ERSOU / ROCU - Financial Investigator - Regional Economic Crime Unit - Ref: 11194

ABOUT ERSOU

ERSOU is the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, that oversees and delivers a regional level response to Serious and Organised Crime, and Counter Terrorism Policing for the Forces in the Eastern Region. ERSOU is made up of both Officers and Police Staff from across the entire region and works closely with regional Forces and National Partners. The departments are unique, in that they are able to offer opportunities to work and develop individuals professionally in specialist areas, often delivering capabilities that are not provided by local forces.

THE ROLE

We have a number of vacancies based in the Eastern Region – linked to hubs in Stevenage, Hertfordshire and Newmarket, Suffolk. 

The Financial Investigation Team (FIT) is a collaboration of Financial Investigation and Asset recovery capabilities of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk Police Forces. The team is responsible for conducting Financial Investigation and all Asset recovery Investigations across the five Force areas.

This is an exciting opportunity for confident and articulate individuals to join a team of established Financial Investigators engaged in the identification and delivery of effective asset recovery solutions against those involved in acquisitive crime throughout the ERSOU five force region.

This role places you at the very forefront of removing criminal wealth and ensuring crime does not pay. It is expected that you will work with minimal supervision yet maintain a high workload in a demanding environment. The success of which will depend on your ability to make dynamic risk assessed decisions, resulting in positive outcomes. In return you will take satisfaction from tackling crime, returning compensation to victims, and doing a job that makes a real difference, within a supportive and inclusive team. This opportunity would suit a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual who enjoys a challenge and can bring their wide experience to enhance an already successful team.

We have full-time positions linked to both the Stevenage and Newmarket hubs.  We may also create a reserve list for other successful applicants that will be held for a period of 12 months.  Within your application, please indicate your preferred location of work, either Stevenage or Newmarket.

Experience & Qualifications: 

It is desirable that applicants are currently accredited by the NCA as a Financial Intelligence Officer (FIO) or have a suspended FIO accreditation that was active within the past 18 months. 

Applications would be particularly welcome from those who currently hold NCA accreditations as a Financial Investigator and a Confiscator (Part 2, 5 & 8).

Applications from individuals who are not accredited will also be considered if they have experience from within a financial or investigative environment and can clearly demonstrate the ability to obtain and maintain the required NCA accreditation.   

Please also see ‘Experience and Qualifications’ section on the Role Profile 

Key Responsibilities:  

• Conduct dynamic investigations to assess the value and extent of an individual’s benefit from criminal conduct with a view to recovering any identified assets using the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and other appropriate legislation. This will include complex investigations which may require overseas enquiries.
• Apply to a Crown Court Judge for POCA Part 8 investigative orders in respect of confiscation, civil recovery, and money laundering investigations by the preparation of formal authorised applications. Apply to a Magistrate’s Court for orders under part 5 of POCA to obtain detention and forfeiture orders.
• The preparation of detailed and persuasive witness statements to support restraint applications under Part 2 of POCA, liaising with CPS POC and when necessary, serving the restraint papers on defendants personally, including prison visits when required.
• Prepare detailed and comprehensive financial statements for the Magistrates and Crown Court under the relevant legislation to forfeit and confiscate the assets from criminals. The post holder will be required to regularly attend court and present evidence as a professional witness.
• Provide specialist support, advice and assistance to constituent forces and other agencies in the investigation of crime, where specialist financial investigation is required, including the provision of guidance concerning the preparation and presentation of papers in respect of court applications and the use of financial investigation techniques.
• Conduct confidential, sensitive, and proactive financial investigations into identified subjects. Ensuring all tasks are completed to the required standards and in accordance with standard operational procedures and maintain a current awareness of developments within financial investigation to maximise opportunities for the region.
• The post holder must be prepared to act as point of contact for out of hours FI on call to support dynamic operational requirements such as kidnap investigations and high-risk missing persons. To support and attend regional enforcement (search and seizure) operations when required which may occur outside of normal working hours.

Personal Qualities & Attributes:

As an NCA accredited Financial Investigator you will conduct complex financial, civil recovery and confiscation investigations.  You will possess strong report writing and IT skills (Excel), be inquisitive, decisive, be able to independently or in a team, have problem-solving skills and be tactful.

