Covert Surveillance Officer - Central

Job description

Job summary

As part of the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) response to tackling fraud within the welfare system, the Department utilises covert surveillance to gather evidence to prove/disprove offences.

This is an opportunity to join our team of highly trained, dedicated Covert Surveillance Officers in this challenging but highly rewarding role. This is not a normal office-hours role. It will require you to work unsociable hours (early starts and late finishes) including some weekend work alongside a good level of fitness.

Job description

As a CFCD Covert Surveillance Officer, you will:

• Lead in taking forward tasking requests. Ensuring all surveillance activity provides value for money, is compliant with legal requirements, such as the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, the Police Act 1997 and the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996, and in accordance with Investigatory Powers Commissioners Office recommendations as well as Departmental requirements.
• On occasion, lead the activities of the Surveillance Team, as an OIC (Officer in Charge), providing direction to the team as the dynamic and evolving circumstances demand and to achieve the operational objectives.
• Undertake Risk Assessments.
• Produce evidential packages to a high standard that are professional and accurate, including writing and obtaining witness statements to evidence witnessed activities, exhibit evidence obtained, including editing and compiling video/audio evidence and to account for the continuity of exhibits including preparing disclosure schedules in accordance with legislation.
• Ensure you adhere strictly to the DWPs surveillance standards, and general instructions set out in the Fraud Procedures / Instructions Manual, and other user manuals and follow the processes to ensure people comply with the legal and policy requirements.
• Undertake and successfully complete a demanding suite of learning events to support you in undertaking this role. Included are several critical learning events required to undertake these duties. These events are assessed and successful completion is required for this role. Please also note some of these events may be residential.
• Promote professional standards at all times.
• As required, appear as a witness in court.
• Actively participate in surveillance operations, often requiring regular attendance in unsocial hours and travel. Some overnight stays may also be required.

Person specification

Key criteria

What are we looking for in our Covert Surveillance Officers?

• A confident, inspirational, driven leader. Able to take charge of situations and provide direction to the team to achieve results.
• Able to work effectively as part of a team, fostering an environment of inclusivity and respect. Be proactive in developing and maintaining positive and professional working relationships with a variety of people and organisations.
• Must be flexible as you may be required to deploy at short notice. This may involve working unsocial hours and may, on occasion, require you to stay away from home.
• The role requires a good level of fitness. Officers need to be able to walk significant distances at varying paces and for prolonged periods.
• The role requires good vision/observational skills. Officers are required to observe activities and describe them as they happen whilst also remembering details in environments where it may be difficult to make notes.
• The role requires a good level of hearing. Officers are required to wear covert audio equipment, as well as take verbal information and instructions from multiple sources.
• Able to interpret and work within set rules and processes in an ever-changing environment.
• Able to make effective decisions in a pressurised environment with a focus on value for money.
• A focus on customer service, with the ability to place the customer at the heart of all we do.

Learning Requirements

Successful candidates must also be willing to attain the mandatory learning as follows:

• RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) Defensive driving L2.
• Foot surveillance tactics.
• Mobile surveillance tactics.
• ACFIP (Accredited Fraud Investigation Programme).

These qualifications are essential to undertake the technical functions of the role.

Please Note: Successful appointments to this role will be subject to completion of the above learning. Failure to comply or failure to achieve the required level to pass the courses may be dealt with under disciplinary or poor performance procedures and may lead to termination of the employment contract or exceptionally, redeployment into another DWP role.

Government Counter Fraud Profession (GCFP)

The DWP is committed to investing in people and ensuring their teams are a professional workforce. It is a requirement of counter fraud post holders within DWP to attain, and retain, membership of the Government Counter Fraud Profession (GCFP) at Practitioner level. This means if you are successful in applying for this role you will need to undertake an annual self-assessment to evidence your knowledge, skills, and experience within your role to attain and retain practitioner level membership. We provide post holders with a learning routeway to support them in achieving as well as any workplace adjustments they may require. Failure to attain membership of the GCFP at practitioner level may result in DWP seeking an alternative role for you.In applying you will have indicated that you have read and fully understood the professional requirements for this Counter Fraud role.

Candidate Integrity Declaration

Candidates who are successful will be asked to complete an integrity declaration before we offer them a position. Candidates must declare to the best of their knowledge:

• Any disciplinary finding of guilt / failure to meet the appropriate standard of conduct relating to their employment they have ever had.
• Any charge of a disciplinary offence / notification of a failure to meet the appropriate standards they have ever had where the case has not yet been concluded.
• Any past convictions, criminal findings, or police cautions, regardless of whether they are spent, they have ever had.

The disclosure of this information will not automatically disbar the candidate from this role, but we need to be aware of any event or issue which could impinge on the candidates credibility if questioned in court.

Civil Service Careers

The attached link will take you to the Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt website which gives you further information about these roles CFCD , Civil Service Careers.

