Senior Financial Investigator ACE - NEROCU

Salary Band 9, £42,861 - £49,716 (Candidates who are Accredited Financial Investigators with full Confiscator powers will receive an additional £6,275 per annum)

Location: Sunderland

Hours/Contract: 37 Hours, FTC until 31 March 2029

Working for North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU): The North East Regional Organised Crime Unit is one of ten Regional Organised Crime Units in England and Wales who lead the regional response to tackling serious and organised crime whilst supporting local and national delivery. The ROCU network continues to expand and Home Office funding through police officer uplift and increased police staff capacity presents exciting opportunities to further enhance service delivery and positively impact on our partners and the public.

The Home Office Serious and Organised Crime Strategy defines ROCU as leading the regional fight against Serious and Organised Crime and NEROCU have a critical role in leading, connecting and co‑ordinating delivery across our region in all four P’s of the strategy:

• Pursue – prosecuting and disrupting people engaged in serious and organised criminality.
• Prevent – preventing people from engaging in serious and organised criminality.
• Protect – increasing protection against organised crime.
• Prepare – reducing the impact of serious and organised crime where it takes place.

NEROCU comprises of specialist teams delivering across intelligence, operations, investigations, cyber, economic, technical and digital capabilities.

The role: Are you ready to play a pivotal role in disrupting serious and organised crime through cutting‑edge financial investigations? We are seeking an experienced and motivated Senior Financial Investigator ACE Lead to join our team, playing a key role in tackling Serious and Organised Crime (SOC). In this role, you will lead and coordinate a team of accredited financial investigators, driving forward complex financial investigations to disrupt criminal activity and support the recovery of criminal assets. As a senior manager, you will support and develop your team to deliver high‑quality outcomes under both criminal and civil legislation, including the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). You will ensure effective use of financial investigation powers to identify, restrain and recover assets, contributing directly to the force’s priorities and wider safeguarding of communities.

What you’ll do:

• Oversee and manage the casework of a financial investigation team.
• Applying knowledge of financial investigations, keep the unit head appraised of the progress of cases and provide specialist technical and professional advice and guidance to colleagues, other departments, and partners.
• Managing a team of Financial Investigators, allocating and checking work prior to submission to SIO/OIC’s, CPS and legal services.
• Effectively manage workloads and demand across the team.
• Responsible for receiving work requests from multiple agencies, evaluating against force priorities and undertaking a risk assessment prior to delegation to the team.
• Quality check work prior to submission to partners which may include overseeing evidence which may be presented in court.
• Receive sensitive intelligence from partners, evaluating the risk and potential prior to deciding the appropriate course of action and delegating to the team.
• Manage and develop a team of Financial Investigators ensuring all training and CPD requirements are met.
• Manage all aspects of performance, development, and support for the team.
• Be the department Subject Matter Expert (SME) and provide technical and strategic advice in relation to financial investigations and asset recovery to the heads of department, SIO’s and OIC’s.

What you’ll bring:

• Essential: Qualified Financial Investigator with Confiscator accreditation.
• Proven experience in leading and managing teams effectively.
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise and manage both personal workload and team activities to meet competing deadlines.
• Proven problem‑solving ability, including experience resolving complex and technical issues, and confidently drawing on regional and national networks to inform solutions.
• Demonstrable experience in team management, with the ability to set performance expectations, motivate individuals, and develop high‑performing teams.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and influence a range of stakeholders.
• Ability to represent the organisation at regional and national level, demonstrating expert knowledge of financial investigations and maintaining professional credibility.

Desirable:

• PIP Level 2 accreditation.
• Recognised Financial Investigator Tutor qualification, with the ability to support and develop others.
• A recognised leadership qualification.

We know it's important for you to feel that you're not only part of a great team, but part of a community. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Harnessing these differences creates a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, and their talents are fully utilised. Appointments are based on merit alone.

What we offer:

• 26 days’ leave (increasing to 30 days for 5 years+ service) plus 8 bank holidays.
• NHS Fleet Solutions Car Lease Scheme.
• Enhanced maternity, shared parental and adoption leave.
• Flexi time - allowing you to fit your working hours around your individual needs.
• Flexible working (we are happy to discuss options such as compressed hours).
• Fantastic market‑leading public sector pension scheme with up to 16% employer contribution.
• Corporate travel schemes – local rail, bus services and metro discounts.
• Access to private healthcare and eye test vouchers.
• Discounts on shopping and eating out thanks to the Blue Light Card and Blue Light Tickets.
• We’ve invested in extensive paid sick leave, trained mental health first aiders on‑site, an employee advice service for the times you need that additional support.
• Access to gyms in some stations.