Protecting public funds and helping maintain confidence in local services is at the heart of this role. As a Fraud Support & Intelligence Officer, you'll join our Counter Fraud team within Internal Audit and Risk Management, supporting the investigation of potential fraud and ensuring the Council responds effectively to intelligence requests and enquiries. Working closely with partners including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), you'll play a key role in analysing information, identifying discrepancies and helping to ensure public money is used appropriately. 

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys working with data, legislation and investigations. The role combines intelligence gathering, analysis and partnership working, making it ideal for candidates from a Revenues & Benefits, audit, fraud, compliance or investigative background who are looking to develop their expertise within a specialist area. 

Working 22.2 hours per week, the role offers flexible working arrangements and the opportunity to be part of a small, dedicated team focused on protecting the Council and its communities from fraud and financial loss.

You can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site here: Why you should work for us | West Northamptonshire Council.

You'll act as the Council's Single Point of Contact for the Department for Work and Pensions Investigation Service, managing Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction Scheme investigation enquiries from start to finish. Using a range of systems and intelligence sources, you'll interrogate data, analyse information and provide evidence through prescribed processes, ensuring enquiries are responded to accurately and within strict timescales. 

A key aspect of the role will involve reviewing information from Housing Benefit, Council Tax and other corporate systems to identify discrepancies and support investigations. You'll assist with the National Fraud Initiative, undertake pre-investigation enquiries, compile reports and recommendations, and support the wider Counter Fraud team with evidence gathering and intelligence analysis. On occasion, you may be required to prepare witness statements and attend court to provide evidence on behalf of the Council. 

You'll also contribute to fraud awareness and prevention activities, working collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders across the organisation to strengthen fraud resilience and ensure good governance. Throughout your work, you'll manage sensitive information responsibly and maintain the highest standards of confidentiality, professionalism and accuracy.

You're a highly organised and methodical individual with strong analytical skills and an eye for detail. You enjoy working with data, investigating issues and drawing together information from multiple sources to reach evidence-based conclusions. Comfortable working independently as well as part of a team, you'll be able to manage competing priorities and meet tight deadlines while maintaining a high level of accuracy. 

You'll have excellent communication skills and be able to explain information clearly and professionally, both verbally and in writing. Experience within Revenues & Benefits, fraud investigation, audit, compliance or a similar local government environment would be advantageous, as would experience of analysing data and working within legislative or regulatory frameworks. 

Most importantly, you'll be someone who is curious, proactive and committed to protecting public funds. You'll share our THRIVE values and our commitment to delivering effective, transparent and trustworthy services for the residents and communities of West Northamptonshire.

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. Hear from our Chief Executive, Martin Henry, about building a career at WNC.

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential.  We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us. 

If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.

Please note we reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications, so we recommend applying as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.