INVESTIGATIONS & CASEFILE OFFICER

Salary: £41,617
Location: Welwyn Garden City
Grade: G5
Post Type: Permanent, Full-time (part-time to be considered on a case-by-case basis)
Advert close: Monday 29th September
Interviews to be held: w/c Monday 20th October, w/c Monday 27th October

ABOUT US

Are you ready to take on a role that makes a real difference? Join the Environment Agency’s new water industry regulation teams and help lead the fight against growing and increasingly complex environmental crime.
We continue to change the way we regulate water companies. Our regulation teams work to hold underperforming operators to account and ensure compliance with environmental law. While we recognise their crucial role in managing the water cycle - collecting, treating and returning water to the environment - it’s essential they do so without causing environmental harm.
Our work includes preventing pollution, the regulation of sewage treatment works, storm overflows and ensuring compliance across the sewerage network. With increased scrutiny of sewage pollution and its effects, we’re more determined than ever to raise standards, strengthen regulation and protect the environment. We’re driving improved performance, accountability, and better use of our resources to create lasting environmental outcomes.
We’re recruiting now because the work is urgent and growing - this is a pivotal moment to join the Environment Agency, as we’re actively involved in shaping the future of water regulation in England.

We’re looking for a confident professional with experience in criminal investigations, case management and disclosure processes. You’ll support our existing regulation and enforcement officers by coordinating casefiles, ensuring timely, effective investigations and that appropriate civil or criminal sanctions are completed in response to offences by the water industry.
As part of our new dedicated enforcement teams, you’ll be supporting officers who investigate alleged offences across water companies and contribute to transforming how we regulate. It’s a new role for the Environment Agency and we believe it will be an integral part of ensuring we deliver the new civil penalties under The Water Special Measures Act.
You’ll also have the chance to develop your skills and share your knowledge through helping train, coach, and mentor less experienced officers, when required.

In this role you will:

• Work closely with officers to ensure investigations progress in a timely and outcome-focused manner, in line with our enforcement and compliance policies.
• A particular focus on moderate to significant investigations, where penalties may include civil or criminal sanctions, including any new enforcement tools introduced for the water industry.
• Gather information and evidence from compliance and enforcement teams, preparing the casefiles and disclosure schedules, acting as a Disclosure Officer where necessary.
• Ensure all evidence and documentation is managed in line with best practice and complies with the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996, along with other relevant legislation and guidance.
• Support Water Industry Senior Environmental Crime Officers on our most serious offences, as required.
• Provide advice on witness management, manage third-party material, and liaise with legal teams where needed.
• Attend court and give evidence as required.
• Liaise with Team Leaders, investigators, and colleagues across intelligence and evidence functions to maintain the integrity of original material throughout the investigation and court process.
• Ensure investigation records are updated in our enforcement IT systems and ensure timely reporting to the Water Industry Senior Enforcement Officer, who provides governance and assurance for enforcement work.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with regulatory teams and stakeholders across a broad geographic region.

You’ll be recruited into a specific area with a designated office base, but flexibility is important - you may be required to work with teams in other locations or adapt to changing priorities across different areas.