Fraud Officer - Southern

Job description

What will you be doing?

You may be required to move between a range of Fraud Officer roles within Southern England to meet changing business priorities, therefore demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness to change, based on resourcing to risk principles.

The job may include a range of duties, with the following provided as examples (what duties you do will depend on which area of work you are posted to):

• Review claims through a variety of means e.g., telephony interviews; ensuring declarations and changes have been reported at the right time and taking appropriate corrective action if errors are found.
• Ensure quality standards are maintained through adherence to all DWP policy and procedures & CFCD operational instructions.
• Work collaboratively, effectively and flexibly within a team and contribute towards team expectations.
• Promote fraud awareness within DWP and to wider external business partners.
• Conduct robust and challenging interviews with customers by telephone or in person, pursuing all reasonable lines of enquiry.
• Gather, verify, and assess all available information to submit to the appropriate Decision Maker to enable accurate benefit reassessment and overpayment calculation.
• Maintain accurate records and retain relevant evidence, redacting and annotating sensitive material when appropriate.
• Liaise with other departments/organisations such as Local Authorities (LAs), Police and HMRC within the framework of any existing partnership agreements.
• Request relevant evidence from designated information providers using Authorised Officer powers and the Operational Intelligence Service.
• Conduct Interviews under Caution in accordance with The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (England and Wales) and Common Law (Scotland).
• Make recommendations to a Team Leader for consideration as to the next course of action e.g., no further action.
• Develop and fully prepare prosecution cases, in line with national file standards.
• Represent the department by attending court and giving evidence in criminal cases and appeal tribunals.

Person specification

What we are looking for :

• Demonstrate effective leadership and communication skills.
• Have excellent organisational and planning capabilities.
• Demonstrate strong judgement and decision-making skills.
• Present information to internal and external audiences in a professional and credible manner.
• Be able to work effectively as an individual and as part of a team.
• Deal appropriately with challenging and vulnerable individuals.
• Inspire others through positivity, drive, and energy in order to achieve outcomes and deliver change.
• Have a flexible and adaptable leadership style with an ability to reach a diverse audience and be prepared to engage effectively with our partners.
• Have a desire to showcase public service at its best.
• Be willing to travel between sites if required depending on business needs.
• Have the ability to work in a demanding and complex environment with changing priorities.

Learning Requirements

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 GCFP (Government Counter Fraud Profession) 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 Officer role.

Microsoft Teams Live Event

We will be holding Microsoft Teams Live events to let you know more about the roles. These will take place on Thursday 16th May between 1pm and 2pm and Monday 20th May between 11:30am and 12:30pm.

Attendance to this event is by invitation only. To register your initial interest, please contact [email protected] typing in the subject lineEO Fraud Officer Southern MS Teams event.

You will be sent an invite to the event with a link to join.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Leadership

Benefits

With great benefits including:

• Generous annual leave 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (prorata for part time employees), plus bank holidays and one day of leave for the Kings Birthday. The exact number of days of annual leave will be determined by any current years of service.
• Competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave we also recognise the importance of a good work-life balance and offer flexible working and a family friendly approach to work.
• Training and apprenticeships and up to 5 days personal development & learning allowance.
• Flexible/hybrid working.
• Employee discount schemes.
• Free wellbeing support.
• Opportunities to make a real difference through joining forums, initiatives & charities.
• Interest free travel loans.
• Vodafone advantage discount scheme.
• HASSRA - DWP colleagues will have the opportunity to join HASSRA, a vibrant and successful organisation that provides a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly). It also has an important part to play in helping us achieve a healthy work-life balance and wellbeing in the workplace.
• Highly sought-after civil service pension - your pension is a valuable part of your total reward package where:
  • The employer makes a significant contribution to the cost of your pension.
  • Your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken. This means, if you pay tax, your take-home pay will not be reduced by the full amount of your contribution.
  • Your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire.
  • For more information, visit civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk

Location

Brighton, Bridgwater, Eastbourne, Fareham, Gloucester, Guildford, St Leonards on Sea, Newport, Reading, Redruth, Slough, Swindon, Taunton,

Applicants should apply for suitable posts where they can travel to and from their 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.

