Investigator

As a member of the investigations team, you will have responsibility for your own caseload and will be expected to conduct investigations into concerns raised about attorneys' behaviour and matters of capacity which may be in breach of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA), Code of Practice and associated regulations. Through liaising with various parties, you will gather adequate evidence and use this to deliver a timely, thorough and objective reports for the Public Guardian which will address any concerns raised and make appropriate recommendations. You will be expected to collaborate with your peers and wider group of colleagues in sharing of best practice, supporting, coaching and developing them and you will be getting involved in working groups which serve to improve our working practice and enhance our profile across OPG. In your role, you will also need to keep your own knowledge up to date and be aware of any legislative changes, changes in policies and procedures and align your practice with these so that you can continue delivering effective and professional service. The successful candidate's office location will be either Birmingham (Victoria Square House) or Nottingham (Embankment House). We encourage a hybrid way of working which includes some remote/home working alongside office working. You will be working in the site of your choice and may have to visit the other site as and when required. As an organisation, we're in service of the public: Our mission is to support everyone to take the decisions they need and to protect the interests of those who are unable to make decisions. We do this by putting our customers at the heart of what we do; by enabling people to plan ahead and to make decisions for both their health and finances whilst they still can; by safeguarding the interests of those people when they no longer can, through the supervision of court appointed deputies and by investigating concerns when they are raised. No other organisation in England and Wales is set up to do this, and we can be proud of what we strive to offer society.,

• Conduct investigations about the way in which attorneys are exercising their powers under a registered LPA & EPA following concerns raised internally and/or externally.
• Liaise with attorneys and third parties as appropriate to gather the required information and evidence in order to prove or disprove allegations and to achieve outcomes in the best interests of donors lacking mental capacity to make decisions.
• Undertake safeguarding actions as required throughout the life of the investigation. Refer matters to the police, local authorities or other agencies where evidence is held to suggest criminal activity or a safeguarding concern.
• Complete accurate and thorough reports for the Public Guardian and for the Court of Protection, with clear and justifiable recommendations.
• Implement the Public Guardian's recommendations.
• Produce witness statements for the Court of Protection, implement and respond to directions made by the Court of Protection. This may require attendance at court hearings.
• Understand how your area of work feeds into the wider operation of SIS.
• Regularly monitor your performance against key milestones and act promptly to reassess workloads and priorities when there are conflicting demands to maintain performance.
• Work proactively with colleagues across all OPG sites to ensure a professional and responsive approach to the investigation of concerns raised under an LPA/EPA. Remain alert to emerging issues and trends which might impact your work area.
• Contribute and participate at local management meetings and business level (across site) forums. Proactively lead and participate in relevant working groups and committees.
• Support and offer constructive feedback to less experienced team members by coaching and providing guidance and advice when appropriate to progress investigations accurately and at pace.
• Maintain an awareness of changes to the Mental Capacity Act, key policies including MoJ policies and internal OPG policies including the OPG Safeguarding Policy, the OPG's external activity with stakeholders and other internal and external activities likely to impact on your area of responsibility.
• Encourage teamwork within your own unit and across other departments to the aims and objectives of OPG.
• Positively promote and implement diversity, inclusion and quality of opportunity in all areas of work.
• Take reasonable care for own Health and Safety and for the safety of others and abide by OPG Health & Safety Procedure.
• Continually develop and maintain knowledge of Public Guardian functions and responsibilities
• Embed continuous improvement behaviours through the application of tools and techniques, promoting and demonstrating a leadership culture within OPG.
Agreed Expectations The successful candidate will be expected to work from their base location on a weekly basis in line with current Civil Service requirements, outside of any reasonable adjustments. Protocol You will be expected to work within a team of Executive Officer colleagues in Supervision & Investigation Services (SIS), and if necessary (after consultation), be rotated into posts within the wider business to support business needs or further your own personal development. Hybrid Working In OPG's LPA Investigations team we offer hybrid working. This is subject to business needs and satisfactory performance and it's a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement while your office will be your contractual place of work. Hybrid working is available pro rata for part time staff. All new starters in LPA Investigations team are required to attend the office full time (37 hours per week) during the first 4 weeks of technical training. Following those initial weeks, you are expected to continue your training and consolidation in the office but any agreements for part time working can commence. We require part time staff to commit to at least 23 working hours per week as a minimum.,
• Statement of Suitability of no more than 750 words, to demonstrate your experience against the essential skills required for this role.
• Behaviour statement of no more than 250 words against the following Behaviour, at Level EO:
• Making Effective Decisions (Level EO) (Lead)
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be under taken using the lead Behaviour:
• Making Effective Decisions (Level EO)
Written Assessment If you are successful at sift, you will be invited to attend a written assessment which will test your technical skills. You will be asked to analyse pieces of evidence within a document shared with you at the beginning of the written assessment and make appropriate conclusions. The written assessment will be held remotely via MS teams. You will be asked to have your camera on during the assessment. Interview Process If you are successful at sift, you will be invited to an interview which will use the Civil Service Success Profiles. At interview, candidates should expect questions on: Strengths relevant to the role The following Behaviours at Level EO:
• Making Effective Decisions (Lead)
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
All interviews will be held face to face, at the location selected as your preference during the application process. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview., The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity. Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone's circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review. For nationally advertised role: all successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) - See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity). For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location's respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended). Some of MoJ's terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made. MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer. All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet. Flexible working hours The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ's Flexible Working policy., A sift based on the lead behaviour, Making Effective Decisions, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered. Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit 250 Making Effective Decisions Experience We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods Statement of Suitability Statement of Suitability Guidance for the Statement of Suitability Statement of Suitability of no more than 750 words, to demonstrate your experience against the essential skills required for this role. Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be under taken using the lead Behaviour: Making Effective Decisions (Level EO) Evidence of Experience Statement of SuitabilityInterview stage assessments Interview Dates Assessment dates expected 26 & 27 August. Interview dates expected 9 - 23 September. Subject to change Behaviours Making Effective Decisions Managing a Quality Service Delivering at Pace Strengths Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here. Technical If you are successful at sift, you will be invited to attend a written assessment which will test your technical skills. You will be asked to analyse pieces of evidence within a document shared with you at the beginning of the written assessment and make appropriate conclusions. The written assessment will be held remotely via MS teams. You will be asked to have your camera on during the assessment. Level of security checks required Baseline Personnal Security Standard (BPSS)

