Compliance Investigator Officer - Bristol

Discover what it's like to work in a compliance role that makes an impact. Could you help us shape a stronger, fairer future? HMRC's Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) is responsible for tackling the most serious fraud, evasion, and organised criminal attacks against the tax system. It uses a wide range of approaches, skills and capabilities including civil and criminal investigations.

HMRC plays a significant role in tackling economic crime, delivered through its unique function as a tax authority, law enforcement agency and anti-money laundering supervisor. HMRC's investigation, asset recovery and anti-money laundering powers complement and support the activities of the broader government agenda.

Exploitation of the UK's financial system has consequences for both tax compliance and society's perception of fairness. Taking robust action when that exploitation is identified, including through sectors HMRC supervises under The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017, ensures those who break the rules suffer consequences for their actions.

In FIS Economic Crime, we work across the department and with the wider Law Enforcement community, using a unique blend of skills and expertise to recover the proceeds of crime and protect the UK against the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing, putting illicit finances at the centre of operations.

Our operational teams tackle the financial aspects of cases that ultimately deter, disrupt, and remove assets from tax fraudsters, sending a clear message that crime doesn't pay. This includes recovering the assets of crime through the use of criminal and civil powers, taking action to ensure businesses in supervised sectors comply with the Regulations 2017 and the post-conviction management of offenders.

Targeting and tackling the financial benefits of tax crime is a powerful approach in disrupting attacks on HMRC. Using our unique set of powers (such as confiscation at the conclusion of a criminal trial, civil recovery tools, insolvency or taking control of goods to satisfy an outstanding debt) to achieve maximum impact, we take the profit out of tax crime and return monies to the Exchequer, ensuring funding of vital public services.

As a supervisor of almost 30,000 businesses across nine high risk sectors, our team of almost 400 specialist staff is growing to meet that challenge. Businesses we supervise include:

• Money Service Businesses (MSBs)
• Estate Agency Businesses (EABs)
• Letting Agency Businesses (LABs)
• Accountancy Service Providers (ASPs)
• Trust or Company Service Providers (TCSPs)
• High Value Dealers (HVDs)
• Art Market Participants (AMPs)
• Bill Payment Service Providers (BPSPs)
• Telecommunications, Digital and IT Payment Service Providers (TDITPSPs)

The successful candidate will be required to:

• Manage a caseload of Economic Crime - Supervision (EC-S) registered businesses to deliver business targets/Key Performance Indicators.
• Undertake interventions to EC-S registered businesses primarily through face-to-face but also occasionally through desk-based interventions depending on the identified risks.
• Evaluate and test the credibility of a business, consider the degree of its compliance with the Regulations 2017, maintaining a clear audit trail on all EC-S systems.
• Closing cases in a timely manner ensuring consideration of appropriate outcomes supported by robust evidential conclusions.
• Share information with EC-S, HMRC and partner agencies through the dissemination of intelligence via legal gateways by submitting accurate and timely intelligence reports or Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs).
• Working collaboratively with internal and external partners.
• Take ownership of the quality and accuracy of own work while sharing best practice with colleagues and ensuring work adheres to required Compliance Professional Standards.
• Applying sanctions to a case where appropriate and proportionate to risk.
• Working dynamically and flexibly to respond to immediate risks/intelligence across teams and business sectors.
• Preparing cases to litigation standard for tribunal and working with other EC-S decision making colleagues where cases are referred for criminal investigation.
• You may be asked to act as a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for a specific sector to feedback information or act as a conduit at sector meetings.
• Supporting higher officer caseworkers, as required.
• As an EC-S Trainee (unless relevant training already completed), you will complete a Learning pathway, this consists of 26 weeks of training specific to the role of an EC-S Compliance officer.

What we are looking for:

• Can demonstrate sound interpersonal, communications and relationship-building skills and thrive working as part of a team as well as working autonomously.
• Ability to work in line within guidelines, whilst having the confidence to exercise judgement and discretion within specified parameters and working to tight deadlines.
• Ability to assess a wide range of information and data sets to draw conclusions as to compliance with the Regulations 2017, Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) and Terrorism Act 2002 and Terrorism Act 2006 (TACT) and make sound evidence-based decisions.
• Ability to write to an evidential standard and possess a strong written and verbal skill set.
• Resilient individual who thrives under pressure, embraces challenges with a positive mindset.
• Are committed to continuous improvement, in an environment where performance matters.
• Are flexible, adaptive, and creative in solving problems and dealing with change.
• Can effectively organise and plan, anticipating risks to prevent them becoming issues.
• International Compliance Association (ICA) qualification or other relevant investigative or compliance qualification.

Essential Criteria:

• Comfortable with a face-to-face visiting, involving regular national travel within the UK and occasional overnight stays.
• Strong communication, stakeholder engagement and discussion skills.
• Ability to write to an evidential standard and possess a strong written and verbal skill set.
• Can demonstrate sound interpersonal, communications and relationship-building skills.
• Thrive working as part of a team as well as working autonomously.
• Can effectively organise and plan, anticipating risks to prevent them becoming issues.
• Ability to work in line within guidelines, whilst having the confidence to exercise judgement and discretion within specified parameters and working to tight deadlines.

Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits:

• Alongside your salary of £31,096, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £9,008 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
• HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments.
• We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.
• Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues' Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
• Family friendly policies. Personal support. Coaching and development.