Forensic Accountant

City of London Police; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS Pension Scheme

Blue Light Card

Discounts in Square Mile

Force Gym access

29 days annual leave + bank holidays

Season Ticket Loans

Job summary

City of London Police seek a fully qualified forensic accountant to join the National Lead Force Fraud Operations, delivering expert financial analysis for investigations into serious and complex fraud. You will develop financial elements of investigations, set professional standards, and disseminate best practices across the force and nationally.

The role requires membership in ACCA/ICAEW/ICAS/CAI or equivalent, and a commitment to the National Fraud Strategy.

Qualifications

• Ability to independently analyse complex fraud and financial issues and advise on investigations.
• Excellent written reports, including court documentation, in clear, concise language.
• Training qualification at least Level 3 Education & Training or equivalent to align with accreditation requirements.
• Ability to work on own initiative and lead/team with clear plans and priorities.
• Experience integrating accounting, auditing and investigative skills across financial records and transactions.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert accounting guidance to senior police officers to shape investigation strategy.
• Offer independent accounting advice relating to fraud and money laundering investigations.
• Produce clear evidence and potentially act as an Expert Witness in court proceedings.
• Share knowledge and assist other forces and units, including Academy courses.
• Lead on risk management processes and governance to protect organisational reputation.

Skills

Fraud investigations

Accounting analysis

Court testimony

Education

ACCA

ICAEW

ICAS

CAI

Job description

Post Title: Forensic Accountant

Contract type: Permanent

Rank/grade: F

Salary: Starting salary £53,760 plus £7,160 London Weighting plus £200 London Weighting Supplement, plus £10,000 Market Force Supplement

Directorate/department: National Lead Force Directorate – NLF Fraud Ops

Location: Guildhall Yard East

Vetting level required: (find out more here- https://assets.college.police.uk/s3fs-public/2024-12/Vetting-authorised-professional-practice.pdf?VersionId=lvkOlukt26I3eQsjhOpkPlXGcGIvI4LV / https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vetting-explained-and-our-vetting-charter/vetting-explained)

The City of London Corporation is currently undergoing a programme to ensure that our pay and reward practices are competitive and equitable across the whole organisation to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive in the work that we do.

Who are we?

As City of London Police, we protect the people, businesses and infrastructure of the City of London, one of the most important and dynamic environments in the UK and globally. London City is the smallest borough in London, so does that make our job any less challenging? Absolutely not – because there’s so much going on.

City of London Police play a vital role in keeping the City of London diverse community safe. As a Police Staff Member you will be helping to making the city safer and deliver a valued service for those that live, work and visit the City.

Hybrid working -

This Police Staff role adheres to Corporation of London’s hybrid working policy, which requires a 60% office attendance rate. The specifics of this will be discussed locally with your hiring manager if you’re successful for the role.

The City of London Police is keen to promote flexible working and will, subject to operational policing requirements, proactively consider all applications to work flexibly.

The City of London Police is committed to equality of opportunities and continuously strive for inclusivity within our Force.

About The Team

National Lead Force Fraud Operations teams investigate some of the most serious and complex fraud offences in the UK, focusing on frauds that are likely to cause the most harm, namely Investment Fraud, Romance Fraud, Courier Fraud and Payment Diversion Fraud. Their aims are to gather evidence that will successfully prosecute Organised Crime Groups (OCGs), and lone fraudsters, and repatriate funds back to victims of crime.

NLF ONLY: You can find out more about working within National Lead Force here- https://vimeo.com/1124775531/c2ea98aee0?share=copy

About The Role

We are looking for a forensic accountant to join our expert fraud investigation team in delivering our national responsibility to protect the UK from the threat of economic crime, whilst putting victims at the heart of everything we do.

To be the forensic accountant for Fraud Operations, part of the National Lead Force for Fraud, you will be responsible for developing and managing the financial elements of the investigation of serious and complex fraud and money laundering. You will set professional standards for the investigation of financial loss and disseminate best practice within City of London Police and nationally. It will be important that you ensure the investigation of financial losses from fraud investigations is in line with the National Fraud Strategy, Economic Crime Plan 2, National Fraud Policing Strategy, the National Lead Force Plan to improve the police response to fraud and the Home Office NLF Grant Agreement.