Licences
Full Manual Driving Licence

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 32,137, Department for Work and Pensions contributes 9,310 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (prorata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 years continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence
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. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

**Ensure that you read the full information about the selection process thoroughly before starting your application. Please note the closing date for your full application (Application Form, CV and Written Statement) is 23:55 on 6th October 2026**

Stage 1 Application Form

Please complete the application form with your basic information, which includes your personal details, eligibility to apply and any reasonable adjustments required.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Stage 2 -Curriculum Vitae (CV)

You will be asked to complete a CV with details of your job history, full qualification details, previous skills and experience.You are not required to upload your personal CV.

In the previous skills/experience section you should detail your employment and/or education history relevant to this vacancy(we recommend a maximum of 500 words). The CV will also cover your work history (we recommend you include up to the last 3 roles of employment history, plus any others that you feel are relevant) and your qualifications.

Your CV will not be formally assessed, so please put the main evidence of your skills into your personal statement. Your CV will be used to add context to your personal statement.

Stage 3 Personal Statement and Sift

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a personal statement detailing the relevant skills and experience you can bring to the role. In no more than 500 words, please carefully consider the questions below. You should address these when constructing your personal statement. You do not need to answer each individually as one example of evidence may cover both questions. You should also consider both the job description and person specification details above when providing your evidence.

• Detail a time when you have had a successful outcome by complying with key operating instructions or a complex policy (Lead question).
• Give an example of when you gathered and presented information. How did you ensure the accuracy of the information?

Your personal statement needs to set out evidence of how your experience meets the requirements set out above. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. One narrative example may cover the requirements needed. You dont have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used.

If you do not have work-based examples then please give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead question. If so, we will sift on:

• Detail a time when you have had a successful outcome by complying with key operating instructions or a complex policy (Lead question).

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to an interview.

In the event we dont receive a high number of applications we may not undertake a sift and progress all candidates to interview.For these reasons, the timeline is subject to change depending on the approach we take.

**The closing date for all stages of your application is23:55 on 06/10/2026. If you fail to complete all stages before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn**

The sift is scheduled to be held from 07/10/2026 to 23/10/2026.These dates may be subject to change.
Following completion of the sifting period above, results will be collated, and candidates will receive confirmation of the outcome. Those candidates who have met the agreed pass mark will be invited to the next stage. No feedback will be provided at this stage.

Stage 4 Assessment Centre

Candidates who reach the required pass mark at sift will progress to status ofInterview 1 on Civil Service Jobs.

Please Note -This stagewontbe a formal interview even though communications you receive willstatethis.At this stageyou will be invited toanAssessment Centre and will receive an electronic notification to your Civil Service Jobs account.

The Assessment Centres will be conducted in groups, face-to-face at one of our offices, exact locations will be confirmed later. These may not necessarily be at the locations on this advert.

You will be required to undertake three aptitude assessments at the Assessment Centre. These assessments are undertaken in a group environment.

• Observation skills
• Listening skills
• Map reading skills

The observation and listening skills assessments will utilise both video and audio media that will be played and you will then be required to answer questions on each aspect. The map reading assessment will be paper-based and again you will be required to answer questions as part of the assessment. Further information will be provided on the day of your assessment.

The Assessment Centres are scheduled to take place from 23/11/2026 to 05/12/2026. Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. The Assessment Centres will be scheduled Monday to Saturday, at a time between 09:00 to 17:00. They are expected to last approximately 60 to 90 minutes.

Communications will be electronic and/or by telephone; therefore, it is vitally important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder. Telephone calls may show as a withheld number, it is important that you answer so that your assessment can be confirmed.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to attend an Assessment Centre, please ensure you state those on your application form when asked to do so.

Stage 5 - Interview

If you pass the Assessment Centre with the required score, you will be invited to a blended interview and will receive an electronic notification to your Civil Service Jobs account. If high application volumes are received, the benchmark / score for candidates to proceed to the interview stage may be raised.

The interviews will be conducted face to face. Where possible the interviews will take place at Cannock, however candidates may be expected to travel to an alternative location as required.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to attend a face-to-face interview, please ensure you state those on your application form when asked to do so.

Interviews are scheduled to take place from 11/01/2027 to 22/01/2027, please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. Interviews will be scheduled Monday to Friday, between 09:00 to 17:00.

Communications will be electronic and/or by SMS/telephone; therefore, it is important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder. Telephone calls may show as a withheld number, it is important that you answer so that your interview can be confirmed. If you wish to opt out of SMS messages, please email this address, including the vacancy reference and your candidate ID [email protected] . As part of our commitment to improving the candidate experience, you may be contacted during the recruitment process to provide feedback.

Preparing for the Interview

The interview will take approximately 30 to 40 minutes and will consist of behaviour and strength-based questions. A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation offering a more inclusive approach.The questions explore what you, the candidate, can and have done, but also your potential.

Behaviours

You will be assessed against the Civil Service Behaviours listed at Executive Officer Level 2. An example of a behavioural question would be Tell me about a time when you have had to deal with a difficult customer.

It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed, or a situation you have been in, and use the WHO or STAR model to explain:

• WHO - Whatit was?Howyou approached the work/situation? What theOutcomeswere, what did youachieve? or
• STAR - What was theSituation? What were theTasks? WhatActiondid you take? What were the Results of your actions?

