Forensic Quality Manager - Nottingham

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. HMRC's Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) is responsible for the department's civil and criminal investigations. Covert Operations, Digital Exploitation (CODE) sits within FIS. Working across Law Enforcement and government, CODE provides investigative tools and covert techniques to front-line investigations and works with key partners to develop and provide access to new technology and systems to enable investigators to respond to serious and complex tax evasion and crime.

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 Intelligence Analysis, forensic accountancy and cybercrime investigation. 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.

FIS deploys the full range of powers and approaches to protect funding for UK public services, from surveillance and undercover operations to communications interception and cyber ops; investigating the most harmful tax cheats and ensuring nobody is beyond our reach. This plays an important part in building trust in the compliant majority and reinforces the Department's fair and even-handed approach.

Your role as Forensic Quality Manager will see you act as an ambassador for quality within Cybercrime & Forensic Services and the wider forensic unit. Overseeing the delivery of digital and traditional forensic services to ensure all work is conducted in adherence to Statutory requirements, as well as internal and external quality standards and regulations. Working together with the Quality Assurance and Technical Management teams to oversee methods and practices for forensic examinations; ensuring that standards are upheld, and that policies and procedures are correctly followed.

The role of the Forensic Quality Manager is vital for the development, maintenance, and assurance of forensic services provided to HMRC's Fraud Investigation Service. HMRC's forensic unit conducts forensic activities within office and laboratory environments, as well as at the scene of crime. Reporting to the Senior Quality Managers, in this role you will assist in the development and ongoing maintenance of the quality systems within the forensic unit. Aligning business objectives to the strict requirements of ISO quality standards and the Forensic Science Regulator's Code of Practice.

You will be responsible for understanding and actively promoting adherence to the internal quality management system, as well as driving continuous improvement to enable efficiencies and ensure quality standards are upheld. Evidential data obtained by the forensic unit may be used by analysts, investigators, prosecution, defence teams, as well as juries for informed decision making within the criminal justice system. As Forensic Quality Manager, you will support the Quality Assurance team in the ultimate objective of assuring that such evidence is obtained by competent, impartial personnel, using forensically sound methods.

The duties of the successful candidate will include but not be limited to:

• Ascertaining and maintaining a comprehensive understanding of internal policies and procedures across the forensic unit, as well as existing legislation and reacting to any updates, changes, and/or introductions of new regulatory requirements.
• Facilitating the creation, review, and distribution of documentation and records for specific business areas.
• Supporting the ongoing maintenance and control of documentation within the quality management system.
• Engaging with personnel across the forensic unit and wider HMRC forensic capability to ensure understanding, co-operation, and compliance with the management system and required standards.
• Delivering an internal audit programme as planned by the Senior Forensic Quality Managers; comprising of horizontal, vertical, and method witness audits of both the quality management system and technical/forensic processes.
• Supervising, training, and mentoring trainee internal auditors, and personally undertaking audits.
• Actively investigating Quality Assurance based nonconformities, as well as overseeing and supporting with the investigation and analysis of nonconformities relating to the wider business.
• Working with the wider Quality Assurance team to prepare for and facilitate UKAS Assessments and visits during the course of maintaining and expanding HMRC's scope of accreditation.
• Communicating, guiding and advising on the importance and specifics of working to statutory requirements.
• Actively manage Quality Assurance based risks, opportunities and implement improvements, as well as overseeing and supporting the wider business.

In addition, you will adopt a continuous improvement approach, ensuring the service remains consistent, fit for purpose, and meets the demands of both internal and external requirements.

Where required, the successful candidate will be expected to undertake the following or equivalent training. This training is subject to experience and/or training previously undertaken:

• ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Awareness and/or ISO/IEC 17020:2012 Awareness
• Laboratory Management / Quality Management
• Internal Audit / Lead Audit Training
• Method Validation Training
• Root Cause Analysis Training

Essential Criteria

• Proven experience within a Quality Assurance or adjacent role, working towards meeting quality standards in a professional environment.
• Sound knowledge and understanding of quality standards (specifically ISO/IEC 17025:2017, ISO/IEC 17020:2012, FSR Code of Practice) and the importance of statutory requirements within a Forensic environment.
• Proven ability to thrive under pressure in challenging and high-stakes situations, as an individual or part of a specialised team.
• Have the ability to plan, organise and prioritise resources to successfully meet deadlines and deliver a quality service.
• Experience with technology such as bespoke QMS and LIMS, and proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications and/or SharePoint.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with experience influencing discussions, decisions and change with internal and external partners and agencies.

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

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.

To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it’s really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.

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 (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

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

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. Your CV should demonstrate your Technical Experience within the skills and experience section.
• A 750-word Personal Statement. Your Personal Statement should be used to describe how your skills and experience would be suitable for the advertised role, making reference to the Essential Criteria and Person Specification outlined in the advert.
• Please evidence any ODP experience or qualifications you have (up to 250 words max). This is not essential for the role but may be considered by the vacancy holder where candidates have the same score at interview.

In the event of a large number of applications being received, an initial sift may be held on your Personal Statement. At full sift your CV and your Personal Statement will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview. We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

During the panel interview, your Experience will be assessed in the form of a presentation to assess your knowledge and suitability for the role. You will be asked to prepare a 10-minute presentation, further details regarding the presentation will be provided should you be invited to interview. You will be asked Behaviour-based questions to explore in detail what you are capable of.

Interviews will take place face to face and will be available in both locations. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. Mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we may not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, or have withdrawn yourself in error and need your application reinstated whilst the campaign is still live, please contact us via: Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example - 'Please re-open my application - (insert vacancy ref) & vacancy closing date (insert date)'. To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.

The HMRC app can help you with your application. The HMRC app can provide you with your past 5 years' employment history, making the process of filling in your application quicker and easier. If successful in your application, you will need your National Insurance number for the onboarding process.