Investigations, Whistleblowing and Complaints Senior Manager

UK Research & Innovation

Salary: £45,272
Hours: Full Time
Contract Type: Open Ended
Location: Polaris House, Swindon

Closing Date: 8th June 2025

Job Overview:

This is a new role in the organisation bringing together arrangements for managing whistleblowing, complaints, HR-related matters, and counter fraud issues for triage. The Investigations, Whistleblowing and Complaints Senior Manager will be expected to support and champion the implementation of a new approach and new ways of working to provide a joined-up investigations service for UKRI.

The Investigations, Whistleblowing and Complaints Senior Manager will work with the lead and the Investigators to triage concerns that come into UKRI to the right team for action, as well as ensuring that UKRI operates in line with best practice to develop, maintain and deliver a complaints and whistleblowing function covering a range of internal and external mechanisms for raising concerns.

The role will involve triaging concerns that come into UKRI from within and outside of the organisation against UKRI policies and process and provide advice on their handling. The role will ensure that complaints and whistleblowing are responded to in a timely way and will work in partnership with colleagues across UKRI to achieve this. The Investigations, Whistleblowing and Complaints Senior Manager will also work closely with a small number of third-party providers that will be used to undertake specialist investigation work.

The Investigations, Whistleblowing and Complaints Senior Manager will have sound experience of leading and managing the handling of concerns. They will triage concerns received into UKRI and apply judgement to recommend the action, in line with UKRI policies, that will most likely resolve the situation to the satisfaction of the complainant.  The Investigations, Whistleblowing and Complaints Senior Manager will undertake work with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that timely and appropriate actions are taken on the concerns and will be in contact with those raising concerns in a sensitive and supportive way.

You will need business awareness with the ability to understand and analyse complex information to assess and manage risk; provide evidence-based opinions to help enforce the policies and standards of UKRI and occasionally be required to undertake workplace investigations within UKRI in line with standards set by the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman and guidance of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS). You will need to operate effectively in line with UKRI policies regarding investigations and alternative informal processes and initiatives that enable good outcomes and delivering casework to the highest standards.

Key Responsibilities:

Overall Investigation Team responsibilities

• Triage concerns that come into UKRI from within and outside of the organisation against UKRI policies and process, exercising judgement to advise on their handling. This will include concerns raised via an anonymous reporting tool and close working with policy leads across UKRI and potentially Trades Unions for complex issues
• Ensure complaints and whistleblowing processes operate effectively in line with corporate expectations, legal and regulatory requirements, and best practice
• Apply the highest standards of integrity, be able to maintain confidentiality, and solve complex problems in an environment where strategy, governance and politics is highly relevant
• Develop positive relationships with a wide range of internal stakeholders and build trust with senior leaders to foster an inclusive and joined-up approach to complaints and whistleblowing handling.
• Ensure that risks and issues arising from complaints and whistleblowing are identified and brought to the attention of key stakeholders for action
• Support the development and implementation of procedures and guidance, conducting necessary consultation and recommending corrective and future action
• Direct line management of a Whistleblowing and Complaints Manager
• Prepare high quality updates, reports, and advice to the Senior Investigation Leads.

Complaint-specific responsibilities:

• Effectively manage the response to complaints and other correspondence (as necessary) in a timely way and work in partnership with colleagues across UKRI to achieve this. This will include responsibility for a caseload of complaints from initial triage, allocation, and quality assurance of responses.
• Have the ability to undertake investigations in line with good practice and write responses, where there may be a business-need.
• Undertaking and reviewing reporting, including against key performance indicators. This requires the ability to assimilate large volumes of data.
• Support on the facilitation of the quarterly UKRI Complaints Forum and other meetings with key
• Be a Champion for good practice in complaints handling, which may include developing and delivering training where needed.

Whistleblowing-specific responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with third parties that may be used to undertake specialist investigation work, to achieve timely and satisfactory outcomes to whistleblowing.
• Conduct effective day to day management of the caseload of whistleblowing concerns to ensure timely and quality delivery of cases. This may include the quality assurance of draft investigation reports.
• Obtain technical case direction and decision-making in relation to complex cases, working collaboratively with legal, HR and other stakeholders.
• Manage and undertake assurance work against agreed whistleblowing actions.

Person Specification:

(S) – Shortlisting Criteria (I) – Interview Criteria

Essential

• Good people skills, able to build and maintain strong working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels, including senior leaders. (I)
• Able to demonstrate high standards of integrity, ability to maintain confidentiality, and operate appropriately in highly sensitive and complex situations. (I)
• Business awareness with the ability to understand and analyse changing business context and landscape to assess and manage risk. (I)
• Strong experience in successful case handling and effective delivery of investigations in an organisation. (S&I)
• Understand the linkages and dependencies between different teams, promoting a culture of teamwork and helping to break down silos if they emerge that prevent the efficient and effective handling of concerns or incidents (I)
• Maintain excellent working relationships with key stakeholders across UKRI and external bodies (for example, the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman and Public Sector Fraud Authority) to develop a clear understanding of the organisation and to facilitate effective working relationships (S&I)
• Knowledge of prevailing governance standards and public sector rules including but not limited to:
• Managing Public Money.
• Gov 13 Functional Standard on Fraud and all standards that apply to UKRI functional work
• Public Interest Disclosure Act and its implementation
• Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman Complaints Handling Standards. (S&I)
• Investigations training from an accredited provider or equivalent experience (with commitment to complete upon appointment). Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development. (S)

Application Guidance

How to evidence the criteria:

You are encouraged to use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) in the cover letter to evidence your ability to meet the ‘person specification’ criteria in the job description. Cover letters should be no more than two sides of A4 (minimum font size 11). For examples of the STAR method, please visit: The STAR method | National Careers Service’.