Digital Forensics Quality Team

Details
Reference number

440303

Salary

£38,772 - £45,065

National (Other Locations) £38,772 to £39,621, Outer London (Staines) £42,509 to £45,065.

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

Job grade

Higher Executive Officer

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

DWP - Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt - Economic, Serious and Organised Crime (ESOC)

Type of role

Architecture and Data

Business Management and Improvement

Digital

Information Technology

Intelligence

Investigation

Operational Delivery

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

Dudley, Liverpool, Staines

About the job
Job summary

Do you have experience as a Forensics examiner or delivering technical excellence in a Digital Forensics laboratory environment? Do you have excellent communication and leadership skills?

Then DWP may be the place for you. This is an exciting opportunity to join our Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt (CFCD) Directorate on a team committed to tackling fraud encountered through our Economic, Serious, and Organised Crime (ESOC) team.

We are seeking a Quality Team Technical Manager to contribute to the technical development, maintenance, and improvement of the Quality Management System (QMS) for Digital Forensics (DF). You will support managers achieve and maintain accreditation to ISO 17025 and compliance with the Forensic Science Regulator (FSR) Statutory Code of Practice.

The successful applicant will be an experienced digital forensic practitioner, knowledgeable in the acquisition, processing, analysis and reporting of digital media to an evidential standard. They will be knowledgeable in legislation affecting digital forensic activities and awareness of the impact it has within an accredited environment.

A key component will be supporting visits by UKAS and playing an active role in UKAS assessments. You will also support implementation & compliance with other relevant legislation and regulations. You will conduct audits and validation tests and support the delivery of training on quality principles, hold briefings on quality, and disseminate technical information and best practice. You will work, as part of the Quality Team, closely with digital forensics practitioners to strike a balance between quality management and digital forensics operational delivery.

Job description

The Quality Team Technical Manager supports the development, maintenance, and improvement of the Digital Forensics Quality Management System (QMS) for DWP, ensuring compliance with ISO 17025 and the Forensic Science Regulator Code of Practice. The role involves technical oversight, audit and validation activities, development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and providing guidance to practitioners and stakeholders. The manager helps maintain accreditation, drives continuous improvement, and ensures high standards in digital forensic services.

You will support the Quality Manager to ensure compliance and continuous improvement in Digital Forensic activities, and act as the technical subject matter expert for Digital Forensic practitioners.

Responsibilities – As a Quality team Technical Manager, you will be responsible for:

• Delivering a technically assured Digital Forensic service and supporting the Quality Team to maintain the Quality Management System (QMS) in line with standards and the FSR Code.
• Overseeing day-to-day operation, maintenance, and improvement of the QMS, including developing and maintaining SOPs, work instructions, and technical procedures.
• Planning, conducting, and reporting on Quality Audits, validation, and calibration testing, including root cause analysis, corrective actions, and risk evaluation.
• Providing technical advice, guidance, and oversight to stakeholders, including support for UKAS assessments and accreditation scope.
• Supporting the Digital Forensic learning journey, competency testing, and documentation, and identifying training needs.
• Coordinating and participating in Inter-Laboratory Comparisons (ILC), Proficiency Testing (PT), and investigating anomalies in forensic tools and methods.
• Designing and conducting competency testing and quality checking processes, which will require development of a variety of techniques, such as blind trials, peer reviews and dip sampling.
• Engaging with colleagues and stakeholders to ensure compliance, best practice, and continuous improvement.

Person specification

What we are looking for in our Quality Team Technical Manager:

