** Regional (North East and Midlands) and Financial Investigation Lead

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

Immigration Enforcement is responsible for enforcing the government’s immigration laws, tackling illegal migration, removing foreign national offenders and immigration offenders from the UK. We also aim to disrupt the organised criminal groups that exploit the vulnerable for their personal gain. Learn more on our careers pages.

The post holder will provide strategic leadership across serious and complex investigations, directing senior managers and investigative teams to deliver high-quality outcomes. They will set priorities, shape operational strategy, ensure investigative standards are consistently met, and maintain robust governance and oversight arrangements. Operating in a fast-paced and demanding environment, the post holder will exercise sound judgement, make informed decisions under pressure, and effectively identify, manage and mitigate risk.

Working closely with a wide range of internal and external partners, including the National Crime Agency, territorial police forces, the Crown Prosecution Service and international law enforcement agencies, the post holder will drive a coordinated approach to tackling complex criminality. The role requires the ability to build credibility and influence at senior levels, manage sensitive and high-profile issues, and contribute to national operational and strategic decision-making.

The post holder will also be responsible for developing organisational capability, leading and inspiring high-performing teams, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. They will champion inclusion, wellbeing and professional standards, ensuring colleagues are supported to deliver their best and develop their careers within a positive and inclusive working environment.

Job description

The post holder will lead senior managers and investigation teams within Northern Command East of Criminal and Financial Investigation (CFI), shaping operational strategy and setting priorities for the delivery of serious and complex investigations. They will provide visible leadership, ensuring the highest investigative standards are maintained, effective governance frameworks are in place, and risks are proactively identified and managed. Operating in a demanding and dynamic environment, the post holder will make sound, evidence-based decisions under pressure, balancing operational priorities with strategic objectives to deliver high-quality outcomes.

You may be required to undertake the same or a similar role within a different team or teams (where possible, at your base location or within reasonable travel distance), depending on business priorities. With appropriate training and support, this will provide opportunities to broaden both your experience and skill set.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be responsible for (but not limited to):

• Provide strategic leadership to the National Financial Investigation Unit and Cash Forfeiture & Condemnation Legal Team, ensuring the effective delivery of organisational priorities, operational objectives, and business outcomes.
• Direct and oversee serious, complex, and high-profile criminal and financial investigations, ensuring compliance with legislative requirements, professional standards, and governance frameworks.
• Lead, manage, and develop senior managers and multidisciplinary teams, fostering a high-performing, inclusive culture that promotes excellence, wellbeing, accountability, and continuous professional development.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, prosecuting authorities, government departments, and international partners, to support the delivery of coordinated operational outcomes.
• Provide expert advice, assurance, and strategic insight to senior leaders on complex criminal and financial investigations, asset recovery activity, legal matters, and operational risk.
• Manage organisational risk, resources, and performance, ensuring effective governance, sound decision-making, and the successful delivery of operational objectives within a demanding and evolving environment.
• Represent the organisation at senior-level forums, influencing national policy, strategy, and continuous improvement initiatives across criminal and financial investigations, asset recovery, and wider law enforcement functions.

Working Pattern

Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full-time basis.

Travel

The post holder will be required to travel regularly and attend other CFI offices across the UK as required, occasionally at short notice, to support operational and business priorities.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Extensive senior-level experience leading complex criminal, money laundering, and asset recovery investigations, delivering successful outcomes in high-profile and challenging environments
• Strong knowledge and practical application of key investigative legislation, including Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act (CPIA), Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE), Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA), and associated regulatory frameworks.
• Expert understanding of POCA - Part 5 Civil Recovery powers and Civil Recovery in Summary Proceedings (CRISP) powers, with proven experience applying them effectively.
• Strategic leader with the ability to develop organisational direction, provide expert advice, and operate effectively across both strategic and operational priorities.
• Highly skilled in problem-solving and decision-making, confidently managing complex, sensitive, and high-profile operational matters under pressure.
• Inspirational and visible people leader with a proven track record of leading, motivating, and developing high-performing teams to achieve organisational objectives. Committed to fostering inclusive cultures, promoting organisational values and behaviours, and building collaborative partnerships across teams and stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to explain complex issues clearly, build credibility at senior levels, manage competing priorities, and deliver results through resilient and continuous improvement-focused leadership

Desirable Criteria

• IMSDP PIP2 accredited.
• Accredited Financial Investigator.

Licences

Due to the nature of the work and/or the geographical area, driving is a key requirement for this role. It is essential you hold a full valid UK manual/automatic driving licence at the time of application.

Your licence will be checked at interview stage and you must confirm you hold one when you apply

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

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

• Leadership

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• See more of our benefits on our careers website.

• Sign-up on our website to receive emails with information about careers at the Home Office
• 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, Strengths 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.

1. Application – by 10 September 2026

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

• CV
• Personal Statement (maximum 1000 words).
• Evidence of the Behaviour - Leadership (maximum of 250 words per Behaviour).

Your CV should consist of your career history 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.

2. Sift – commencing 14 September 2026

The sift will be held on the CV, Personal Statement and Behaviour - Leadership.

3. Interview – commencing 05 October 2026

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be Behaviours (as listed in the job advert) and Strength based questions. All Behaviours listed in the selection process will be scored at the interview.

The interview will take place at Cardiff, London (Lower Thames Street), Manchester and Sheffield.

Travel expenses will not be reimbursed.

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 Preferences

You can select up to three locations in order of preference. Please ensure that these are locations you are prepared to travel to. If you are offered a role at one of your preferred location(s) 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 and profession. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location and profession.

Breaking Tied Scores

The behaviours and strengths 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.

Integrity Check

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance , you will also be subject to an additional Integrity Check, as part of the pre-employment process, to determine your suitability to work for Border Force or Immigration Enforcement. For further information on wha