Intelligence Analyst - Cardiff

About the job

Discover what it's like to work in a compliance role that makes an impact. Could you help us shape a stronger, fairer future? Your next career move starts here.

The Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) is responsible for dealing with cases of serious fraud and bespoke tax avoidance by way of civil and criminal investigations. These cases are the most challenging complex cross tax interventions that HMRC undertakes. FIS consists of approx. 4,500 professionals including a range of specialist skills such as forensic accountancy, cybercrime investigation and insolvency. FIS provides HMRC with an effective investigation arm to enforce the Department's compliance policies. This enables the Department to deliver against our strategic responsibilities across all the taxes and duties HMRC administers. Our work includes tackling complex offshore evasion, international smuggling of illicit excise goods, exports of controlled weapons and technology, labour market abuses, VAT and Self-Assessment repayment frauds and a host of other attacks on the tax system.

Fraud Investigation Analysis (FIA) is the Operational Analysis arm of FIS. Our Intelligence Analysts work closely with investigators and help them understand information collected. Analysts work with data from HMRC systems, seized digital devices, from Communications Service Providers or banks, or information generated by investigators, for example, intelligence or surveillance logs.

Do you have an analytical mind and an interest in helping tackle tax evasion? If this sounds like you, then you could be a great Intelligence Analyst in HMRC.

What will I be doing?

• As an Intelligence Analyst, you will provide analysis to support the work of FIS' Civil and Criminal Investigation teams.
• You will use a range of methods and tools to produce clear, concise and creditable reports that help understand the risk and threats to HMRC, exploited by the dishonest for financial benefit.
• The ability to understand and tackle problems is critical.
• You will identify, collect, interpret and evaluate information with accuracy and perception and use analysis to see past information gaps and inconsistencies.
• You will become familiar with gaining an understanding of complex issues to make conclusions and recommendations, presenting findings to customers to help inform decision making, or progress operational investigations.

This is an opportunity to join a dedicated team and develop new skills in a challenging and demanding role. All Intelligence Analysts within HMRC are trained to the same cross government baseline standard, irrespective of role or grade. Additional training, proper to this role, will be provided as needed.

Professional Trial Period

Depending on your level of experience and training, you may be required to complete or continue with the Professional Trial Period (PTP) where your progress will be evaluated and marked against a set of pre-defined assessments for HMRC Intelligence Analysts. You may need to attend several multi-day courses where you may be required to stay overnight and travel away from your home office location. Successful candidates will be offered posts on merit order and location preference.

Job Duties:

• Drive Analytical Casework: Work closely with customers to define work requirements and timelines. Deliver in-depth analytical support using appropriate tools and methodologies, even when circumstances are uncertain, or information is incomplete or unclear. Ensure analysis informs case progression and direction.
• Produce timely, evidentially robust reports and visualisations that clearly present key judgements, highlight intelligence gaps, and offer actionable recommendations.
• Case and Project Management: Take full ownership of the project management of analytical casework, ensuring high standards and accountability throughout.
• Quality Assurance and Peer Review: Conduct thorough reviews and make constructive challenges of colleagues' analyses to ensure that final products meet professional standards.
• Confident Communication: Articulate the results of analysis with clarity and confidence to investigators using a range of communication methods. When necessary, present findings to courts or tribunals.
• Preparation of Witness Statements and Exhibits: Produce clear, accurate, and evidentially robust witness statements and analytical exhibits that support investigative and legal processes. Ensure all products meet required standards for disclosure and evidential integrity.
• Court and Tribunal Attendance: Attend court or tribunal hearings as a witness of fact when required, presenting analytical findings confidently, responding to questions clearly, and upholding professional standards throughout legal proceedings.
• Analyst Development: Support the growth of other analysts by delivering formal training courses, mentoring, or assessing trainees during their Professional Trial Period.
• Continuous Improvement Initiatives: Lead or support projects aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of FIA, sharing good practices and expertise, while driving continuous improvement.

Additional Information

This is a trainee role that will require travel and overnight stays away from home to attend mandatory training during the early months of the training period.

Person specification

• Critical thinker with strong problem solving abilities.
• Resilient and adaptable, able to remain effective when working in ambiguity with uncertainty or shifting priorities.
• Communicates with confidence and professionalism, adapting style to audience.
• Detail-focused, ensuring accuracy and professional integrity.
• Building strong working relationships with different stakeholders.
• Proven ability to work independently, taking ownership of workload and driving case progress.
• Ability to maintain appropriate professional standards when handling sensitive information.
• Able to confidently interpret and apply guidance, following written instructions accurately and consistently.
• Proven ability to contribute to or lead initiatives intended to improve process, efficiency or analytical capability.
• Ability to form balanced, evidence-based judgements without jumping to conclusions.
• Organised, reliable and able to manage multiple priorities at once.

Essential Criteria

Applicants should be confident working with complex datasets in Excel, including using filters, formulas, pivot tables, and producing charts or graphs. They should be able to analyse and interpret the data to identify key findings, draw meaningful conclusions, and clearly present their insights or recommendations.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 37,682, HM Revenue and Customs contributes 10,916 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 welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs. 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.

Things you need to know:

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified, applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

How to Apply

After submission of the first stage of your application, you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test and Civil Service Numerical Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stages of the application.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:

• A name-blind CV including your job history and previous experiences, highlighting your experience, key achievements and demonstrate how you meet the job role including any relevant qualifications.
• Your CV should be clear, concise and easily digestible to the reader and be no more than 500 words in total.
• A 750-word personal statement, describing how your skills and experience would make you suitable for the role, and how you meet the Essential Criteria and Person Specification.

In the event of a large number of applications being received, an initial sift may be held on your CV. At full sift your CV, and your Personal Statement, will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.

Interviews

During the panel interview, you'll take part in a one-hour analytical exercise. You'll be given a set of documents on a specific topic and asked to review the information before choosing between two possible positions. You'll then prepare a clear, structured argument to support your chosen viewpoint and present it verbally to the interview panel.

Your Experience, Behaviours and Strengths will be assessed, in order to determine your suitability for the role, as well as to explore what you enjoy, and what motivates you.

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers:

Please note that this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to the nature and/or requirements of the role.

Terms and Conditions

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.