Forensic Technology Specialist in Birmingham

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) mission is to serve the public interest by setting high standards of corporate governance, reporting and audit and holding to account those responsible for delivering them. We are the UK Competent Authority for audit. We also set the UK Corporate Governance and Stewardship Codes as well as UK standards for accounting, auditing and actuarial work, and monitor and take action to promote the quality of corporate reporting and operate independent enforcement arrangements for accountants and actuaries.

As the UK Competent Authority for audit, the FRC’s Enforcement Division conducts investigations and takes enforcement action into breaches of audit standards under the Audit Enforcement Procedure (AEP). As the independent disciplinary body for the accountancy and actuarial professions in the UK, the Division also undertakes professional disciplinary investigations and enforcement action under the Accountancy and Actuarial Schemes (the Schemes) in cases involving accountants, accountancy firms and actuaries which raise important issues affecting the public interest in the UK. Many of the investigations are large, complex, and high-profile and our cases regularly require liaison with other investigators including the Serious Fraud Office, the Financial Conduct Authority, the Insolvency Service, and the Pensions Regulator.

The Forensic Technology Specialist will provide technical expertise and operational support across regulatory enforcement investigations as carried out by the FRC’s enforcement function. The role aims to bring consistency, efficiency and improved quality to the handling of digital evidence (particularly volume data), its e-discovery processing, and interactions with investigation subjects (including accountancy and audit firms) on technical matters relating to the production of evidence in a form that is compatible with the FRC’s and its e-discovery provider’s requirements. This role is intended to reduce technical burdens on Enforcement team members, primarily Forensic Accountants (FAs), improve evidence-handling processes, and ensure issues are identified earlier and resolved more efficiently.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Point of Contact & Case Consistency: Act as the central point of contact with all parties providing material on technical queries in respect of evidence production. Ensure consistent approaches to information requests across cases and different types of evidence (e.g., document and image files, emails, Teams messages). Help standardise expectations and processes for audit file production and metadata provision.
• E-discovery Evidence Management: Act as the central point of contact with the FRC’s e-discovery provider in respect of the FRC’s use of its e-discovery platform. Set up projects on and manage, and monitor data processed onto that e-discovery platform. Ensure metadata fields (e.g., audit file-specific fields) are correctly provided and correctly displayed in the review platform. Identify and diagnose root causes of metadata issues. Ensure audit file coversheets, workpapers and document linkages are correctly indexed and associated to the firm’s technical capabilities.
• Knowledge Sharing & Quality Assurance: Capture and share methodologies and practices adopted in respect of evidence production used across different investigation subjects and types of evidence. Advise case teams on optimal presentation formats for evidence depending on each evidence provider’s systems and constraints. Identify opportunities for using CAL/AI tools where appropriate. Highlight issues that may be missed by case teams when drafting information/metadata requests. Work with the Digital Innovation and Data team within FRCs IT Team to ensure adherence with FRC Good data practices and procedures. Contribute towards FRC Technology Working Group.
• Reducing Technical Burden on FA and LA Teams: Lead technical discussions with investigation subjects and the FRC’s e-discovery provider, reducing FA time spent on these tasks whilst still enabling FAs to be involved and aware. Engage with the FRC’s e-discovery provider to improve processes and address recurring issues. Support teams at case opening in respect of digital evidence gathering by providing technical guidance to assist with the information request process and address common pitfalls. Create or refine documents produced by investigation subjects for the purpose of helping navigate large data sets (for example audit file indices) for case teams, reducing manual effort. Assist case teams in reconciling evidence productions to requests and verifying processing accuracy.
• Development of Processes, Templates & Automation: Create usable navigation documents to assist FA review of data sets using specific information provided by investigation subjects. Develop templates and automation tools to streamline repetitive technical tasks. Collate shared learnings into guidance or standardised templates. Work with Service Delivery Team within the FRC’s IT Team, to enhance and develop the needs of Digital progression within the Enforcement Team.
• Additional Technical Capabilities (Future-Facing): Potential to support data extraction from digital devices as part of evidence collation (e.g., device imaging) if suitably skilled. Explore opportunities for the role to support team‑wide upskilling in forensic technology.

Person Specification

Essential Experience / Skills: Strong understanding of digital evidence handling, metadata, eDiscovery platforms (and ideally in the context of investigation work). Ability to troubleshoot technical issues with data, metadata and platform processing. Experience liaising with technical teams within large scale businesses (e.g. accounting and audit firms) or similar environments. Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non‑technical stakeholders. Strong organisational ability and attention to detail. Self-reliant and able to work independently.

Desired Experience / Skills: Forensic accounting knowledge or experience supporting enforcement investigations that include a significant forensic accountancy element. Experience of producing documents for the purpose of helping navigate large data sets (e.g. producing audit file indices) and/or reconciling evidence productions. Experience with CAL/AI review tools. Familiarity with audit file software used by major accounting/audit firms. Aptitude for process improvement and automation.

Please apply by following the link on our website here and uploading a copy of your CV and covering letter as a single document upload. In the covering letter, please set out, by reference to the person specification above how you meet the required skillset.

Rewards and benefits: The FRC offers remuneration packages, including 30 days annual leave, ability to buy extra leave. Generous employer pension contribution of 10%. Staff Employee Assistance Programme including confidential counselling and work life services. The FRC offers staff the opportunity to save at least 25% on the purchase of a new bike through the Cycle to work scheme. The FRC has a strong work/life balance ethos.