Administrative Support Officer

Birmingham

Job Summary
The Insolvency Service is a leading Government agency which plays a crucial role in providing essential services to the public and to business. The work we do is important to the proper functioning of markets, the economy in general and support for thousands of people each year who are in financial difficulty.

Investigation and Enforcement Services (IES) directorate aims to deliver and promote a range of investigation and enforcement activities, both civil and criminal in nature, to support fair and open markets. We do this by effectively enforcing the statutory company and insolvency regimes, maintaining public confidence in those regimes, and reducing the harm caused to victims of fraudulent activity and to the business community.

IES has vacancies for 5 Administrative Support Officers across 2 teams. 1 role sits within the Search and Return Team, which is part of the wider Intelligence Team, while the other 4 sit within the Compliance and Targeting (CaT) Team.

Inclusive and diverse teams are important to us. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups underrepresented in our workforce. The Insolvency Service strives to ensure that the agency is a safe, inclusive, and welcoming place for everybody to bring their true self to work and to help the agency to achieve its diversity objectives. We have 10 active employee network groups available to join or become an ally, these include, Carers Network, Disability & Health, FACES Network Group, Grass Roots, LGBT+, Mind Matters, No Limits, Part Time Workers, The Shed, and Women's Network Group.

We offer full-time, part-time, job share and flexible ways of working. We value capability, technical skills and experience and we place great emphasis on lifetime development to support our people. We encourage our employees to become more involved in areas they feel strongly about, whether it be for the benefit of the agency, though our Engagement network or in their own local communities via volunteering opportunities.

The Insolvency Service is a great place to work, learn and grow your career

Job Description
Job Description for Compliance and Targeting Posts
Our Investigation and Enforcement Services (IES) division has vacancies for 4 Administrative Support Officers in the Criminal Targeting and Compliance streams within the Compliance and Targeting (CaT) Team.

The CaT Team are responsible for considering insolvent and dissolved companies for investigation under the Company Directors Disqualification Act, live companies for investigation under the Companies Act, and referrals of allegations of criminal offences for investigation where this vacancy is located.

CaT also perform compliance work (as set out below), and when that fails, it will refer cases for possible criminal investigation or direct prosecution.

Common Tasks The CaT Team Undertakes Include

• making targeting decisions in all compulsory and non-compulsory corporate insolvency cases using the office-holder's director conduct report (DCRS), seeking additional information where necessary. This includes managing the "balancing pool" of cases which have been identified as suitable for possible investigation, but where they are considered to be lower priority or include possible Bounce Back Loan related misconduct and further enquiries are required of the insolvency office-holder (Insolvency Practitioner or Official Receiver), before the targeting decision can be confirmed
• handling specific complaints about live and dissolved companies from members of the public, other regulators and internal referrals and decide if powers under section 447 of the Companies Act 1985 or the dissolved company powers under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 should be deployed
• reviewing referrals of criminal allegations and make targeting decisions in relation to the commencement of criminal investigations, including referrals from Companies House arising from the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023
• handling complaints about disqualified directors and bankrupts acting in breach of their disqualifications or restrictions (including the re-use of prohibited names)
• undertaking compliance work on cases involving the re-use of prohibited names and disqualified directors who fail to resign from all their active directorships at Companies House, referring cases where compliance is not obtained to Legal Services Directorate (LSD) for prosecution and act on behalf of the Secretary of State in applications for leave to act in companies with a prohibited name
• providing a range of case management support functions, both internally and externally

Job Description For Intelligence Post
Our Intelligence Support Officer's work sits within our Search and Return team which is the busy administrative support team at the heart of Intelligence collection and dissemination within Investigation and Enforcement Services and the wider Insolvency Service.

Working closely with the Intelligence Officer, the Intelligence Support Officers undertake searches of various internal systems including ISCIS – to be replaced by INSSight and IBIS, and external datasets such as Companies House. Intelligence about subjects is provided by the Intelligence Support Officer to the Intelligence Officer enabling responses to be made to both internal and external stakeholders. Our work is highly sensitive and as such we work to stringent security guidelines.

The Intelligence Support Officers are also the first point of contact for all requests and queries to the intelligence team inbox. The team ensures that all requests are acknowledged and progressed in a timely manner, either through allocating work to colleagues within the Search and Return Team, by drafting responses or referring on to the relevant internal teams, Single Points of Contact or other Government Departments.

The Intelligence Support Officers are also responsible for updating internal databases, ensuring systems are maintained accurately and in a timely manner, and that the data and information collected is stored securely in the appropriate area for future retrieval.

The post sits within the Intelligence Team, which is part of the Investigation and Enforcement Services - IES Directorate. The team provides intelligence support to both civil and criminal investigation teams, to the wider agency and external partners.

Team members are located in Birmingham and as such this role is advertised as Birmingham specific only.

Responsibilities
Responsibilities for Compliance and Targeting Posts
The vacancies are within specific two teams that are responsible for criminal targeting, and compliance work, however Admin Support Officers in the teams can be asked to move into any of the different Admin Support Officer roles to fill vacancies when they arise or for business reasons, such as periods of high case inputs.

