Accredited Financial Investigator - Economic Crime Unit - 28736

The Environment Agency are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We don’t just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities and our environment.
You will work alongside other Financial Investigators, Financial Intelligence Officers and a Senior Crime Analyst on one of two teams.

The Asset Denial Team:

Carries out financial investigations that identify and recover criminal assets through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Uses appropriate powers under the POCA (including civil powers) to ensure positive and effective outcomes that will result in the reduction and prevention of environmental crime.
Assesses the suitability of cases for restraint order applications and liaises with legal teams to compile supporting witness statements.

Money Laundering Investigations Team:

Develops and progresses complex financial investigations working alongside investigation teams in accordance with EA policy and legislative requirements.
Supports and drives forward potential Money Laundering investigations with a view to prosecuting major, serious, and significant offenders.

Across Both Functions you will:

Share your knowledge with internal / external partners, promoting the use of Proceeds of Crime Act legislation.
Build and sustain positive relationships with a range of partners and represent the team at any relevant meetings.
Provide specialist, technical advice and guidance to relevant Environment Agency national and area enforcement and regulatory teams; helping to ensure that any investigative decisions are based on sound technical judgment and are in line with current legislation.
Mentor / coach others on appropriate practices surrounding financial investigations and the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) legislation.
Maintain your National Crime Agency accreditations whilst keeping up to date with changing legislation and best practice externally.
Prepare documentation and make applications for appropriate orders to Crown Court and Magistrates court, in accordance with POCA legislation.

The Economic Crime Unit consists of an Asset Denial Team (confiscations, S22 reconsiderations and civil powers) and a Money Laundering Investigations Team (pre-conviction financial investigations focusing on Money Laundering). The unit will work flexibly focusing on using all available Proceeds of Crime Act Powers to disrupt, prevent and investigate environmental crime.
You'll be part of a hard-working, respected team who are passionate about ensuring that environmental crime does not pay.

It is essential you have:

• Current, or recently suspended accreditation through the National Crime Agency up to AND including: Confiscator, POCA Part 2, Section 16 powers.
• Recent experience / understanding of conducting criminal, civil or regulatory investigations on complex financial cases.
• Experience of compiling prosecution files along with preparation and presentation of evidence at court and a working knowledge of obligations around Disclosure/ CPIA.
• Obtaining Special Procedure Material.

It is desirable that you understand:

• Criminal or civil law and UK legislation affecting agency activity with emphasis on Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) in relation to money laundering offences.
• Working collaboratively with other teams and stakeholders.
• Statement taking and PACE interviews.

It would be helpful if you're already cleared to SC and NPPV security levels. If not, it's expected you go through this process and successfully achieve these levels of clearance once in post.

This is a national role, and you can work anywhere in England, but you will need to be assigned to an Environment Agency office as your base location, we currently operate a hybrid way of working between home and office.
Whilst we welcome applications for those requiring part-time and flexible career opportunities, you must be able and willing to work flexibly, in certain circumstances you may be asked to work away from your home base and be expected to travel to meetings and court hearings which could involve overnight stays.
Everyone that joins us is required to undertake training and participate in incident response duties. Having an incident role is an essential part of working for the Environment Agency.

For further details please contact peter.lamb@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Presenting a case in a convincing and attractive way that will win people over, encouraging them to follow plans willingly; often succeeding where logic and reason alone would fail.
Could you give us an example of a time when as a Financial Investigator or Investigator you have successfully influenced and persuaded someone to change their opinion or course of action?

Listens and questions to understand and engage. Conveys information and ideas clearly, accurately and persuasively through speech and writing.
Can you give us an example of a time when you have had to communicate details of a complex investigation or financial investigation to others?

Finds and delivers optimal solutions by effectively analysing all the information, probing to develop alternatives and taking sound and timely decisions.
Please give an example of when you have had to make a decision based on a range of evidence to achieve the best possible outcomes for your task or investigation?

Collects, analyses, interprets, records, manages, develops and shares data, material or information appropriately for a variety of purposes.
A Financial Investigator obviously deals with some very sensitive information. Could you give us an example of a work situation where you’ve had to deal with and process sensitive materials?

You will need to have accreditation through the National Crime Agency to Accredited Financial Investigator AND Confiscators level; or evidence that you are in the process of achieving this accreditation
A full driving licence is required.