Professional Standards Officers

DWP is committed to professionalising its counter fraud response. In addition to upholding cross-government professional standards for technical skills within the Government Counter Fraud Profession (GCFP), Counter Fraud Compliance & Debt (CFCD) operates a Professional Standards Unit (PSU).

Professional Standards provide a clear framework for expected behaviours, values and ethical principles within a profession, some of its key components are:

• Consistency and fairness
• Accountability
• Professional development
• Public trust
• Legal protection

These roles provide a great opportunity to develop and build a portfolio of knowledge, skills, and experience within a Counter Fraud role. The DWP Professional Standards team values everyone for the contribution they bring, and seeks to operate in an inclusive, welcoming, and supportive environment.

We are recruiting for six exciting opportunities across two key roles within DWP’s Counter Fraud Professional Standards teams. These include:

• Professional Standards (Technical) Officer
• Professional Standards Unit Triage and Casework Officer

Background to the Role:

An exciting opportunity to work within a small team committed to Professionalising DWP's Counter Fraud response through Professional Standards and membership of the Government Counter Fraud Profession (GCFP). The GCFP recognises the specialist skills and experience required to tackle fraud, bringing the counter fraud community together under common sets of standards. Members of the profession gain recognition and credibility for their specialist skill set, and have access to the standards, guidance, and products to help develop their careers in Counter Fraud.

The DWP Professional Standards (technical) team is part of the National Delivery and Assurance Service (NDAS), Capability, Professions, Recruitment and Estates team.

Key Responsibilities:

As a Professional Standards (Technical) officer you will be responsible for managing the assessment process for all job roles covered by Counter Fraud Professional standards. This includes:

• Compiling data for senior leaders, providing support to colleagues undertaking assessment, identifying developmental opportunities, and facilitating independent assurance panels.
• Management of the GCFP Self-Assessment process, maintaining databases and associated administrative tasks.
• Manage shared mailboxes for referrals and general enquiries, ensuring timely and appropriate responses.
• Organise and maintain electronic data, including collation of data for Senior leaders detailing completion of Self-Assessments.
• Facilitating independent assurance of assessments ensuring consistency and accuracy.
• Participate in stakeholder meetings to drive professionalisation of Counter fraud roles demonstrating strong and effective working relationships with colleagues.
• Promotion of the GCFP at Internal and External events (virtual or in person).
• Contribute to the creation of educational materials on key topics related to Professional Standards and assessment, including delivery of presentations, delivering information clearly and concisely.
• Establish new processes for entry into the profession across membership routeways as they become available, collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders both internal and external.
• The ability to work at pace, flexibly and to adapt well to changing priorities.
• Provide support for, and work across the team, collaborating to achieve common goals and the development of professional standards.

Professional Standards Unit Triage and Casework Officer Background to the Role:

The CFCD Professional Standards Unit upholds civil service standards of behaviour across counter fraud roles within the organisation, building trust. This is an exciting opportunity to influence the design and development of this unit within CFCD.

Key Responsibilities:

The Triage and Casework Officer within the Professional Standards Unit (PSU) plays a pivotal role in upholding civil service standards across counter fraud roles, fostering public trust, and supporting the overall integrity of the organisation. As part of a newly established unit, the Triage and Casework Officer will contribute to the ongoing design and evolution of policies and procedures, ensuring high standards of conduct and supporting the PSU’s core objectives. This includes:

• Acting as the initial point of contact for referrals and enquiries regarding PSU services.
• Triage referrals according to established criteria, prioritising high-risk cases and recommending appropriate referral pathways.
• Ensuring thorough follow-up and accurate documentation of cases, including referrals and outcomes, while managing correspondence for disciplinary actions, grievances, and complaints.
• Assigning cases to relevant units and designating investigators or decision makers based on workload, conflicts, and location.
• Managing shared mailboxes for referrals and general enquiries, ensuring timely and appropriate responses.
• Organising and maintaining electronic case files, controlling access according to PSU policy, and keeping records and databases up to date.
• Collaborating with colleagues to develop and maintain internal procedures, supporting the efficient operation of the PSU and compliance with regulatory standards.
• Contributing to the creation of educational materials on key topics such as Security Clearance, Standards of Behaviour, and disclosure obligations related to disciplinary actions.
• Participating in stakeholder meetings to advance PSU initiatives and support the establishment of signposting and referral systems.
• Monitoring case progression on case management systems, ensuring investigators and decision makers provide regular updates, and maintaining oversight of timelines and actions.
• Serving as the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for disclosure queries arising from misconduct and criminal matters for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS).
• Attending investigation meetings to take impartial notes and distribute them promptly to attendees.
• Undertaking additional duties to support future projects and the ongoing development of the PSU.

Travel: Due to the geographically dispersed nature of this team, this role will require occasional / frequent travel and overnight stays.