Essential Skills
• Ability to interpret and comprehend financial evidence to make informed decisions.
• Ability to produce high quality written reports containing analysis, conclusions and recommendations.
• Effectiveness in time management and organisation of workload to meet conflicting deadlines.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and committed to give a high-quality performance in all aspects of the role.
• Strong written, telephone and oral communication skills.
• Proficient in the use of standard Microsoft office products.
Desirable Skills The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates.
• Knowledge of the MCA and Code of Practice.
• Investigative experience.
  
  The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) protects people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and finance. We are an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), set up in 2007 following the introduction of the Mental Capacity Act of 2005.
OPG is responsible for registering lasting powers of attorney (LPA) and enduring powers of attorney (EPA) and supervising deputies who are appointed by the Court of Protection. OPG is a fantastic place to work offering a range of development opportunities. The OPG is a disability confident employer and is committed to developing a supportive and inclusive environment that reflects the diverse community we serve. OPG is currently delivering an ambitious transformation programme. This will change the way we provide services and help us meet the growing needs of our users, partners and our stakeholders. It will make sure our users experience a better level of support and will help us to respond to the changing needs of society. Transformation will ensure we can better support adults at risk and create high-quality services that are accessible and affordable., 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 and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. A Great Place to Work for Veterans The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces. For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

The MoJ offers a range of benefits: Annual Leave Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years' service. There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis. Pension The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best. Training The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities. Networks The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees. Support
• A range of 'Family Friendly' policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
• To Transformative Business Services (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.