Anti-Corruption Investigation Officer

Job Details

Discover what it’s like to work in a compliance role that makes an impact. Could you help us shape a stronger, fairer future? Your next career move starts here.

Are you ready to take the next step in your investigation or intelligence career—within an organisation that places integrity and public trust at its core?

This role offers an exciting opportunity to join HMRC's Internal Investigations team. You’ll bring your existing experience in investigations, intelligence analysis, or anti-corruption work to a team that plays a vital role in protecting HMRC's reputation and values.

Our work involves investigating serious allegations involving staff, identifying risks such as internal fraud and corruption, and handling sensitive intelligence and whistle-blowing concerns. You’ll collaborate with experts across Government and UK Law Enforcement, contributing to cases that uphold the highest standards of professionalism and accountability.

We’re looking for individuals with a strong ethical compass, analytical thinking, and a commitment to continuous learning. In return, you’ll gain exposure to complex and meaningful work, with opportunities to grow and develop within a trusted and modern tax authority.

If you're ready to make a difference and build a career rooted in integrity, we’d love to hear from you.

Job description

An Internal Investigations (Anti-Corruption) Investigation Officer (IO) works within a case team to gather intelligence and evidence on individuals, corporates, and Organised Crime Groups (OCGs), supporting criminal investigations involving HMRC employees and external threats to the tax and benefits systems. The role focuses on insider threats and attacks on HMRC, requiring Investigation Officers to undertake a wide range of duties.

The Internal Investigations Investigation Officer conducts comprehensive investigations into allegations of misconduct, corruption, and breaches of professional standards within HMRC. This critical role ensures organisational integrity whilst maintaining public confidence in our services.

Key Responsibilities

- Operate within legal frameworks such as RIPA, CPIA, PACE, and POCA
- Gather Evidence, obtain witness statements to support investigations
- Act as a Disclosure Officer/Deputy Disclosure Officer
- Conduct Surveillance (training will be provided)
- Carry out Interventions including Searches, Arrests, Interviews and Seizure of goods
- Maintain Case records using FCMS (Fraud Case Management System)
- Prepare and attend court for Production Orders and Search Warrants
- Compile Case reports and evidential bundles for the CPS
- Keep abreast of legal and professional developments
- Handle sensitive information
- Participate in the On Call roster, 1 week in 4 (which may involve evening and weekend work at short notice. A Flexibility Payment (FP) Level 2 is provided to support this requirement.)
- Maintain high professional standards and integrity.

You can find out more about what it’s like to work in these roles on HMRC – Fraud Investigation Service, Civil Service Careers

Significant travel and overnight stays will be required for these roles.

This role requires a high level of integrity. We are looking for candidates who demonstrate honesty, ethical judgement and strong personal values, with a proven ability to act responsibly and make sound decisions in sensitive situations.

Person specification

The successful applicant will need to demonstrate relevant experience and effective delivery of the following essential criteria, and hold one of the qualifications listed in the Qualifications section below.

Essential Criteria

• Demonstrable experience within a criminal investigation role, including the practical application of relevant legislative frameworks. This should include experience of exercising powers under PACE 1984 (England and Wales), and a working knowledge of RIPA 2000 and/or IPA 2016, CPIA 1996, and Property Interference under the Police Act 1995.
  
• Experience of executing and supporting operational activity, including exercising investigative powers, contributing to or leading operational delivery, compiling risk assessments, and participating in interventions, including the execution of search warrants and/or production orders.
  
• Proven ability to develop or assure investigative strategies, identifying key lines of enquiry and applying technical expertise to progress complex cases.
  
• Strong understanding and application of the Manual of Guidance suite of forms in an operational or investigative context.
  
• Ability to analyse complex information and intelligence, identify patterns, and make sound, evidence-based decisions, with effective communication of findings to stakeholders.
  
• Full UK driving licence.

Working Arrangements

The nature of criminal investigation work and your role duties mean you must be willing and able to:

- Work your hours flexibly to meet business needs, including at night-time, weekends and public holidays, and change your work pattern at short notice

If required, you must also be able to:

- Be “on-call” throughout the day and night for 1 week out of every 4
- Work a specified number of additional hours

The nature of the attendance requirements and duties of this role mean it isn’t suitable for HMRC’s hybrid working arrangement. FIS will support colleagues receiving the Flexibility Payment to work from home for some of the time, but this won’t be fixed to a number of days per week or month, or to specific days of the week. The role’s attendance requirements also mean some Flexible Working arrangements may not be available – please discuss your situation with us before accepting this role.

Candidates are asked to provide 1 location preference only. Please ensure that you only apply for a location that you are willing and able to work from, as we will only make one offer of employment. Any additional notes included in a ‘Further Location Preferences (optional)’ field within the application form, will not be considered. Please be aware that you cannot change your location preference after submitting your application.

