Senior Counter Fraud Officer in Winchester

Are you a driven and enthusiastic professional with strong investigative skills and a solid understanding of fraud risks, supported by experience in managing both reactive and proactive fraud work? If so, the continued growth of the Counter Fraud Unit within the Southern Internal Audit Partnership (SIAP) means we’re looking for a Senior Counter Fraud Officer to join our team!

SIAP provides internal audit and counter fraud services to a wide and growing portfolio of public sector partners and clients in the South of England. We pride ourselves on delivering an innovative, customer-focused service aligned to the business needs of our clients and to achieving improved outcomes.

The Role:

You will be responsible for the delivery of advice, reactive investigations and proactive fraud risk reviews across a portfolio of public sector partners and clients. You will work closely with counter fraud and client managers to identify potential fraud risks, evaluate your findings and report outcomes to the client.

What you’ll do:

• Reactive Investigations:
• Investigate allegations of fraud and corruption in relation to non-benefit and corporate fraud in compliance with required procedures, legislation and utilising appropriate investigative techniques.
• Undertake visits across partners as required.
• Gather, record and securely retain evidence in accordance with current legislation, operational requirements and Codes of Practice.
• Maintain to a high standard, a record of each investigation and produce high quality and timely reports.
• Maintain an up-to-date working knowledge of relevant criminal and civil law, legal requirements, criminal investigation procedures, criminal prosecution, court procedures and client disciplinary procedures.
• Initiate and maintain liaison with police and other law enforcement agencies, external agencies, legal departments and prosecuting Counsel.
• Be responsible for preparing the appropriate and necessary paperwork to assist internal and external agencies undertaking prosecutions.
• Attend court, give evidence, attend disciplinary boards, review boards or appeal tribunals.
• Manage and undertake proactive counter fraud work in line with agreed fraud plans or as commissioned ad hoc from within and outside the Partnership’s current cohort of members.
• Facilitate the National Fraud Initiative across a range of members within the Partnership cohort.
• Training:
• Contribute to staff development through coaching and formal training sessions.
• To have responsibility for staff supervision, acting as a mentor, supervising and supporting new team members using set procedures, guidelines and use of computer systems.
• Assist with the provision of general fraud awareness training to all staff members within the SIAP as required by the Global internal audit standards.
• Team Working:
• Plan and co-ordinate workloads with other members of the Unit to ensure that fraud plans are achieved within agreed timescales and to high quality standards.

What we’re looking for:

As a Senior Counter Fraud Officer, you will be an Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist (ACFS) or CIPFA Certificate in Investigatory Practice (CCIP), or a qualified Internal Audit Practitioner (IAP) or equivalent (level 4) relevant qualification, with significant post qualification experience. You will have experience of delivering a range of proactive and reactive assignments and preparing reports to a high standard. You will also demonstrate success at managing and controlling your assignments to professional and quality standards and within budgeted deadlines.

Hampshire County Council is recognised nationally as one of the highest performing local authorities in the UK. A modern, forward-looking local authority, it offers a pleasant, supportive, and collaborative working environment, flexible working opportunities, an excellent work/life balance, a strong emphasis on training and development, professional challenge and variety and a central and well-connected Head Office location in the heart of the city of Winchester.

Our benefits package includes details of the holiday entitlement, pension scheme, flexi-time scheme, family friendly policies and interest free travel loans and discounts. We offer a flexible, motivating and inclusive workplace. We have created an environment that you can look forward to being a part of, where you are empowered to be your best and a workplace built on teamwork where people can grow and develop in their roles.

To maintain a healthy work/life balance you will have the flexibility to work from home or from the office (whilst meeting business needs) in the delivery of your portfolio of work. We support flexible working patterns (whilst meeting business needs) to enable employees to best shape their working week. Hampshire County Council is also a flexible employer interested in making the most of your skills and offers a great work life balance.

This post is subject to a Criminal Records Check and Non-Police Personnel Vetting. Further information about this process will be provided to successful candidates.

Hampshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.

In order to combat discrimination, no unnecessary conditions or requirements will be applied which could have a disproportionately adverse effect on any one group. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy or maternity, unless a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) applies.

We are a Disability Confident Employer - committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.