible public holiday scheme
Choice of pension schemes, including access to the extremely generous Civil Service Pension, which also provides a death in service lump sum payment and a survivor’s pension payment
Annual performance related bonus scheme
Access to employee discounts
Access to a wellbeing portal
Employee assistance programme
Access to mental health first aiders within the organisation
Flexibility for working hours through the Flexitime scheme
Hybrid working available
Enhanced maternity and paternity benefits
Commitment to employee development
We’re proud to be an Endometriosis Friendly Employer

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 and Experience.

As part of your application, you will be invited to complete an anonymised CV (including your career history, qualifications and experience), and a Personal Statement (up to 1000 words) which demonstrates how you meet the Essential and Desirable Criteria listed in the person specification.

Application Guidance

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a personal statement https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/how-to-apply/

Sift Information

At Sift you will be assessed on knowledge, skills and values contained within your application.

The Sift will take place during w/c 02/02/2026.

Interview Information

At Interview you will be assessed on behaviours, technical skills and strengths.

Interviews will take place online utilising Microsoft TEAMS w/c 16/02/2026 and 23/02/2026.

Artificial intelligence

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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.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.

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

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

Salary range

£32,000 - £37,500 per year