Training

Training Requirement

A comprehensive training programme is provided.

The course is 4 weeks in total with an additional one-week personal safety training. There is a guided learning module to complete prior to the event, 3 weeks training, 1 week safety and then a 1-week final exercise. The course is residential and cannot be done from home.

This training event will build on previous experience in the Law Enforcement arena and provide a refresh and upskilling in HMRC powers and procedures.

For those that have not previously had the power to carry out an arrest under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, you will be trained to use this power before attending the Final Exercise.

Successful completion of the training course is an essential condition for continuing in the appointed role. Candidates must demonstrate the necessary competencies and meet the assessment standards set out during the training period. If a candidate is unable to successfully complete the training, HMRC may explore suitable alternatives including completing HMRC’s full Criminal Investigation Foundation Training programme, which is 9 weeks and a mixture of digital and face to face events. You would need to be available for the full programme.

Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST) is a crucial element of becoming a criminal investigator. This is a PASS/FAIL event.

The event includes digital and face-to-face training where you will learn practical techniques to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues, as well as how to apprehend and physically restrain suspects and apply handcuffs.

The event is mainly physical and includes scenario-based exercises where you will require an appropriate level of fitness and mobility such as being able to carry equipment up and down stairs and get up and down from the floor unaided.

All officers undertaking this training must obtain a valid occupational health certificate (acquired from HMRC’s healthcare provider) stating they are fit to undertake regular physical training. Once this training is complete, you will have a one-day refresher training event at least every six months after this to ensure you are able to carry out operational duties.

An annual Job Related Ability Test is being introduced for all participants of PPST which is also a Pass/Fail event.
Failure to meet the required standards for the programme will result in appointment to this role being brought to an end and consideration of redeployment into an alternative role. This can result in the removal of the Flexibility Payment (FP) paid in respect of the Criminal Investigator role. Where it is not possible to redeploy the candidate into an alternative role, the candidate may be assigned to the HMRC Redeployment Register. 

Candidates appointed on promotion who do not successfully complete the training will revert back to their previous substantive grade and the respective HMRC pay scale for this grade. Where FP is removed, jobholders will not be entitled to a Period of Adjustment (POA), but they will receive 2 months’ notice in writing of the cessation of the allowance.

Additional Security Information

Security Check (SC) Clearance is mandatory for this role. Successful candidate will need to hold or need to obtain Security Check (SC) Clearance through UKSV.

A full UK Driving Licence

We recognise that some people cannot drive due to a disability or underlying health condition and may not be able to meet this requirement. Where this applies, you can apply but will need to declare that you require a reasonable adjustment at the point you receive a provisional offer. The vacancy holder will then discuss your specific requirements to consider if this can be reasonably accommodated in this role.

Further Location Information

Please ensure that you only apply for a location that you are willing and able to work from, as we will only make one offer of employment. Any additional notes included in a ‘Further Location Preferences (optional)’ field within the application form, will not be considered. Please be aware that you cannot change your location preference after submitting your application.

Licences

A Full UK Driving Licence

Qualifications

You must hold at least one of the following qualifications:
• Professionalising Investigation Programme (PIP) Level 1, Level 2 or above.
• Level 4 Diploma - Accredited Counter-Fraud Specialist/Officer, or
Level 4 Diploma - Accredited Counter-Fraud Manager
• BTEC Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Enforcement (Investigation), or
BTEC level 3 Advanced Diploma in Enforcement (Intelligence), or
BTEC level 4 in Counter Fraud Intelligence Specialist.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £31,096, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £9,008 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).

HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.

We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.

• Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues’ Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
• Family friendly policies.
• Personal support.
• Coaching and development.

To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it’s really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.

This is a Band O role eligible for a Flexibility Payment (FP) at Level 2, worth £12,400 p.a. (National) and £13,300 p.a. (London), paid in addition to basic salary. In return, you’ll work your hours flexibly (including out-of-hours, at weekends and on public holidays) and change your work pattern at short notice. You’ll also undertake periods of on-call and work additional hours. Payment of FP is dependent on successful completion of training – you can find more detail about this and other FP requirements in the document attached.

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 Strengths and Experience.

How to Apply

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

• A name-blind CV including your job history and previous experiences.
  
• A 750-word personal statement. Your Personal Statement should show how you meet the essential criteria .

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Company

At HMRC our values are professionalism, integrity, respect and innovation. We listen to our people and are committed to being fair. We are kind and human. We include people, regardless of difference. We work together. We have honest conversations.

Our values and commitments help us to build a workforce that we can be proud of which gives us confidence that we are giving the best service to our customers.

Company info

Website