• Demonstratable ability to support the implementation and maintenance of quality standards, most notably ISO 17025 and FSR Code of Practice.
• Can collaborate and communicate with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders to drive positive outcomes and meet a range of diverse needs, including guidance and advice on the importance and specifics of working to statutory requirements.
• Have the resilience to overcome difficulties, taking ownership for resolving issues, and ability to think critically on processes and procedures and be able to manage and implement improvements.
• Can drive performance improvement through proactive management of processes and ensuring compliance with relevant policies and regulatory requirements, using sound analytical and organisational skills and the ability to effectively interpret and use information.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and an ability to lead and inspire teams, engage with change and obtain buy-in from colleagues by encouraging discussion.
• Ability to effectively absorb technical information and prioritise implementation within changing operational situation and have the capability to produce detailed technical reports.
• Have excellent planning, negotiating and influencing skills, particularly as a DWP representative at national multi-agency meetings, requiring strategic decisions.
• Confident with technology; ability to quickly adapt to new/bespoke systems and solutions.
• Adopt a methodical approach to designing technical and quality procedures, with an ability to recommend improvements to working methods and efficacy.
• Have a flexible, agile outlook, able to innovate and display creative thinking.

Key Criteria

Candidates will be able to demonstrate the following Key Criteria:

• Experience as a practitioner in the examination of mobile digital devices, with an in-depth knowledge of ISO 17025 requirements and associated standards including the FSR Code of Practice (Lead Criteria).
• Experience in developing and continually improving quality standards in a testing or calibration laboratory environment, with a focus on developing processes, compliance, validation, audits, and process improvement (Second Lead Criteria).
• Experience in conducting internal audit/governance of policies, procedures and forensic activities against legislation/regulations, and using excellent presentation and communication abilities, to produce reports or deliver findings and recommendations, at various levels.
• Experience of working collaboratively with internal and external partners, demonstrating an ability to build relationships and influence others, to agree or transform common objectives and outcomes.

Desirable Skills

• Experience in the use of a wide range of IT systems and forensic software and/or tools.
• Experience in, or significant understanding of, extraction and analysis of data from a range of digital devices.

Training Requirements

You must be willing to attain any future appropriate training required to undertake the technical functions of the role. This may be attained through completion of relevant courses, as required.

The successful candidate should already hold or be willing to attain:

• ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Awareness.
• Laboratory Management – Role of the Quality Manager & Technical Management.
• Laboratory Internal Audit – ISO/IEC 17025:2017.
• Level 4 Digital Forensics Apprenticeship.

Travel Requirements

You are required to travel nationally to attend and manage (not exhaustively):

• Validation, competency testing and audits at laboratories of the Digital Forensic Unit as well as UKAS assessments.
• Briefings and operational meetings with internal and external stakeholders such as Senior Leadership teams, Digital Forensics unit, Police, UKAS.

Essential Criteria

Please note that the role that you are applying requires National Security Vetting (NSV) to the level – Security Check (SC). You can find more information at United Kingdom Security Vetting: Applicant - GOV.UK ) . If you are successful in your application, you will need to attain SC clearance before you can take up post. This is mandatory and is in addition to completion of Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS).

The purpose of the NSV process is to provide a level of assurance about an individual's trustworthiness, integrity and reliability, and other factors that increase their vulnerability to corruption or risk of committing a security breach. It involves the investigation of an individual's background and circumstances to achieve this aim.

To be eligible to apply, you must have lived in the UK for at least 5 years across your lifetime and at least 3 of the last 5 years. If you do not meet these conditions, we will not be able to proceed with your application, because you will be unable to obtain Security Clearance. This does not apply to people based overseas in the UK military or working for HMG.

The application process will ask for personal details about you, your address history, previous relationships, your parents, your employment history, your financial circumstances, and details of any pending, spent or unspent convictions. This list is not exhaustive. Please view the Vetting explained - GOV.UK ) for more information.

If you require any further information, please contact the vacancy holder – the details are on the jobs portal through which you made your application.

If you are successful in your application, we recommend that you familiarise yourself with the NSV process and advise that you collate as much information as you can prior to starting your Vetting application.

If you go on to attain Security Clearance, then you should be aware of the following:

Behaviours expected of you to maintain clearance

Keeping your clearance is dependent upon maintaining good security behaviours. You must:

• Not take any illegal drugs.
• Always act with honesty and integrity and, if you are a Civil Servant, adhere to the Civil Service Code.
• Always act in a way that will not put you at risk of being unduly influenced, exploited or blackmailed by people such as criminals and journalists.

