Accredited Financial Investigator - spot salary of £55,000 (National) or £58,750 (London) p.a. + benefits

Job summary

Please note that this spot rate salary specially applies to the Accredited Financial Investigator (AFI) role and is based on requiring an NCA Accredited Financial Investigator qualification.

We are currently looking for Accredited Financial Investigators to join our Criminal Enforcement Unit Function within the Safety and Surveillance group.

This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role is a homebased role but will require occasional travel to 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London, E14 4PU or South Mimms, Hertfordshire. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.

Who are we?

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.

The Criminal Enforcement Unit (CEU) is the dedicated law enforcement function of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Its strategic aim is to reduce and eliminate offences involving medicines and medical devices, protecting public health and maintaining confidence in the UK's regulatory framework.

The Unit investigates serious and organised crime linked to the illegal manufacture, importation and supply of medicines and medical devices, using intelligence-led approaches to identify threats and target those who seek to profit from criminality. We work closely with law enforcement, government, regulatory and international partners to protect the public and safeguard the integrity of the UK's medicines and medical devices supply chains.

The Unit comprises a highly skilled multidisciplinary workforce with experience drawn from policing, Regional Organised Crime Units, the National Crime Agency, intelligence, regulatory enforcement and other specialist disciplines. The CEU consists of seven teams, each reporting to a Grade 7 Senior Manager. These teams are aligned to one of two Commands: Intelligence and Innovation, and Investigation and Disruption. Each is led by a Head of Command, who reports directly to the Deputy Director of Criminal Enforcement.

Working in the CEU offers the opportunity to contribute directly to protecting public health, tackling crime, and making a tangible impact on the safety of patients and the wider public.

Job description

What’s the role?

The main purpose of the role is to deliver financial investigative and disruption capabilities to enable CE to meet its strategic aim of reducing the criminal threat to public safety. The use of POCA (Proceeds of Crime Act,2002) tools will be the key enabler in securing desirable outcomes.

Key responsibilities:

• Leading and supporting impactful asset-denial interventions using powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and related legislation, gathering evidence/information, preparing and submitting case files, warrants, orders and other documentation to remove or disrupt identified threats.
• Ensuring financial investigations are carried out thoroughly, professionally and expeditiously in accordance with Agency policy, good practice and legislative requirements.
• Prepare relevant material on money laundering and financial dealings for disclosure, in liaison with Crown prosecutors when necessary to support investigations.
• Working closely with the FININT resources within the assessment, analysis and collection function, assisting in thematrix management and professional development of the capability, sharing information and collaborating on case building and promoting use of financial investigation practices across CE as a threat reduction tool.
• Managing and delivering allocated capabilities to the highest professional standards, encouraging, supporting and participating in a culture of continuous improvement, and modelling civil service and corporate values and behaviours.
• Embracing a flexible, matrix approach to the brigading of resources to meet dynamic demand across the function and across CE. (Intelligence command roles).
• Providing advice on legislation and technical options to disrupt criminality
• Working collaboratively with stakeholders to reduce criminal threats.
• Case file preparation and the prosecution of offenders.
• Contributing to the 4P strategic response framework to criminal threats.

Who are we looking for?

Our successful candidate will have the following:

• Proven working knowledge and experience of investigations under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and significant experience of money laundering cases. The candidate must be a current Accredited Financial Investigator (NCA).
• Significant experience of all aspects of cash seizures, restraint and confiscation work and relevant court representation. Experience in the deployment of investigative tools derived from the Criminal Finances Act (2017) such as AFO’s. The candidate must be qualified under 303Z (1) (POCA) in relation to account forfeiture and listed assets and 378 (POCA) in relation to production orders. They must be in a position to secure accreditation in the arena of crypto asset seizure.
• Previous experience and exposure to PACE, RIPA and CPIA.
• The ability to be able to work under pressure, often alone, and to tight deadlines. The flexibility to be able to undertake work that often requires working away from the base office, overnight allowances apply.
• Proven ability to act professionally as the organisation’s representative when dealing with all internal and external stakeholders.
• Hold a full UK driving licence.
• Be able to undertake manual lifting and handling activities, where required as part of the role .

