Deputy Senior Investigator

Inverurie

Job Summary

The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) is currently seeking to recruit a Deputy Senior Investigator on a 2-year fixed term contract, based in Inverurie. The post incorporates a blended hybrid working arrangement from an office in Inverurie and home working, but with a regular requirement to travel across the North of Scotland and visit our Hamilton offices as necessary.

The PIRC was established in 2013 and is responsible for carrying out independent investigations into incidents involving the police and independently reviewing the way the police handle complaints from the public.

Our aim is to secure public confidence in policing in Scotland by supporting continuous improvement and promoting positive change.

As a Deputy Senior Investigator, you will supervise an investigations team who will support the Commissioner and Head of Investigations in carrying out independent, effective and efficient investigations into serious incidents involving the police in Scotland. These can include investigations into deaths in police custody, death or serious injury following contact with the police or other criminal allegations against the police. You will be required to be on call, on a rota basis, and be prepared to work unsocial and extended hours and be prepared for overnight stays away from home, where required. An additional remuneration allowance is payable for this work.

Specific Duties

• Lead investigations in accordance with relevant legislation and associated Regulations.
• Conduct and supervise investigations in accordance with legislative requirements, agreed operating procedures, protocols and guidelines.
• Ensure the efficient and effective management of resources allocated to investigations.
• Prepare accurate and timely reports as directed on any matter concerning PIRC investigations and its activities.
• Take witness statements, conduct interviews and prepare reports for the Commissioner, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and policing bodies operating in Scotland, as required.
• Contribute to the provision of a 24-hour on-call facility and be prepared to work unsocial and extended hours as required.
• Liaise with other agencies and personnel as required.
• Ensure that all correspondence, including enquiries and/or other processes, are allocated effectively and thereafter concluded within set time frames, having attained the highest possible standard.
• Participate in the PIRC career development and Performance Review Process; to appraise, assess and counsel staff as required; to make recommendations to senior management in respect of this activity, including highlighting specific training and career development needs and opportunities.

Specific Duties

• Lead investigations in accordance with relevant legislation and associated Regulations.
• Conduct and supervise investigations in accordance with legislative requirements, agreed operating procedures, protocols and guidelines.
• Ensure the efficient and effective management of resources allocated to investigations.
• Prepare accurate and timely reports as directed on any matter concerning PIRC investigations and its activities.
• Take witness statements, conduct interviews and prepare reports for the Commissioner, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and policing bodies operating in Scotland, as required.
• Contribute to the provision of a 24-hour on-call facility and be prepared to work unsocial and extended hours as required.
• Liaise with other agencies and personnel as required.
• Ensure that all correspondence, including enquiries and/or other processes, are allocated effectively and thereafter concluded within set time frames, having attained the highest possible standard.
• Participate in the PIRC career development and Performance Review Process; to appraise, assess and counsel staff as required; to make recommendations to senior management in respect of this activity, including highlighting specific training and career development needs and opportunities.

Person specification

Success Profile

Success Profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

Experience

• Experience of managing investigations.
• Experience of managing a team by improving performance using constructive challenge, providing feedback and coaching skills, seeking support and advice from HR when needed.
• An ability to manage a team’s workload, undertaking assessments and other investigations business.
• Experience in producing high quality reports, communicating findings and evidence clearly and concisely, with well-developed critical thinking skills.
• An ability to obtain information and use sound judgement to reach conclusions.

This experience may have been gained within organisations other than the police service and we would welcome applications from candidates with relevant experience from other organisations.

Applicants must hold a valid full UK Driving Licence.

Behaviours

Leadership – Level 3

Communicating and Influencing – Level 3

Delivering at Pace – Level 3

Making effective decisions – Level 3

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here

Security Checks

The successful candidate must undergo Non-Police Personnel Vetting (NPPV) Level 3 and Baseline Personal Security Scotland (BPSS) prior to appointment. Please see here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/united-kingdom-security-vetting-applicant to ensure you are aware of the requirements prior to submitting an application. Applicants should be aware that they are required to have lived in the United Kingdom for at least 3 years to meet the first element of the vetting requirements.

Equality Statement

The PIRC is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to promoting a diverse workforce, with an emphasis on the PIRC values of integrity, impartiality and respect. We, therefore, encourage and welcome applications from all members of the community. We are committed to the Disability Confident Initiative and offer a guaranteed interview to any applicant who meets all of the selection criteria required for the post and considers themselves to be disabled.

For information on this vacancy please contact the Human Resources Department at ***email_hidden*** or call on 07342 080256.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

Alongside your salary of £49,401, Police Investigations and Review Commissioner contributes £14,311 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Hybrid working
• Flexible working
• 25 days of annual leave (pro-rated for part-time staff)
• 5 privilege days (pro-rated for part-time staff)
• 6 public holidays (pro-rated for part-time staff)
• Pension with generous employer contribution
• Competitive pay for sickness, maternity & paternity leave
• Access to Edenred My Lifestyle discount site
• Access to Employee Assistance Service

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

How To Apply

Applications are submitted online and you must provide a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than

1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profiles above.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see our candidate application process guide for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

Successful applicants will be invited for further assessment; this will consist of an interview and a presentation based on investigative experience.

We will provide feedback on request to candidates who attend an interview/assessment.

The closing date for applications is midnight on Sunday 21st June 2026.

Please continue to check your account on our recruitment portal as all applicants will have the status of the application updated on their account.

Please note we are unable to provide feedback on unsuccessful applications.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

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.

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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.

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.

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.

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.

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).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : PIRC HR Team
• Email : ***email_hidden***
• Telephone : 07342 080256

Recruitment team

• Email : ***email_hidden***

Further information

https://jobs.pirc.scot/