The Postholder Will Be a Fully Qualified And Experienced Forensic Accountant, With Full Membership Of One Of The Following Professional Accounting Bodies

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA); The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW); The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS); Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI), or full membership of an equivalent overseas bodies may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional judgement, guidance and advice to senior police officers and police staff to determine the strategy and delivery of the investigation of serious and complex fraud.
• Provide objective and independent tactical and operational accounting advice relating to fraud and money laundering investigations.
• Provide clear and concise evidence, both written and oral, of serious and complex fraud investigations. Evidence may include acting as an Expert Witness in Court proceedings.
• Promote the role of the National Lead Force by providing advice and assistance to other police forces and regional units, including by input to accredited courses run by the Economic & Cyber Crime Academy.
• Lead on the oversight and development of operational risk management processes and secretariat function to new governance meetings to ensure cross department best practice at an operational level through to ensuring strategic oversight of risk to CoLP reputation from the investigation of serious and complex fraud.

Requirements

Your application will be scored against the criteria listed below for shortlisting. Please ensure that you reference your ability, knowledge and experience against these points in your application.

• Ability to independently and critically analyse and interpret complex business, commercial, and accounting issues and provide sound advice on the investigation of fraud to colleagues – locally, regionally, and nationally.
• Excellent written communications skill to provide clear, concise reports – including for Court - on a range of issues. Being able to explain complex accounting or commercial matters to varied audiences including employers, colleagues and jury members using technical and non-technical language accordingly.
• Training qualification, as a minimum Level 3 Education & Training, to ensure input to Economic & Cyber Crime Academy course is in alignment with accreditation requirements.
• An ability to work on their own initiative and with minimal supervision of direction plus a willingness to work flexibly as an effective team leader and member, setting priorities, creating clear plans and managing all work to meet the needs of the employer and Court.
• Experience that encompasses the integration of accounting, auditing and investigative skills and experience of analysing and interpreting a range of financial records, experience of preparing and reviewing, financial statements and experience of considering the appropriate accounting treatment of a variety of specific transactions.

This vacancy is open only to those who have the right to work in the UK. Due to security vetting requirements for this being MV/SC, applicants must have continuously resided in the UK for the 5 immediately preceding their application. Unfortunately, we are unable to progress applications that do not meet this requirement.

If you would like to discuss the role please contact: [e-mail].

Selection Process

As part of the initial application process, you will be asked to evidence how your experience, skills, and knowledge align with the points listed above in the ‘Requirements Section.’

The application and interview will be tested under Level 2 of the College of Policing Competency and Values Framework.

Applicants who fail to address the skills/knowledge/experience of the job description will not be considered.

The closing date for applications is 10th November 2026 at 3pm.

Following shortlisting, successful candidates will be invited to attend a competency‑based interview, to be held week commencing 23rd November 2026.

We strive to ensure all our information and services are accessible to and useable by everyone. If you would like to receive any information in a different way, would like us to do anything differently to help you apply for our roles, or have any other questions, please get in touch with HR via [e-mail]

Benefits

A diverse workforce improves the service we provide to our public by making us more approachable and relevant within our communities. This is why it’s vitally important that we recruit people from a wide range of communities and backgrounds with an understanding of cultural issues and a wide range of skills. We therefore particularly encourage female and people from Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic communities to join us.

The way we work is changing. With a few exceptions most roles will be able to accommodate part time, job share and flexible working patterns. We can also offer hybrid working patterns of home and office based shift patterns. Feel free to speak to us about any flexible working requirements.

The Force Has a Number Of Staff Support Networks That Can Offer You Support And Advice. Applicants Are Very Welcome To Contact the Networks Directly If They Need Any Support or Ask Any Question Before They Apply. For Further Information On The Networks And Their Contact Details Please Visit

https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/police-forces/city-of-london-police/areas/city-of-london/about-us/about-us/equity-and-diversity/equity-and-diversity-support-networks/

• LGPS Pension Scheme -Local Government Pension Scheme explained - Which?
• Access to Blue Light Card scheme -Welcome to Blue Light Card
• Discounts within the Square Mile specifically for City of London Police employees
• Free access to our Force Gym (with dedicated time for female colleagues throughout the week), Personal Training Instructors with a range of specialisms, and a large variety of fitness and wellbeing programmes
• 29 days’ annual leave + bank holidays, increasing up to 34 days with continuous service
• Season Ticket Loans