Candidate Integrity Declaration

In addition to the above candidates who are successful will be asked about the following before we offer them a position. Candidates must declare to the best of their knowledge:

• Any disciplinary finding of guilt / failure to meet the appropriate standard of conduct relating to their employment they have ever had.
• Any charge of a disciplinary offence / notification of a failure to meet the appropriate standards they have ever had where the case has not yet been concluded.
• Any past convictions, criminal findings, or police cautions, regardless of whether they are 'spent', they have ever had.

The disclosure of this information will not automatically disbar the candidate from this role, but we need to be aware of any event or issue which could impinge on the candidate's credibility if questioned in court.

What Checks are Involved?

• Successful completion of the Baseline Personnel Security Standard.
• Completion, by the individual, of a security questionnaire.
• A departmental/company records check which will include, for example personal files, staff reports, sick leave returns and security records.
• A check of both spent and unspent criminal records.
• A check of credit and financial history with a credit reference agency.
• A check of Security Service (MI5) records.
• Exceptionally, if there are any unresolved security concerns about the individual, or if recommended by the Security Service, the individual may also be interviewed.
• In the event of any unresolved financial concerns, the individual may also be required to complete a separate financial questionnaire so that a full review of personal finances can be carried out.
• Checks may extend to third parties included on the security questionnaire.

Technical skills

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

• Developing digital forensic processes within regulatory frameworks.
• Creation and delivery of plans for auditing and validation.
• Proficiency testing and assessing practitioner competency.
• Supporting digital forensics activity to ensure the capture of best evidence.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,772, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £11,232 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year's continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women's Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Things you need to know
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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1 - Application Form

Please complete the first stage short application form, which includes your personal details, eligibility to apply and any reasonable adjustments required.

Stage 2 – Written Application and Sift

As part of the application process, you will also be asked to complete a personal statement in no more than 1250 words detailing the relevant skills and experience you can bring to the role, based on the key criteria listed. Please pay particular attention to the lead criteria and second lead criteria as if you do not demonstrate these on your application, you will not progress to the interview stage.

When completing your personal statement, please read and understand the key criteria thoroughly, as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. You may choose to address each criteria separately, however, one narrative example may cover and evidence several key criteria. You may not be able to meet all the key criteria, but please ensure you evidence the key personal requirements, what have you done that's relatable to the requirements. You don't have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

You will also be asked to complete a CV with details of your job history, full qualification details, previous skills and experience. Your CV will not be formally assessed so please put the main evidence of your skills into your personal statement. Your CV will be used to add context to your personal statement.

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 lead criteria or lead and second lead criteria. If so, we will sift on:

• Experience as a practitioner in the examination of mobile digital devices, with an in-depth knowledge of ISO 17025 requirements and associated standards including the FSR Code of Practice (Lead Criteria).
• Experience in developing and continually improving quality standards in a testing or calibration laboratory environment, with a focus on developing processes, compliance, validation, audits, and process improvement (Second Lead Criteria).

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to an interview. Please note candidates will be provided an explanation of their score at sift detailing if an initial sift or full sift was carried out on their application.

In the event of a low number of applications, candidates may be progressed to interview without their written application being sifted.

**Please note the closing date for your full application is 23:55 on 23rd December 2025**

The sift is scheduled to be held from 29th December 2025 to 23rd January 2026. These dates may be subject to change.

Stage 4 - Interview

If you pass the written application sift with the required score you will be invited to an interview and will receive an electronic notification to your Civil Service Jobs account. The interviews will be conducted face to face. Where possible the interviews will take place at the locations listed in the Candidate Pack (slide 2), however candidates may be expected to travel to an alternative location as required. If you require any reasonable adjustments to attend a face-to-face interview, please ensure you state those on your application form when asked to do so.

Interviews are scheduled to take place from 9th February 2026, please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. Interviews will be scheduled Monday to Friday, between 09:00 to 17:00.

Communications will be electronic and/or by SMS/telephone therefore it is important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder. Telephone calls may show as a withheld number, it is important that you answer so that your interview can be confirmed. If you wish to opt out of SMS messages, please email this address, including the vacancy reference and your candidate ID CFCD..GOV.UK. As part of our commitment to improving the candidate experience, you may be contacted during the recruitment process to provide feedback.

