Workplace Investigations Lead

Job summary

UKRI
Salary: £58,589 per annum.
Band: UKRI Band F.
Contract Type: Open ended.
Hours: Full-time/ Part Time. (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available)
Location: Polaris House, Swindon - Hybrid Working – Minimum 2 days per week in the office.

Closing Date: Thursday 23rd April 2026.

Job description

About the Role

The Workplace Investigations Lead will be responsible for ensuring that UKRI operates in line with best practice to develop, maintain and deliver a professional investigation service. The role supports the effective and professional enforcement of UKRI policies through investigations and alternative informal processes and initiatives that enable good outcomes and maintain UKRI’s reputational standing.

The role has direct line management responsibility for four members of staff, will lead a pool of trained investigators embedded in UKRI teams as well as use of third-party investigators. The postholder will ensure proper use of investigation resources as well as ensuring timely investigations that are relied upon for decision making.

The investigations will cover concerns raised in relation our policies on:

• Grievances, Bullying & Harassment & Discrimination.
• Whistleblowing.
• Health and Safety.
• Safeguarding, Complaints, Managing Performance and Conduct.
• Research Integrity.
• Modern Slavery.
• Research Misconduct.

The Workplace Investigations Lead is a subject matter expert with significant experience of leading investigations work. Each investigation will require the Lead to agree a tailored terms of reference reflecting the specific circumstances of the concern with the decision maker for the case. They will supervise the delivery of investigations including sign-off on investigation plans, performing quality assurance of working papers, and review of draft and final reports before issue. They will work with team members to ensure that reports meet their expectations and that the actions from investigations are taken forward.

The Workplace Investigations Lead will need insightful business awareness with the ability to understand and analyse complex information to: assess and manage risk; make sound evidence- based judgements; implement the policies and standards of UKRI.

This is a new senior position playing a key role in the implementation of a new function for the organisation bringing together investigations activities into one team. This is also leadership role that will be expected to facilitate new ways of working across the organisation, to provide a highly regarded joined-up investigations service for UKRI.

Your responsibilities:

• Lead the triage of complex concerns received into the Digital Front Door and complex case management meetings.
• Ensure investigation processes operate effectively in within corporate expectations, legal and regulatory requirements, and guidelines. Support the development and implementation of procedures and guidance, conducting necessary consultation and recommending corrective and future action.
• Responsible for providing effective highly regarded technical case direction and decision-making in relation to complex cases, maintaining effective relationships with Legal, HR and other collaborators.

• Handle overall investigation resources to the best possible outcomes.

• Quality assurance and authorisation of updates, investigation reports, and advice. Ensure that risks and issues arising from investigations are identified and brought to the attention of key stakeholders for action.
• Accountable for ensuring that reporting is proportionate, fair, and consistent, in line with good investigative practice and with outcomes that function as a credible deterrent.
• Line management and supervision of the workplace investigations team and the pool of trained workplace investigators. Lead and coordinate the work of a team of investigators, a pool of workplace investigators and third-party providers.
• Supervise and lead deployed resources to ensure delivery of a high quality and controlled investigations service.
• Build excellent relationships with a diverse set of collaborators (internal and external) to support the delivery of investigations, providing effective engagement in both the Directorate and across the organisation, acting as a role model for our values and behaviours.

• Responsible for delivery of continuous improvement in operational processes, talent recruitment and development and service excellence to achieve best practice processes and outcomes for investigations.

• Lead the team in applying the highest standards of integrity, maintaining confidentiality, and operating appropriately in highly sensitive and potentially politically complex situations.
• Lead the preparation and delivery of regular updates, reports, and professional guidance to stakeholders to support decision making.
• Responsible for fostering effective understanding of risks and issues arising from investigations are identified and shared with relevant partners across UKRI and lessons are learned.

Key Skills

• Excellent people skills, able to influence and build and maintain strong working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels.
• Able to demonstrate consistently high standards of integrity, and ability to maintain confidentiality and operate appropriately in highly sensitive and complex situations.
• Strong integrity, able to operate with a high level of sensitivity and confidentiality.
• Able to demonstrate strong analytical skills and judgement.
• Enthusiastic, motivated, adaptable, and proactive with the ability to work flexibly in a changing environment.
• Ability to innovate and challenge established thinking in self and others, and to offer insights and ideas with practical application coupled with the ability to inspire change.
• Insightful business awareness with the ability to understand and analyse changing business context and landscape to assess and handle risk, capitalise on emerging opportunities, make sound evidence-based judgements, promote the interests of UKRI and research and innovation.
• Ability to instil confidence within stakeholders at the most senior levels, acting as a trusted advisor.
• Experience of handling budgets and relationships with third-party service providers.

Knowledge

Strong understanding of prevailing governance standards and public sector rules including but not limited to:

• Managing Public Money.
• Gov 13 Functional Standard on Fraud and all standards that apply to UKRI functional work.
• Public Interest Disclosure Act and its implementation.
• ACAS Code of Practice.
• Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Complaints Handling Standards.

Person specification

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

Essential

• Investigations training from an accredited provider, or equivalent. Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development. (S)
• Strong experience in developing and implementing effective case handling and investigation strategies and frameworks in an organisation. (I)
• Strong experience of collaborating with executive teams, operating as a trusted advisor providing expert professional guidance to senior management and able to influence decision making. (S&I)
• Ability to effectively innovate and constructively challenge established thinking in self and others, and to offer insights and ideas with practical application coupled with the ability to influence and drive change. (I)
• Sound leadership skills with a proven ability to inspire, motivate and develop capability within a team, and across matrixed areas, to deliver quality outcomes. (S&I)
• Ability to manage multiple teams, balancing needs and requirements as well as encouraging closer alignment and team working overall. (S&I)
• Experience of working effectively with internal and external agencies including the PHSO, Public Sector Fraud Authority, or others relevant to your work experience. (S)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,589, UK Research and Innovation contributes £16,973 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!

A list of benefits below:

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme
• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent)
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice
• Flexible working options

Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

For further information on our benefits please see:
Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

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

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact Recruitment@ukri.org.

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

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

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 : UKRI Recruitment Team
• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org