Person specification

Method of assessment: A=Application, I=Interview

Behaviour Criteria:

• Working Together – A committed team player who leads by example and models civil service, agency and Group values and behaviours at all times - encouraging others to do the same. (I)
• Changing and Improving - Encourages, supports and participates in a culture of continuous improvement, where opportunities to enhance delivery of MHRA Criminal Enforcement’s threat reduction mission are identified and implemented. (I)
• Managing a Quality Service - A flexible, adaptable and creative problem solver, who can look beyond established practices to overcome barriers to progression whilst maintaining compliance with statutory and regulatory frameworks and a strong focus on high standards of delivery. (I)

Experience Criteria:

• Significant recent experience of conducting complex financial investigations. The candidate must be a current Accredited Financial Investigator. (A, I)
• Experience in the deployment of investigative tools derived from the Criminal Finances Act (2017) such as AFO’s and listed assets. (A, I)
• Proactive and reactive financial investigations into serious and organised criminality, providing evidence of money laundering, and identifying and recovering criminal assets. (A, I)
• The ability to review and analyse financial intelligence and identify opportunities for Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) disruption opportunities. (A, I)
• Providing advice on legislation and technical options to disrupt criminality (A, I)
• Working collaboratively with stakeholders to reduce criminal threats. (A, I)
• Case file preparation and the prosecution of offenders. (A, I)
• Contributing to the 4P strategic response framework to criminal threats. (A, I)
• Extensive experience in progressing complex money laundering investigations (A, I)

Technical Criteria:

• A thorough knowledge of the provisions of the RIPA, Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, and the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1998. (A, I)
• Formal accreditation under the Professionalising Investigation Programme (PIP) to level 1 or 2 (investigator) or equivalent, or demonstrable competence to ‘practitioner’ level against core GCFP professional standards. (A, I)
• Current NCA accreditation as a financial investigator. (A, I)
• Fully accredited as a Financial Investigator (FI, Confiscator, Restraint, AFO and Listed Assets 303Z(1)) (A, I)
• Operational competence in exercising POCA Part 5 powers, including (A, I) :
• Cash seizure and recovery
• Account Freezing Orders (AFOs) and account forfeiture
• Recovery of listed assets (e.g. precious metals, artwork)
• Seizure and forfeiture of cryptoassets and associated freezing orders
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills and the ability to articulate complex matters clearly and concisely in a way that aids comprehension. (A, I)

If you would like to find out more about this fantastic opportunity, please read our Job Description and Person Specification!

Please note: The job description may not open in some internet browsers. Please use Chrome or Microsoft Edge. If you have any issue viewing the job description, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £55,000, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes

£15,933 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave on entry, rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff. PLUS 8 bank holidays
• Privilege Leave: 1 day
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): One month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months full pay/five months half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allowing staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Civil Service Pension Scheme. Please see the link for further information http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/ For enquiries relating to the Civil Service Pension Schemes please contact MyCSP's Pension Service Centre directly on 0300 123 6666
• Flexible working to ensure staff maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Interest free season ticket loan or bike loan
• Employee Assistance Services and access to the Civil Service Benevolent Fund
• Eligibility to join Motoring , Boundless by CSMA
• Variety of staff and Civil Service clubs
• On-going learning and development

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

We will be hosting a free virtual recruitment event on Thur sday 03 September at 12:30pm-1:30pm with the opportunity to learn more about the role and ask questions of the panel. To join, please see link https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/369199015196320?p=gdGryPIu3NQhK1lFe0

This is a great opportunity for you to meet the team, find out more about our business and the various roles we are recruiting for.

We use the Civil Service Success Profiles to assess our candidates, find out more here .

• Online application form , including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank. Our applications are CV blind, and our Hiring Managers will not be able to access