Strengths

It is difficult to prepare for strength type questions. However, you can think through your answers, focus on your achievements and aspects you enjoy and decide how these can be applied in the organisation and role.While strengths questions are shorter and we do not expect a full STAR response, the panel is interested in your first reaction to the question and information or reasoning to support this.

If you do not have work-based examples then please give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in.

If you withdraw your application at any stage, it will not progress further.

Stage 6 Offer

Once all interviews have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome by email. Our current plan is that this will be week commencing 08/02/2027, but this may be subject to change. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first based on your location preferences and the geographical requirements of the business.Dependent on your position on the merit list, if none of your location preferences remain at the point we make a job offer, we may offer you a role at an alternative advertised location. If we are unable to offer you a role in any of your preferred locations, and you are unable to accept a role at an alternative advertised location, we will add you to the reserve list if one is being held.

The successful candidates will be notified of a start date following successful pre-employment checks, which is likely to be during April 2027.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that these vacancies are not currently eligible for new applications for Visa Sponsorship on the Skilled Worker route, for any candidates who do not currently have permission to be in the UK as a Skilled Worker where they were sponsored before 4 April 2024, even if relying on tradeable points (including the new entrant tradeable points option) as they are not included in the published Immigration Salary List. This information is offered as guidance only, and we recommend that candidates seek specialist advice on their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship (if applicable) when considering whether to apply for any role.We can never guarantee sponsorship; requests will be considered in line with the relevant DWP guidance and Home Office policy in place at the time.

Location

The roles available will be based in the following locations subject to space availability at the time of posting:

Government Buildings, Beecroft Road, Cannock, WS11 1JR.

Crown House, 49A Castlegate, Grantham, NG31 6SY.

You should only apply for suitable posts where you can travel to and from your home office location daily within a reasonable time. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed. Make sure the location works for you before applying!

Hybrid working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office. If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert. Hybrid working will not commence until any training and consolidation period has been successfully completed.

Working pattern

Alternative working patterns will be considered but must meet business needs. Wewill do our best to let people with existing part-time contracts retain their contracted hours provided they are in line withcurrent business needs We will do our best to let people with existing part-time contracts retain their contracted hours provided they are in line with current business needs. Please note that successful candidates with agreed alternative working patterns will be required to work full timefor specific periods to complete all training and consolidation. Currently initial training can last for up to 4 weeks.

Hours of work

The full-time working week in DWP is 37 hours. You may be required to work at any time between the hours of:

• 7:45am and 8:00pm on any day between Monday to Friday, and
• 8:45am to 5:00pm on Saturday.

Managers will agree working patterns with successful candidates within these business hours and review these asappropriate. You will be given advance notice of your personal schedule.

However, surveillance duties will require you to regularly work outside of normal hours. The hours worked can be unsociable and prolonged. Whilst we are proactive in planning our surveillance, the nature of the role requires us on regular occasions to react to intelligence and deploy with little notice.In applying you will have indicated that you have read and fully understood the demands of the role, specifically the unsociable hours and the physical requirements for this Covert Surveillance Officer role.

Learning and Development

DWP takes development seriously. Our aim is for our colleagues in these roles to be appropriately skilled and qualified as determined by the business. To support this aim you may be required to undertake a work-based qualification, which may be in the form of an apprenticeship, which will support you in further developing your professional knowledge and skills for this role and your future career development. The qualification can be undertaken in work time, you agree to take this job on the basis that you may be required to undertake a work-based qualification; a candidates failure to participate fully in the professional programme, once appointed, may be a breach of their employment contract. Important: If you hold a level 3 qualification (2 A levels or equivalent) then please bring your certificates with you to the interview if you have them.

Further Information

At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub .

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 3 months from which further appointments can be made. If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

• If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health).
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

Disability Confident Scheme

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Reasonable Adjustments

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the Reasonable Adjustments section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for candidates section.

Integrity, Plagiarism and Civil Service Principles

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.

Examples of plagiarism can include:

• Presenting the work, ideas and experiences of others as your own.
• Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own.

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks

To process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check will be carried out.

Candidates who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any candidates details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Political Impartiality

Due to the nature of our role, DWP is required to ensure that the political impartiality of its employees cannot be brought into question. The role you are applying for is classed by DWP as a sensitive role because it involves contact with the public, so permission cannot be given to anyone in such a role to engage or remain politically active in any kind of local councillor role. There may also be restrictions applied to other political activities which are set out in the Departments Standards of Behaviour Policy which is underpinned by the Civil Service Management Code . You may therefore wish to decide at application stage whether, if your job application was successful, there would be a conflict of interest with any political activity role you have and whether, knowing the restrictions we necessarily apply as an employer, you wish to pursue your application with DWP. If you have any questions about this or need further information about the restrictions, please contact [email protected] .

Salary

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.

Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWPs Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.

Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.

Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

Any move to DWP from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at the Childcare Choices Website.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub . Click on the Application Guidance link for lots of help and guidance on making your application.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window) .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window) .

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants
Job contact :

• Name : CFCD RECRUITMENT TEAM
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 17kB) Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview Opens in new window (pdf, 635kB)