Workplace Investigations Senior Manager

UKRI; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Defined benefit pension

Flexible working options

30 days annual leave + public days

Job summary

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Swindon is seeking a Workplace Investigations Senior Manager to lead investigations within a pilot team, ensuring timely, quality outcomes that inform decisions. This role blends policy enforcement with professional investigation practice, supporting governance and reputation.

Hybrid working with minimum in-office presence. The postholder will manage a team of investigators, develop tailored terms of reference, and collaborate with legal, HR and external

Qualifications

• Investigations training from an accredited provider or equivalent.
• Experience delivering workplace investigations in an organisation.
• Strong collaboration with executive teams and senior management.
• Ability to innovate and challenge established thinking in self and others.
• Proven leadership and capability development within a team.
• Experience working with external agencies including PHSO or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Triage complex concerns received into the Digital Front Door and manage complex case meetings.
• Undertake workplace investigations with timely and high-quality delivery for potential disciplinary actions.
• Deliver investigations efficiently and effectively.
• Obtain technical direction for complex cases with legal and HR partners.
• Draft high-quality reports enabling enforcement of policies.
• Peer review terms of reference and reports, identify risks for stakeholders.

Skills

Investigations training

Executive stakeholder engagement

Complex case analysis

Decision making under pressure

Team leadership

Policy compliance

Integrity and confidentiality

Job description

UK Research & Innovation

Salary: £46,743 per annum

Band: UKRI Band E

Contract Type: Fixed Term (12 months)

Hours: Full-time/ Part Time (minimum 0.6 FTE) (flexible working available)

Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire - Hybrid working available (Min 2 days per week in the office)

Closing Date: 12th October 2026

About the role

The Workplace Investigations Senior Manager will be responsible for ensuring that the investigations they undertake are completed in line with best practice as part of a professional investigation service. The role sits in a pilot team and supports the effective and professional enforcement of UKRI policies through investigations and alternative informal processes and initiatives that enable good outcomes and maintain UKRI’s reputational standing.

The role will work within a pilot team of five and alongside a pool of trained investigators embedded in UKRI teams as well as third-party investigators. The postholder will support proper use of investigation resources as well as ensuring delivery of timely investigations that are relied upon for decision making.

The investigations will cover concerns raised in relation our policies on:

• Grievances, Bullying & Harassment & Discrimination.
• Whistleblowing.
• Health and Safety.
• Safeguarding, Complaints, Managing Performance and Conduct.
• Research Integrity.
• Modern Slavery.
• Research Misconduct.

The Workplace Investigations Senior Manager is a subject matter expert with significant experience of leading investigations work. Each investigation will require the creation of a tailored terms of reference reflecting the specific circumstances of the concern with the decision maker for the case.

They will deliver investigations including formulating investigation plans, supporting performing quality assurance of working papers, and drafting of reports before issue. Working with the Lead and other partners to ensure that reports meet their expectations and ensure actions from investigations are taken forward.

The Workplace Investigations Senior Manager will need insightful business awareness with the ability to understand and analyse complex information to: assess and manage risk; make sound evidence- based judgements; implement the policies and standards of UKRI.

This is a new position in a pilot team offering a new function for the organisation bringing together investigations’ activities into one team. This is a role that will be expected to facilitate new ways of working across the organisation, to provide a highly regarded joined-up investigations service for UKRI.

Your responsibilities:

• Support the triage of complex concerns received into the Digital Front Door and complex case management meetings.
• Undertake workplace investigations, ensuring timely and quality delivery of cases in accordance with legislation and UKRI policies such that the work can be relied upon for disciplinary or other action.
• Deliver investigations in an efficient and effective manner.
• Obtain technical case direction and decision-making in relation to complex cases, working collaboratively with legal, HR and other collaborators.
• Author high-quality reports on the outcomes of investigations that enable effective and appropriate enforcement of UKRI policies through investigations, and alternative informal processes and initiatives that enable good outcomes.
• Peer review of terms of reference, investigation reports, and advice. Identify risks and issues arising from investigations ensure they are brought to the attention of key stakeholders for action.
• Apply the highest standards of integrity, maintaining confidentiality, and can solve complex problems in an environment where strategy, governance and politics is highly relevant.
• Foster effective relationships with a diverse set of collaborators (internal and external) to support the delivery of investigations, providing effective engagement in both the Directorate and across the organisation, acting as a role model for our values and behaviours.
• Support the delivery of continuous improvement in operational processes, talent recruitment and development and service excellence to achieve best practice processes and outcomes for investigations.
• Draft preparation and delivery of regular updates, reports, and professional guidance to stakeholders to support decision-making.

Key Skills

• Excellent people skills, able to influence and build and maintain strong working relationships with a wide range of collaborators at all levels.
• Able to demonstrate consistently high standards of integrity, and ability to maintain confidentiality and operate appropriately in highly sensitive and complex situations.
• Strong integrity, able to operate with a high level of sensitivity and confidentiality.
• Able to demonstrate strong analytical skills and judgement.
• Enthusiastic, motivated, adaptable, and proactive with the ability to work flexibly in a changing environment.
• Ability to innovate and challenge established thinking in self and others, and to offer insights and ideas with practical application coupled with the ability to inspire change.
• Insightful business awareness with the ability to understand and analyse changing business context and landscape to assess and manage risk, capitalise on emerging opportunities, make sound evidence-based judgements, promote the interests of UKRI and research and innovation.
• Ability to instil confidence within stakeholders at the most senior levels, acting as a trusted advisor.

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of prevailing governance standards and public sector rules including but not limited to:
• Managing Public Money.
• Gov 13 Functional Standard on Fraud and all standards that apply to UKRI functional work.
• Public Interest Disclosure Act and its implementation.
• ACAS Code of Conduct.
• Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) Complaints Handling Standards.

Personal Specification

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

Essential

• Investigations training from an accredited provider, or equivalent. Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development (S).
• Experience of effective delivery of workplace investigations in an organisation, including working knowledge of using a case management system (S&I).
• Strong experience of collaborating with executive teams, operating as a trusted advisor providing expert professional guidance to senior management and able to influence decision making (S&I).
• Ability to effectively innovate and constructively challenge established thinking in self and others, and to offer insights and ideas with practical application coupled with the ability to influence and drive change (I).
• A proven ability to inspire, motivate and develop capability within a team, and across matrixed areas, to deliver quality outcomes (I).
• Ability to work across multiple teams, balancing needs and requirements as well as encouraging closer alignment and team working overall (S).
• Experience of working effectively with internal and external agencies including the PHSO, Public Sector Fraud Authority, or others relevant to your work experience (S).

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!

A list of benefits below:

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.

Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

For further information on our benefits please see:

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.

For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact [e-mail].