Assistant Director – Intelligence & Targeting

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.

The Insolvency Service is entering an important new phase, with our Investigation and Enforcement Strategy 2026-2031 setting out an ambition to become the UK's leading authority in enforcing corporate and insolvency standards and tackling economic crime.

As Assistant Director leading the agency's intelligence function, you will shape how we identify threats, target the most harmful behaviours and deploy our enforcement powers for maximum public impact.

This is a high-profile senior leadership role requiring strategic vision, strong leadership and the ability to influence across organisational boundaries. You will lead and develop a multidisciplinary team, strengthen leadership across the function, and build an inclusive culture that supports innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement.

You will also drive the use of intelligence, data, build effective partnerships, and ensure the capability, capacity and skills are in place to deliver lasting outcomes for the public, businesses and the wider economy.

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 9 active employee network groups available to join or become an ally, these include, Carers Network, Disability network group, Employee Assistance, Representatives, FACES Network Group, LGBT+, Mind Matters, Part Time Workers, The Shed - Men’s Network Group and Women’s Network Group.

We offer full-time, part-time, job share and flexible ways of working. We value capability, technical skills and experience and we place great emphasis on lifetime development to support our people. We encourage our employees to become more involved in areas they feel strongly about, whether it be for the benefit of the agency, through our Engagement network or in their own local communities via volunteering opportunities.

The Insolvency Service is a great place to work, learn and grow your career!

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced senior leader to lead the Intelligence and Targeting function at the heart of the agency's Investigation and Enforcement Strategy. Working as part of the Enforcement Group Senior Leadership Team, you will set the strategic direction for how the agency identifies threats, prioritises activity and uses intelligence to inform decisions on investigation and enforcement activity with the greatest public impact.

You will use insight, evidence and professional judgement to strengthen the agency's intelligence capability, helping the organisation identify emerging economic crime threats and target its response effectively. Working closely with senior leaders and key stakeholders, you will shape priorities, influence decision-making and ensure intelligence-led approaches are embedded across the agency.

You will be accountable for the performance, capability, governance and continuous improvement of the function, ensuring resources are used effectively to deliver operational and strategic outcomes.

This is a demanding, influential and rewarding leadership role with significant responsibility for supporting the agency's mission to tackle economic crime and protect the public.

Responsibilities

You will:

• set the strategic direction for Intelligence and Targeting, translating the Investigation and Enforcement Strategy into clear priorities, measurable outcomes and a high-performing, inclusive culture
• ensure intelligence drives operational decision-making , delivering high-quality strategic and tactical products that inform prioritisation, targeting, resource allocation, and the identification of civil and criminal enforcement opportunities
• lead and develop a large function , strengthening capability, resilience, professionalism, and leadership to deliver sustained performance through change
• champion innovation in data, digital and emerging technologies , enhancing intelligence collection, analysis, targeting, and performance insight
• provide strategic leadership of governance, assurance, risk and performance , delivering clear, evidence-based advice and briefings to Directors, Boards, senior officials, and external stakeholders
• build and influence senior partnerships across government, law enforcement, regulatory and private sector organisations, enabling richer intelligence sharing and a more coordinated enforcement response

Person specification

Candidates must be able to demonstrate:

• senior leadership experience with a strong background in intelligence and a broader understanding of how intelligence supports investigation, enforcement, regulatory activity or similar operational environments
• sound judgement, credibility and the ability to lead confidently in complex, sensitive and fast-paced settings
• confidence in working through ambiguity, influencing senior stakeholders and translating strategic ambition into practical delivery
• excellent judgement, with the ability to make evidence-based decisions, balance competing priorities and maintain delivery focus in complex and high-profile environments
• strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships, work across organisational boundaries and provide constructive challenge at senior levels

Essential Criteria

The essential skills and experience for this role are:

• significant demonstratable senior leadership experience within an intelligence, enforcement, regulatory, investigative or comparable operational environment
• a strong track record of setting strategic direction and delivering organisational outcomes through large, diverse and geographically dispersed teams
• experience of using intelligence, data and insight to inform decision-making, prioritisation, risk management and operational delivery
• experience of leading capability, performance and organisational change, fostering a high-performing, inclusive culture and developing future leaders

Further Information

You will be expected to attend your Regional Centre location as part of your normal working arrangements. You may also be required to travel to other sites for meetings or business needs, as required.

From 1st October 2026, applicants will be required to meet nationality and residency requirements so that National Security Vetting (NSV) checks can be conducted. If you want to learn more, visit NSV national requirements (opens in a new window).

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Changing and Improving
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £72,113, Insolvency Service contributes

£20,891 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).

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 and Experience.

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

• CV
• Personal Statement

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the CV, 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.

Where high volumes of strong applications are expected or received, we may raise the ‘benchmark’ minimum score required at the sift stage. If a high volume of candidates meet the benchmark score, we may further raise the score required for interview selection. Scores will be applied fairly and consistently. Applicants eligible under a recruitment scheme may, where appropriate, continue to be considered against the agreed ‘benchmark’ score, to support the purpose of the scheme.

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.

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.

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

• Experience
• Behavioural Competencies - assessed through: • Behaviour 1 – Leadership
• Behaviour 2 – Changing and Improving
• Behaviour 3 – Delivering at Pace
• Presentation

Experience will also be assessed through the presentation at interview. Details of the presentation will be provided to candidates who are successful at sift stage.

• Expected timeline (subject to change)
• Sift – from 21 September 2026
• Interview – 16 October 2026
• Location - MS Teams

Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of this if you are selected for interview. Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising fle