Hybrid Working

This job 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. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

HASSRA

DWP colleagues will have the opportunity to join HASSRA, a vibrant and successful organisation that provides a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly). It also has an important part to play in helping us achieve a healthy work-life balance and wellbeing in the workplace.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

Stage 1 - Application and Sift

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a Personal Statement in no more than750words providing evidence of how you have demonstrated the following:

1) Explain how you have conducted a robust and challenging interview or conversation either via telephone or face to face and achieved an outcome?

2) Can you demonstrate when you have had to work with a wide range of stakeholders to achieve a shared outcome?

3) Can you detail when you have had to prioritise your workload in line with conflicting and changing priorities?

Your personal statement needs to set out evidence of how your experience meets the requirement set out above. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. One narrative example may cover the requirement needed.You dont have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why. What you can do, the skills you have that are transferable, and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role.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.

**Please note the closing date for your full application is 23:55 on 21/05/2024**

Sift scheduled to be held 22/05/2024 to 31/05/2024. These dates may be subject to change.

Candidate Pack

It is important that you take time to read the Candidate Pack which can be found at the bottom of this job advert.This provides further information about the role and working in DWP.

Stage 2 - Interview

Those who pass the Written Application Sift with the required score will be invited to an interview and you will receive an electronic notification to your Civil Service Jobs account.

Please note that interviews will be Face-to-Face at the following locations:

• Brendon House, 35-36 High Street, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3NY; or
• Swindon Spring Garden House, Princess Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN1 2HY; or
• 15 Queen Square, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3FD; or
• Old Tree Court, 64 Exeter Street, Plymouth, PL4 0AJ.

These locations may be subject to change. You will receive an invite with the relevant details to attend the office at the appointed time through the email account you provide us with on your application.

Interviews are scheduled to take place from 17/06/2024 to 28/06/2024, 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 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 interview can be confirmed.

Preparing for the interview

The interview will take approximately 40 minutes where you will be asked a mixture of Behaviour and Strength based questions. A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation offering a more inclusive approach.The Behaviour and Strength based questioning explores not only what you the candidate can and has done, but also your potential.

Behaviours

You will be assessed against the Civil Service Behaviours listed above at Level 2.

To help you prepare and settle into the interview you will be sent the behavioural questions in advance of the interview. These questions should be treated as confidential and should not be shared. The interview panel may ask you other questions which will not be shared in advance, including follow-up questions, and those about your strengths.

An example of a Behavioural question would be Tell me about a time when youve 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 theWHOorSTARmodel above to explain:

• WHO -Whatit was,Howyou approached the work/situation and what theOutcomeswere, what did youachieve? or
• STAR - What was theSituation? What were theTasks? WhatActiondid you take? What were theResults 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 withdraw your application at any stage, it will not be progressed any further.

Stage 3 Offer

Once all interviews have been completed, candidates will be notified of the outcome by email. Successful candidates will beposted in merit order based on your location preferences, where appropriate, and the geographicalrequirements of the business.Dependent on your position on the merit list, if none of your locationpreferences remain at thepointwe make a job offer DWP may offer you a role at an alternativeadvertised location. If we are unable to offer you a role in any of your preferred locations, and you areunable to accept a role at an alternative advertised location, we will add you to the reserve list.

The successful candidate(s) will be notified of a start date following successful security checks, which is likely to be during July/August 2024.

Important information.

Working Pattern

Part-time and job-sharing working patterns within working hours 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. Please note that successful part time and job share candidates will be required to work full timefor specific periods to complete all training and consolidation.

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 applicants within these business hours and review these asappropriate.

You will be given advance notice of your personal schedule.

Please note:

• If you are 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 post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances*.
• 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.

*Note -Exceptional circumstances could be when a candidate has requested a contractual Part Time Working Pattern and this pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered, or in cases of serious ill health.

Candidates should also note that if successful in this campaign, you will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before applying for any other lateral moves within DWP.

Further information

Find out more about Working for DWP

A reserve list may be held for a period of6 months from which further appointments can be made.

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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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

In order 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.

Applicants 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 applicants 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.

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.

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. 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.

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. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

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

Reasonable Adjustments

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

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 Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the Assistance required 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 you are deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advertplease contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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) .