The Responsibilities Of The Posts Include

• monitoring and acknowledge receipt of new criminal referrals from both internal and external stakeholders; accurately recording them on case management systems and spreadsheets, notifying internal stakeholders
• profiling new criminal referrals on a short Profile form and making the pre-vetting decision based on guidance provided, keeping an accurate and contemporaneous record of progress
• conducting Breach Enquiry Profiling inclusive of S11, S13 and identifying valid S216 complaints as set out in the desk instructions and within INSS best practice
• undertaking thorough checks of existing systems on suspects and connected parties and accurately record findings
• seeking basic/full intelligence reports from Intelligence team in line with guidance
• creating bespoke case files and saving documentation for review by the Vetting Examiner
• contributing to the maintenance of a quality service by working with and supporting colleagues with routine administrative tasks
• liaising with line manager and/or the Vetting Examiners on handling of referrals that are more complex
• working with managers and team in continual improvement of team processes, sharing feedback and contributing to team meetings
• supporting CaT's other administrative support teams, as required, when there is business need - such as during times of high case inputs

Responsibilities For Intelligence Post
The responsibilities of the post include:

• working as part of an administration support team dealing with requests for information from a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
• managing the team inbox which receives intelligence requests, allocating tasks to colleagues on a rota basis
• issuing requests for information from the Insolvency Service to external partners, managing incoming responses and updating agency databases
• liaising with Intelligence Officers in relation to information requests, and with the Intelligence Officer on information being sent outside of the agency
• assisting with ad-hoc intelligence projects and assist in the preparation of intelligence reports

The Responsibilities Of The Post Include

• working as part of an administration support team dealing with requests for information from a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
• managing the team inbox which receives intelligence requests, allocating tasks to colleagues on a rota basis
• issuing requests for information from the Insolvency Service to external partners, managing incoming responses and updating agency databases
• liaising with Intelligence Officers in relation to information requests, and with the Intelligence Officer on information being sent outside of the agency
• assisting with ad-hoc intelligence projects and assist in the preparation of intelligence reports

Person specification

Successful Candidates For These Posts Will Have

• the ability to work alone as well as part of a team
• a keen eye for detail to ensure accuracy of information
• confidence in decision making
• the ability to use initiative and find solutions to problems
• excellent organisation skills and the ability to prioritise tasks
• resilience, and will be adaptable to changeable situations with the ability to learn from experience
• Good communication skills to confidently deal with a range of stakeholders, both internal & external
• good IT skills, particularly in the use of MS Office applications

Mandatory Qualifications
GCSE/O Level (or equivalent) at Grade 4/C or higher in English Language and Mathematics.

You will be asked to provide evidence of holding the relevant qualifications as part of the applications process.

Additional Criteria And Information For Intelligence Post
The successful candidate for the Intelligence Administrative Offer role must also have:

• an awareness of Government security markings, and the ability to maintain confidentiality
• experience in using one or more of the following: ISCIS, IBIS, Cyclops.
• experience using Microsoft Dynamics & CLUE.

Please note that the Intelligence Administrative Offer Role requires National Security Vetting at the Security Check level. Failure to secure this would mean the job offer would be rescinded.

An Apprenticeship may be offered as an L4 Intelligence Analyst.

Additional Information For All Posts
Please note that successful candidates will not be able to choose which of the two roles they are given.

While both vacancies are open to part-time applicants, successful candidates are required to work for a minimum of 30 hours per week.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions

Alongside your salary of £25,160, Insolvency Service contributes £7,288 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Benefits
We want you to have a good work-life balance and want to support you in all that you do, so we offer a great benefits package including:

• flexible working arrangements and flexi-time
• full time new entrants to the Civil Service and those Civil Servants on modernised terms and conditions will be entitled to 25 days leave increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years' service
• in addition to this you are entitled to 8 public/bank holidays plus an additional day of privilege leave
• competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave
• 5 days paid leave for learning and development
• 5 days paid for volunteering
• a Cycle to work scheme
• staff have access to an employee assistance programme, Workplace Wellness, for confidential, independent support and advice during difficult times in either their professional or personal life

Your pension is a valuable part of your total reward package where the employer makes a significant contribution to the cost of your pension. Your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken. This means, if you pay tax, your take-home pay will not be reduced by the full amount of your contribution; and your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire. For more information, visit

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the sift process, you will be asked to complete:

• CV
• Personal Statement
• Behaviours
• Behaviour 1– Making Effective Decisions

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement, assessing candidates against the essential criteria. Only those who meet the essential criteria at this stage will proceed to a full assessment of their application. If a candidate does not meet the minimum requirements during the initial sift, the remainder of their application will not be reviewed

CV Guidance
Your CV should provide a clear overview of your employment history over the last 5 years, key responsibilities, relevant qualifications, and the skills and experience you've gained throughout your career including any notable achievements.

Note: Your CV will be scored as part of the assessment process and will be assessed against the criteria outlined in the job advert.

Personal Statement Guidance
Your personal statement should be no more than 500 words and must demonstrate how your personal skills, qualities, and experience align with the requirements of the role. Please ensure your statement references the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.

If successful at the sift stage, at interview, you will be assessed on the following:

• Behavioural Competencies:
• Behaviour 1- Making Effective Decisions
• Behaviour 2- Delivering at Pace
• Behaviour 3- Working Together
• Strengths

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Sift – w/c 5 January 2026

Interview – w/c 19 January 2026

Location – MS Teams

You will be notified of this if you are selected for interview. Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Insolvency from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre- stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Use of AI
Candidates must ensure that their applications, including personal statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. Please refer to the following link for further information and guidance:

Visa Applicants
To sponsor a candidate under the Skilled Worker visa, a sponsorship licence is required. The Insolvency Service does not currently hold this licence and therefore, cannot legally sponsor Skilled Worker visa applicants.

Hybrid Working
Insolvency Service operates a hybrid working policy subject to business need, giving people the flexibility to choose when and where they work and collaborate with others.

Individuals are expected to work from one of the office locations stated in the advert to connect with their colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs. There is flexibility to split the working week, spending a minimum of 60% in the workplace, which includes the office, site visits, court etc.

Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the 'Assistance required' section in the 'Additional requirements' page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : IES Workforce Planning
• Email :

Recruitment team

• Email :

Further information

If you feel there have been procedural irregularities at any stage of the recruitment process or that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive you can then contact the Civil Service Commission.