Ethics Investigator

Base salary: £39,250pa to c.£49,100pa depending on skills and experience. In addition, we offer flexible benefits fund of 15% which is paid on top base salary and is fully pensionable, as well as a range of competitive benefits - check them out in the Benefits section on our website.

HS2 Ltd endeavours to ensure everyone working for us and with us feels included, thrives and achieves their full potential. In practice, this means we are positive and inclusive about making adjustments, providing flexible working, encouraging our staff networks to flourish and providing personal and professional development opportunities.

Be responsible for conducting a wide variety of ethical, business conduct investigations across the HS2 project, ensuring lessons learned are identified and investigation recommendations are reported on and tracked. You will also undertake fraud risk assessments and assist with fraud, bribery and corruption investigations. You will work closely with our supply chain partners when unethical activity is suspected within the wider supply chain, working with the relevant contractors subject matter experts.

About the Role:

• Managing an allocated caseload of (appropriate to experience) investigations relating to alleged unethical behaviour
• Investigating all allocated cases efficiently using a variety of investigation techniques in accordance with legislation and HS2’s investigation standards
• Updating the Head of Counter Fraud & Business Ethics on the progress of the investigation
• Supporting team, as and when directed, on complex cases under investigation
• Gathering evidence from systems, supply chain partners, interviews, etc
• Maintenance of investigation log /documentation Production of investigation reports and evidential material to appropriate standards, including the identification of recommendations and tracking of such
• Giving evidence at court, tribunal and/ or disciplinary proceedings
• Collaborate with other investigatory compliance, audit and law enforcement bodies, both internally and externally
• Work jointly with HR to support and conduct proportionate and responsible misconduct investigations
• To assist the Counter Fraud function in utilising data analytics to pro-actively search for instances of fraud, bribery and corruption
• Maintain excellent working relationships with key stakeholders
• Assist the Head of Counter Fraud and Business Ethics and Fraud Investigator in building the Counter Fraud and Business Ethics function
• To work with and support the Counter Fraud & Business Ethics team to: o Deliver training on fraud awareness to HS2 staff and contractors/ delivery partners; and o Conduct regular fraud risk assessments on all business activities, including providing expert guidance in reviewing functions and workflow processes to minimise fraud risks
• Actively promote and embed Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all your work, and support and comply with all organisational initiatives, policies and procedures on EDI.

About You:

Skills:

• Ability to communicate effectively at different levels and provide concise and professional advice to the required audience
• Ability to conduct compliance/ ethics or fraud investigations
• Ability to effectively interpret and evaluate information gathered during investigations, drawing conclusions in relation to offences/ breaches and to provide recommendations
• Ability to work with stakeholders at all levels to manage conflicts and conduct difficult discussions/ interviews and close matters in a timely manner
• Analytical skills and ability to undertake multiple investigations contemporaneously which are running at different speeds and in an ever-changing environment
• Ability to produce and present information to a variety of stakeholders, whilst enabling succinct investigation reports to be produced with minimal amendment

Knowledge:

• Professional accreditation in investigations discipline e.g. Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE, )Professional Investigations Programme - Level 2 (PIP), Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist (ACFS – Expert), Advanced Professional Certificate in Investigative Practice (APCIP)
• Professionalism in Security Management (PINS)

Type of experience:

• Experience in dealing with ethics, compliance or fraud issues in a commercial organisation
• Experience of undertaking whistleblowing investigations
• Experience of investigating allegations of unethical behaviour in a complex supply chain structure
• Experience of the detection and investigation of unethical behaviour
• Experience of investigation report writing, and the identification of lessons learned and recommendations
• Creation and delivery of training (compliance, ethics or fraud) • Experience of operating in a matrix management environment.