Preparing for the Interview

The interview will take approximately 45 minutes and will consist of technical and strength-based questions. The technical and strength-based questioning explores what you, the candidate, can and have done, but also your potential.

Technical Skills

We will assess you against the technical skills linked to the Forensic Science Regulators Code of Practice during the interview process. It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed or a situation you have been in and use the WHO or STAR model to explain:

• WHO - What it was? How you approached the work/situation? What the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? or
• STAR - What was the Situation? What were the Tasks? What Action did you take? What were the Results of your actions?

Strengths

It is difficult to prepare for strength type questions. However, you can think through your answers, focus on your achievements and aspects you enjoy and decide how these can be applied in the organisation and role. While strengths questions are shorter and we do not expect a full STAR response, the panel is interested in your first reaction to the question and information or reasoning to support this.

If you withdraw your application at any stage, it will not be progressed any further.

Stage 5– Offer

Once all interviews have been completed, you will be notified of the outcome by email. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first. The successful candidate will be notified of a start date following successful pre-employment and security checks, which is likely to be during June 2026.

Important information

Candidate pack

It is important that you take time to read the candidate pack which can be found at the bottom of this job advert. This provides further information about the role and working in DWP.

Location

Dudley, Liverpool or Staines

You should only apply for suitable posts where you can travel to and from your home office location daily within a reasonable time. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed.

Hybrid working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office. If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Hybrid working will not commence until any training and consolidation period has been successfully completed.

Working pattern

Part-time, part-year, term-time compressed hours and job-sharing working patterns within working hours will be considered but must meet business needs. We will do our best to let people with existing part time contracts retain their contracted hours provided they are in line with current business needs. Please note that successful candidates with agreed alternative working patterns may be required to work full time for specific periods to complete all training and consolidation.

Hours of work

The full-time working week in DWP is 37 hours. You may be required to work at any time between the hours of:

• 7:45am and 8:00pm on any day between Monday to Friday, and
• 8:45am to 5:00pm on Saturday.

Managers will agree working patterns with successful applicants within these business hours and review these as appropriate. You will be given advance notice of your personal schedule.

Learning and Development

DWP takes development seriously. Our aim is for our colleagues in these roles to be appropriately skilled and qualified – as determined by the business. To support this aim you may be required to undertake a work-based qualification, such as an apprenticeship, which will support you in further developing your professional knowledge and skills for this role and your future career development. The qualification can be undertaken in work time. You agree to take this job on the basis that you may be required to undertake a work-based qualification; your failure to participate fully in the professional programme, once appointed, may be a breach of your employment contract.

If DWP decides that it is no longer a requirement for you to undertake and attain a work-based qualification, it will release you from this obligation. Any decision to release you from this obligation will not be a breach of contract by DWP.

Important

If you hold a level 3 qualification (2 A levels or equivalent) then please bring your certificates with you to the interview if you have them.

Further Information

Diversity and Inclusion

At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub.

Reserve List

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

If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

Please note:

• If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual part time working pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in the case of serious ill health).
• If we make an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

Disability Confident Scheme

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Reasonable Adjustments

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the Government Recruitment Service via as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the "Reasonable Adjustments" 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.

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks

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.

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.

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

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

Important

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

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.

Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWP's Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.

Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.

Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

Any move to DWP 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. Determine your eligibility at the Childcare Choices Website.

Visa Sponsorship

For these vacancies, we strongly recommend that applicants consult with an immigration specialist or qualified advisor to assess their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship before deciding to apply. Please note that while we consider sponsorship requests in accordance with current DWP guidance and Home Office policy, sponsorship cannot be guaranteed.

Feedback

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

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 .

See our vetting charter .

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)
• 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

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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 .

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 and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans 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 : CFCD RECRUITMENT TEAM
• Email : CFCD..GOV.UK

Recruitment team

• Email :

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: HR..GOV.UK.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.

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