Job Description

Investigation Manager

Location: Bristol or London

£68,720 - £72,004

Plus generous Civil Service defined benefit pension

About us

The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator of higher education in England. We regulate higher education on behalf of all students, ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, has a fulfilling experience that enriches their lives and careers. We have high ambitions and offer great opportunities to get involved in bringing that vision to life.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our new and expanding Investigation and Enforcement team undertaking investigations of higher education providers that may be failing to comply with our conditions of registration, and devising appropriate responses, including considering enforcement action.

The OfS carries out a wide range of investigations of different types, across several teams within the organisation, and the Investigations and Enforcement team therefore work with other teams in the delivery of its investigative work.

The role

This role will be based in the core Investigations and Enforcement team, and will involve working across the range of investigative activity the OfS undertakes including working with the Head of Interventions and the Head of Enforcement on the following activities:

• managing specific investigations and enforcement work, including project management and planning activities;
• managing regular reporting requirements and briefing across the OfS including deputising for the Heads of Enforcement and Interventions as necessary;
• overseeing the deployment of individual team members and staff management for individual team members;
• leading on specific policy and guidance activities; and
• managing some stakeholder relationships.

Within specific investigation and enforcement projects, the role involves:

• setting the scope, seeking decisions, planning and project management;
• transforming the scope into practical ways to obtain information and test compliance;
• planning and carrying out analysis; and
• drafting high quality written investigation outputs.

The Investigations and Enforcement team is developing and expanding and there will be opportunities to work on high profile cases as well as get involved in the development of policy and guidance for higher education providers.

The role reports to either the Head of Interventions or the Head of Enforcement, and may involve deputising for either of them in relation to internal reporting and external representation.

About you

We are looking for people with detailed knowledge, experience and skills from regulatory, criminal, civil and/or public sector investigations and an ability to apply this to the higher education sector. This is a specialist role, and we are looking for someone with the following specific knowledge, skills and experience:

Essential criteria:

• Proven track record of investigating complex regulatory, competition, criminal or civil compliance matters within a specialist investigation environment, including working closely and collaboratively with legal advisors and taking major cases from inception to resolution;
• Demonstrable sound judgement in making case related decisions and in aligning operational casework with broader organisational risk, harm, and strategic priorities, as well as effectively prioritising between competing demands and deliver effectively to tight timescales;
• Experience of leading and managing multi-disciplinary teams, working effectively together to set investigative direction, manage operational risks, and deliver high quality, accurate and efficient written outputs, advice, and decisions;
• Practical knowledge of investigations processes, procedures, frameworks and relevant legislation including Human Rights Act 1998, General Data Protection Regulation 2016, UK Data Protection Act 2018;
• Strong analytical skills including an ability to analyse large quantities of both qualitative and quantitative information effectively and extract valuable information, including general trends and specific evidence from such analysis;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including generating clear reports and documents concerning investigations that are clear, well-articulated and can be tailored to be understood effectively by a wide variety of audiences;
• Strong relationship management skills to build and maintain effective working relationships within the team, across the OfS, and with external bodies.

Desirable criteria:

• Knowledge of the English Higher Education system and its regulatory regime; and
• Understanding of different types of regulation including principles-based regulation.

For the purposes of recruitment to the role, we are measuring the following core competencies:

• Delivering at pace
• Communicating and influencing
• Managing a quality service
• Seeing the big picture

Application process

For your application, you will need to upload a copy of your CV (no more than 3 pages) which should set out your relevant qualifications, skills and experience. 

There are two application questions to complete, which allow you to demonstrate your relevant experience and knowledge against selected key requirements of the role.

For those that progress to the interview stage, there will be a one hour written task to complete following your interview.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you through the application stage, please contact us at recruitmentteam@officeforstudents.org.uk and we will be happy to help.

Working for us

The OfS regulates the higher education sector on behalf of all students. We value diversity and the wealth of perspectives, experience and ideas that it brings to our work, and we strive to embed equality of opportunity in everything we do.

We recruit based on fair and open competition and welcome applications from candidates regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Flexibility is important to the OfS, as we recognise that it can enable people to work more effectively. A set of organisation-wide principles shape our approach to flexible and hybrid working, which our teams use as guidance on how they deliver their business goals. In a typical week, we expect colleagues to spend several days working from the office, balancing business needs, team collaboration and individual responsibilities.

To attract the widest possible field of qualified applicants, flexible working, for example job share and part time working, apply to this role.

Closing date for applications: 12 Noon on Monday 30 November

Interviews from 7 December

Please note: In the event of a high volume of applications, we reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date. Once a vacancy has closed, it will no longer be possible to submit or complete an application. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as early as possible.

For information: the OfS does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence.