Covert Surveillance Team Leader

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP); Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in Tees Valley seeks a skilled Team Leader to oversee surveillance operations. This role requires a dedicated individual who can work unsociable hours and manage a team effectively. Responsibilities include ensuring compliance with legal standards, leading surveillance activities, and promoting team engagement. Applicants should possess strong leadership qualities and a good level of fitness for active involvement. This is a challenging but rewarding opportunity to contribute to tackling fraud within the welfare system.

Qualifications

• Must have proven leadership skills and experience in managing teams.
• Ability to work unsociable hours including weekends and early starts.
• Good level of physical fitness required for active participation.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to ensure smooth running of operations.
• Deploy on surveillance operations and manage team activities.
• Create a culture of engagement and coaching within the team.
• Lead the Surveillance Team activities as an Officer in Charge when necessary.
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements in surveillance activities.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Operational effectiveness

Surveillance operations

Risk assessments

Job description

As part of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) response to tackling fraud within the welfare system, the Department utilise covert surveillance to gather evidence to prove/disprove offences. This is an opportunity to join as a team leader within our team of highly trained, dedicated Operatives in this challenging but highly rewarding role. This is not a normal office hours role. It will require you to work unsociable hours (early start and late finishes) including some weekend work alongside a good level of fitness.

• Ensure organisational effectiveness by providing leadership to drive the smooth running of all operations including the cohesive teamwork of people, development and implementation of agreed processes.
• Regularly deploy on surveillance operations, promoting continuous professional development through undertaking regular reviews of skills to ensure team members are complying with relevant training and agreed practice.
• Create an environment that promotes people engagement in the team, supports a culture where coaching and a team-based approach are at the heart of the team.
• Operate as part of a team focussed on agreed goals and priorities to achieve collective commitments, effectively managing resources in an ever-changing organisational structure to drive efficiencies and keep costs down.
• Manage your team in taking forward tasking requests. Ensuring all surveillance activity provides value for money, is compliant with legal requirements, such as Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, The Police Act 1997 & Criminal Procedures and Investigations Act 1996, and in accordance with Investigatory Powers Commissioner's Office recommendations as well as Departmental requirements.
• On occasions, 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.
• Manage your team in producing evidential packages to a high standard that are professional and accurate. Including, writing/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 DWP's 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. 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.
• On occasions, actively participate in surveillance operations, often requiring regular attendance in unsocial hours and travel.

Disability Confident

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to.