**Senior Evidence Manager – Grooming Gangs Inquiry

Job summary

The Statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs (IIGG or “the Inquiry”) was established under the Inquiries Act 2005 following Recommendation 2 of Baroness Louise Casey’s National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (June 2025). The Inquiry will examine group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, with a mandate to understand what happened, why institutional failings allowed it to continue, and what must change to protect children in the future.

The Inquiry is led by Baroness Anne Longfield CBE as Chair and supported by Panellists Zoë Billingham CBE and Eleanor Kelly CBE. It has full statutory powers to compel evidence and call witnesses across institutional and geographical boundaries.

The Senior Evidence Manager will be part of the team responsible for ensuring that all the relevant material reviewed over the course of the Inquiry is made available to the Inquiry’s Legal Team in line with the Inquiries Act and Inquiry Rules, that the Inquiry complies with GDPR, the Data Protection Act and ECHR Article 8 in handling significant volumes of sensitive material, and that the Inquiry’s official report and records are archived in line with the Act and Rules.

This is an opportunity to work in an exciting, innovative and varied role in a very fast-paced environment and to support delivery of real change for victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation.

Job description

Reporting to the Deputy Head of Evidence Management, this role sits within the Inquiry’s Evidence Management Team in the Chief Operating Officer’s Team. You will support day-to-day evidence management activity, including provision of technical expertise and training to users of the evidence management system, handling complex enquiries from the Inquiry’s Legal Team and material providers, liaising closely with the supplier of the evidence management system to ensure rapid delivery and value for money.

Responsibilities

Duties include but are not limited to:

Leadership & Building capability:

• Contributing to the Evidence and Information Management Team and wider Chief Operating Officer’s team, promoting a positive, capable, and supportive environment.

• Proactively building capability across the Inquiry, through user education and training, to support colleagues using a variety of IT platforms and digital services.

Evidence management:

• Implementing robust procedures to ensure evidence from material providers is transferred to the Inquiry securely and effectively. Liaising with system suppliers and other internal and external stakeholders on changes to the database or the Inquiry’s requirements, as directed.

• Developing an understanding of how the Inquiry’s evidence management system is administered and operates, creating appropriate documentation and user guides; provision of ad hoc advice as required by internal and external stakeholders.

• Enabling the Inquiry’s counsel and legal team to interrogate vast quantities of evidential material from multiple providers, ensuring evidential continuity; and to disclose and publish relevant materials in support of Core Participant access, hearings, and report publication.

• Supporting strategic and secure management of the Inquiry’s evidence management system and transfer platform, including coordinating with material providers, providing assurance where necessary, in order to efficiently obtain potentially evidential material.

Service delivery:

• Line managing an Evidence Manager and conducting regular performance reviews and discussions to encourage professional development and promote a supportive working environment.

• Co-ordinating day-to-day Evidence Management activities.

• Quality assuring team output and providing regular training and feedback to the Evidence Management Team to ensure high standards are maintained.

Information Management:

• Ensuring the Inquiry record is managed effectively and securely, in line with The Inquiries Act 2005, The Inquiry Rules 2006, Public Records Act 1958, Data Protection Act 2018 & UK GDPR, and having regard to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

• Supporting the wider Inquiry team in complying with information management best-practice.

• Proactively promoting good data protection behaviours.

Fixed Term Appointment (FTA)/Loan

This post is being offered on a 12 months’ basis in order to complete a finite piece of work. Please refer to attached Candidate Information Pack.

The Inquiry timeline is 36 months, and the assignment may be extended subject to relevant approvals.

Working pattern

Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full-time basis. However, job-share and compressed hours are available.

Location

Please note only the locations listed in the advert are available for this role. No other locations will be considered.

Training

The Inquiry will provide staff with training on Safeguarding and Trauma, as well as core corporate responsibilities.

Travel

Please note the role will involve occasional travel based on business needs, to hearing venues, Inquiry offices and locations involved in local investigations.

Person specification

Essential criteria

You must be able to demonstrate:

• A good technical knowledge of document/evidence management technology.

• Having a problem-solving attitude, including experience of providing innovative, technical solutions, handling large datasets.

• Being an effective communicator, with the ability to engage with different audiences and colleagues at all levels, including at the most senior, and ability to build relationships across functions.

Desirable criteria

• Experience in a public Inquiry or organisation requiring similar levels of data review and preservation.

• Experience of providing support and advice to an organisation on records matters OR experience of working in a legal environment.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

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

• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.
• See more of our benefits on our careers website.

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 and Experience.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

As part of the application process, you will first be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information.

After submission of this first stage, you will be invited to complete the Civil Service Verbal test.

1. Online Test – by 4th November 2026.

If you successfully pass the Verbal test, you will be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). If you fail to complete the online test or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.

Guidance for the Civil Service test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The online test is accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.

Please note you cannot complete the tests on a mobile phone or tablet.

You will be directed to the Talogy - True Talent – Scheduled Maintenance Window Webpage for online tests during an outage. Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between midday to 1pm Sunday, 25 October and 4pm to midnight Sunday, 1 November 2026. You will be unable to access tests during this period.

If you are in the middle of a test when the maintenance begins, your progress will be paused. You will be able to resume your test from where you left off via your application centre once the downtime has ended. Please note that you will not be able to launch any new tests while the system is offline.

If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application. Please note the vacancy closes 04/11/2026 you will need to complete the test and the final stage of the application by this deadline.

Following the successful completion of your test, you will then be asked to complete the full application form.

2. Application – by 4th November 2026.

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

• a CV.
• Personal Statement (maximum 750 words).
• Evidence of the Behaviour Managing a Quality Service (maximum of 250 words).

Your CV should consist of your career history, qualifications, and skills/experience, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will be scored against the experience required for the role as noted within the essential criteria.

The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.

For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

3. Sift – from 6th November 2026.

The sift will be held on the Personal Statement, CV, and the Lead Behaviour Managing a Quality Service, as listed in the advert.

Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted on the CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift that will consist of all the remaining elements submitted (Personal Statement and Lead Behaviour). Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the initial sift will not have their remaining submitted elements scored and will only receive a sift score for that assessed at the initial sift.

4. Interview – from 27th November 2026.

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be Behaviour based questions.

The interview will take place online via MS Teams.

For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.

Problems during the application process

If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.

Do not create or attempt to submit another application, online test or use a different Civil Service Jobs account to proceed as this would be in violation of the candidate declaration.

Location preference

You will only be able to select a single location preference so please ensure this is a location that you are prepared to travel to. If you are offered a role at your preferred location and you decline, your application will be withdrawn.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.

Reserve lists will be held for each location. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location.

Breaking Tied Scores

The behaviours have been ranked in order of importance to enable us to differentiate between candidates with tied interview scores.

Standards

All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Additional Security Checks

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks carried out will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.

Further information

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.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is 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 HOrecruitment.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 basic (or equivalent) 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.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 : Home Office Resourcing Centre
• Email : HORCCampaignTeamCorporateEnablers@homeoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles. and you wish to make a complaint, then contact the Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

2025-11-01 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 642kB)candidate_information_v18_July_2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 8MB)