Overview

Do you want to work for an organisation that values difference and includes everyone? The Environment Agency is committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities for everyone. We welcome flexible working patterns for all vacancies, including job share.

This role is to lead our Economic Crime Unit (ECU), part of the National Environmental Crime Unit (NECU). The successful candidate will lead a specialist team dedicated to removing the financial benefit from criminals.

Role and responsibilities

As ECU Manager you will:

• Provide strategic leadership for the way we manage financial investigations to fulfil obligations under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).
• Lead a dispersed team and continually improve how we work.
• Manage two Team Leaders (Asset Denial Team and Money Laundering Investigation Team) and a Senior Financial Intelligence Officer; provide strong leadership, motivate, develop the team, and manage performance and delivery.
• Collaborate with internal teams (Investigatory Teams, Intelligence & Partnerships, Legal) and external partners (Police, National Crime Agency, HMRC) and influence at senior levels to ensure Environment Agency priorities are recognised.
• Support the wider organisation in improving processes and understanding of POCA; share lessons learnt and advise enforcement officers nationwide.
• Contribute to the ECU's and organisation's ongoing capability development and provide guidance on technical documentation.

Team structure

The Economic Crime Unit comprises two teams – the Asset Denial Team and the Money Laundering Investigations Team. Teams include Financial Investigators, Financial Intelligence Officers and Crime Analysts. The ECU is nationally dispersed and works with enforcement staff and partners nationwide to tackle serious and complex criminality.

Experience and skills required

• Exceptional leadership skills, ideally with experience in leading a dispersed team; strong understanding of financial investigations and POCA.
• Experience in the law enforcement sector and understanding of the National Intelligence Model.
• Effective communication, including delivering feedback, managing performance and building external relationships.
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritise a varied workload, identify improvement areas and lead changes to working practices.
• Experience in developing and enhancing the capability of a team and individuals within it.

Additional information

This is a hybrid working role with home and office presence. Some travel across the country for meetings and operational duties is required. Incident response is a central part of the role; you may be required to respond to incidents or provide business continuity support during an incident (may attract additional payment). Training and workplace adjustments will be available to support you.

Interviews will take place w/c 3 November 2025. For further information, please contact: Emma Viner, Enforcement & Investigations Manager – emma.viner@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Competence areas include Leading People, Developing People, and Taking Decisions and Solving Problems, with example prompts provided in the application process.

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcome flexible working patterns, including job share. We guarantee an interview to any disabled applicant whose application meets the minimum criteria. The Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra and aligns with Civil Service guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in applications.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Finance and Sales