Personal integrity is essential as well as being able to work accurately and pay close attention to detail. You will be expected to support a significant number of investigations and attend court throughout the region where engagement with defendants and legal representatives is also required to ensure effective hearings take place. 

Hours of work:  37.5 per week

Travel commitment:  Travel between police premises and courts throughout the region will be required.

Benefits: In addition to a competitive salary there are many other benefits to being a police staff member including:

• Access to a gymnasium at some sites
• Member of the Blue light card scheme where you can get discounts on travel, clothing, food and much more
• Access to an Employee Assist Programme that provide access to a health & wellbeing provision 24 hours a day 7 days a week

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR APPLICATION?

If you are successful, you will be joining one of the most accomplished policing collaborations in the UK where ERSOU’s values of Courageous, Inclusive and Professional are exhibited daily across the full breadth of capabilities and functions we deliver. In your application we will be looking for written evidence around the following competencies and the minimum entry requirements from the role profile: 

• Minimum entry requirements
• We analyse critically
• We take ownership
• We deliver, support, and inspire

(A 250 word limit applies to each competency) 

OPEN TO APPLICANTS FROM

ERSOU celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone is valued and respected. We actively encourage applications from underrepresented or minority groups. ERSOU is a Disability Confident employer. Should you require any reasonable adjustments for your application process, please contact the HR Service Centre on 01438 757777. We also offer the guaranteed interview scheme; this means that all candidates with a disability covered by the Equality Act 2010, who meet the minimum entry requirements for the role, will be invited to attend an interview.

ERSOU supports both agile and flexible working requests where operational possible.

Your personal welfare is very important to us and therefore you may be required to attend regular welfare/ psychological meetings.  

If you are an Internal Applicant working within BCH (Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire Constabulary or Hertfordshire Constabulary), please upload either your CV or a completed internal role summary form. This form can be found in the attached documents. Please note you will still be required to evidence against the competencies listed above and the minimum entry requirements as stipulated in the role profile. 

If you are an External Applicant, please ensure you upload your CV and evidence against the competencies listed above and the minimum entry requirements as stipulated in the role profile. To ensure the recruitment process is fair and equal, please do not include any personal details on your CV, other than your name. An internal role summary form should not be completed. 

This vacancy is live to those at risk of redundancy and will remain open to Redeployees until the conditional offer stage throughout the recruitment process. Any redeployee that wishes to apply should apply through the Redeployment Portal and provide a statement no more than 500 words against the entry requirements only. Please see attached role profile for guidance. Redeployees will take priority over other applicants at any point during the recruitment process up until conditional offer. 

This force is a Disability Confident Leader. Should you require any workplace adjustments for your recruitment journey with us which you have not informed us of, please contact us on 01438 757777 or email us on ersou.recruitment@herts.police.uk and we will be happy to support you.  If you have a disability and you meet the minimum criteria for the position you are applying for, you will be entitled to an interview under the ‘Offer an Interview Scheme’. 

VETTING

Applicants must hold or be prepared to undergo Management Vetting (5 years residency criteria) and Security Clearance (5 years residency criteria) or Development vetting, if applicable, before taking up the post. Please be aware the Police Corporate Vetting Unit will undertake security vetting on successful candidates, their family and others that live at their home address, which will include financial checks. Due to the sensitive nature of these checks, we are not able to supply feedback should clearance be declined.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information about this role please email; Tim.underhill@beds.police.uk

For mileage from your home address to the working location please contact: ersou.recruitment@herts.police.uk 

Everyone at Bedfordshire Police take personal responsibility to help create an inclusive workplace, where police officers and staff respect one another, feel valued for their differences and can be themselves. We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments, wherever needed so everyone feels welcome and can flourish. 

It is recommended that you download and store a copy of the role profile as this will no longer be available once the advert has closed. We try to speak to our applicants however, we may receive a high number of applications that can delay our response.  Please assume that you have not been shortlisted for the role if we have not responded 4 weeks after the closing date.

All applications must be submitted through our online recruitment website by clicking the apply button below.