Criminal Investigator

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.

This is a Band HO role eligible for a Flexibility Payment (FP) at Level 2, worth £14,400 p.a. (National) and £15,300 p.a. (London), paid in addition to basic salary. In return, you’ll work your hours flexibly (including out-of-hours, at weekends and on public holidays) and change your work pattern at short notice. You’ll also undertake periods of on‑call and work additional hours. Payment of FP is dependent on successful completion of training.

These roles are for Criminal Counter Fraud Investigators - within our different FIS business areas, Organised Crime, Individuals and Business and Offshore, Corporate and Wealthy. In this role, you will use HMRC’s legislative powers to investigate and gather evidence against individuals, corporate entities, and organised crime groups that target our tax systems. Your work will be crucial in building, advancing, and strengthening criminal and financial investigations to prosecute and disrupt serious tax fraud.

You will undertake a variety of daily activities, including:

• Searching premises
• Conducting suspect interviews
• Leading operational activities such as search of premises, undertaking arrests, conducting interviews under caution, completing witness statements, and giving evidence in court

At its core, this job is about outsmarting criminal groups threatening the UK. You’ll need sharp judgement, resilience under confrontation, and integrity as you exercise far‑reaching investigative powers.

Person specification

• Ability to lead and progress complex criminal and/or civil investigations, taking ownership of decisions and outcomes.
• Strong investigative judgement, with the confidence to make defensible decisions under pressure.
• Excellent analytical skills, including the ability to review large volumes of information and identify risks, patterns and evidential opportunities.
• Experience producing clear, accurate and legally compliant written material (e.g. case files, warrants, interview records and reports).
• Effective communication skills, including the ability to work confidently with senior stakeholders and external partners and give evidence in court.
• Proven ability to plan, prioritise and manage multiple tasks to deadlines.
• Operational capability to lead or support enforcement activity, managing risk and securing best evidence.
• Strong leadership skills, including coaching others, managing performance and supporting colleague wellbeing.
• Confident use of Microsoft Excel and the wider Microsoft 365 suite.
• Resilience, integrity and professionalism, with flexibility to meet operational demands.

Essential Criteria

• The rules of chain of evidence
• The PEACE model of interviewing
• Keeping contemporaneous evidential notes
• Taking witness statements
• Execution of search warrants and production orders
• Understanding Property Interference as defined within Police Act 1995 and the utilisation of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (RIPA) Act 2000 and/or Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) 2016.
• Applied knowledge of Criminal Procedure & Investigation Act 1996, ensuring strong standards of Disclosure Practice.
• Experience of the creation or assurance of investigative strategies, applying technical competence to identify pertinent lines of enquiry including the day‑to‑day management of criminal investigation cases.
• Command & Control, supporting operational activities to secure best evidence and an understanding of crime scene control, systematic search techniques and risk management.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, supporting evidential submissions to the Crown Prosecution Service through the appropriate Manual of Guidance forms and applied quality standards.
• Management of others, either operationally or HR people management.
• A full UK driving licence.

Working Arrangements

Work your hours flexibly to meet business needs, including at night‑time, weekends and public holidays, and change your work pattern at short notice. Be “on‑call” throughout the day and night for 1 week out of every 4. Work a specified number of additional hours.

The nature of criminal investigation work and your role duties mean you must be willing and able to meet attendance requirements. Some Flexible Working arrangements may not be available.

HMRC will support colleagues receiving the Flexibility Payment to work from home for some of the time, but this won’t be fixed to a number of days per week or month, or to specific days of the week.

Training

A comprehensive training programme is provided, including a four‑week face-to-face training programme. Successful completion of the training course is an essential condition for continuing in the appointed role.

Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST) is a crucial element of becoming a criminal investigator. This is a PASS/FAIL event. All officers undertaking this training must obtain a valid occupational health certificate stating they are fit to undertake regular physical training.

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 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.