Food Fraud Assistant

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is a small government department with a big mission: to keep food safe, ensure it is what it says it is, and that’s it’s increasingly healthy and more sustainable. Food fraud represents a serious threat to the safety of consumers across the country, and we are always working proactively and reactively to ensure that everyone has access to ‘food you can trust’.
We are looking for a Food Fraud Assistant who can help us deliver the tasks that ensure this important part of our function is successful while supporting our wider food incidents response. You’ll work to support our Food Fraud Liaison Officer as they deliver intelligence led investigations, disseminating key intelligence to partner organisations so that we can effectively prepare our response to occurring and potential threats to food safety., You’ll brief senior managers, prepare and deliver presentations to stakeholders, and provide additional support to teams across the National Food Crime Unit and the Consumer Protection Team.
This role offers a fantastic opportunity to use your experience in investigative environments to help us deliver something that impacts lives across the country every single day. We all eat, and you can be part of our work to make sure that the food on our tables is safe. If you are excited by the chance to work collaboratively to support this mission, apply today to join the FSA as our Food Fraud Assistant.
Working pattern guidance
Applicants who wish to work compressed hours are welcome to apply - however your preferred working pattern may not be available, and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
Please read before applying
As this is an investigatory / intelligence role we need to be aware if any of our employees have any of the following: any misconduct or gross misconduct findings or where proceedings are not complete. You will be asked to complete a declaration form covering the above if offered a role with the FSA.
You must declare to the best of your knowledge:
+ Any disciplinary finding of guilt / failure to meet the appropriate standard of conduct relating to your employment you have ever had
+ Any charge of a disciplinary offence / notification of a failure to meet the appropriate standards you have ever had where the case has not yet been concluded
The disclosure of this information will not automatically disbar you from this role but we need to be aware of any event or issue which could impinge on your credibility if questioned in court., You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.
Technical: You will be asked a question to confirm that you meet the Technical requirements of the role.
+ Driving licence and use of a car
If you cannot answer yes to this question – you will not be able to proceed further with your application.
You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential criteria., If successful at shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Experience requirements of the role and Civil Service Behaviours.
Behaviours
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Working Together
Full details of the positive indicators being assessed for each Behaviour can be found in the Candidate Pack., You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application or used during interview, including your CV and any statements or examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Expected Timeline
Advert closes: 11th November
Sift: Expected to take place from 12th November
Final panel interview: Expected to take place w/c 25th November
Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application).
Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.
United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) Requirements (SC)
Appointment will be subject to the candidate having, or being able to achieve, National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) level.
All security clearances require you to provide evidence of your UK footprint where you have been physically present in the UK.
The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years (although there are some exceptions e.g. if you have been serving abroad with HM Armed Forces).
Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.
Checks will be made against:
+ 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.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to the Food Standards Agency 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Reserve List
A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.
Visa Sponsorship
Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications and we are unable to provide any advice about visas.
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 (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.

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).

+ Lead criteria: Practical experience of the application of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, The Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996, The Fraud Act 2006 and The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000/Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (including interviewing and taking of statements)
+ Experience in delivering reactive investigations and proactive intelligence led investigations
+ Experience of handling and developing intelligence and using an intelligence database
+ Experience in multi-agency operations and briefing senior managers in a timely and concise manner

£32,505
HEO: £32,505 (National) £34,647 (London) (2024/25 pay award pending) Salary will be pro rata as part time. 0.6 FTE 22 hours per week. The successful candidate should expect to work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP, Alongside your salary of £32,505, Food Standards Agency contributes £9,416 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Our candidate pack details the benefits that the FSA has to offer. Please also refer to the attached Terms and Conditions statement.