PSI PIP2 Crypto Seizure (NEROCU)

Salary: Band 8, £36,066 - £41,028

Location: Sunderland

Hours/Contract: 37 Hours, FTC 31 March 2029

(We’re pleased to advertise this funded opportunity, with the appointment expected to be confirmed following the finalisation of funding.)

Working for: North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (“NEROCU”)

The North East Regional Organised Crime Unit is one of ten Regional Organised Crime Units (“ROCU”) in England and Wales who lead the regional response to tackling serious and organised crime whilst supporting local and national delivery. The ROCU network continues to expand and Home Office funding through police officer uplift and increased police staff capacity presents exciting opportunities to further enhance service delivery and positively impact on our partners and the public. The Home Office Serious and Organised Crime Strategy defines ROCU as leading the regional fight against Serious and Organised Crime and NEROCU have a critical role in leading, connecting and co-ordinating delivery across our region in all four P’s of the strategy; Pursue – prosecuting and disrupting people engaged in serious and organised criminality. Prevent – preventing people from engaging in serious and organised criminality. Protect – increasing protection against organised crime. Prepare – reducing the impact of serious and organised crime where it takes place. NEROCU comprises of specialist teams delivering across intelligence, operations, investigations, cyber, economic, technical and digital capabilities.

Learn about our full benefits package

The role

We’re looking for a dedicated professional to join our Cryptocurrency team within the North East Regional Cyber Crime Unit. This is a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of tackling serious and organised crime (SOC) in a fast-evolving digital landscape. You’ll play a key role in identifying, assessing, and addressing the threat, harm, and risk posed by high-priority SOC subjects—whether in custody, the community, nationally, or internationally.

As part of a multi-agency approach, you’ll investigate individuals involved in cyber and economic SOC, supporting both civil and criminal investigations and prosecutions. Acting as a specialist point of contact for cryptocurrency-related cases, you’ll work closely with the Regional Cyber Crime Team and the Regional Economic Crime Coordination Centre to deliver impactful results that protect communities and disrupt criminal networks.

What you’ll do

Conduct proactive and reactive investigations in relation to cryptocurrency, including investigations that have been tasked or identified through intelligence and other existing proactive workstreams, NEROCU capabilities or Regional Force capabilities.
Liaise and work with other investigators, specialists and managers to establish and use appropriate methods for gathering material and to develop procedures to turn material into intelligence or evidence as part of the investigation into cyber/economic SOC.
Crypto handling – Complete and support on all cryptocurrency seizures for the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit and Regional Forces. This includes following the process for the safe storage of seized cryptocurrency working in conjunction with the NPCC Best Practice provider for storage. Record and retain evidence in a format that is evidentially admissible to support the investigative process.
Identify and plan own investigative actions, taking into account resources, priorities, and proportionality to achieve investigatory objectives.
Assess threat, harm and risk in order to develop and implement plans and strategies to investigate serious and organised economic crime.
Interview witnesses and suspects and gather all required information, intelligence and evidence in relation to serious and organised cyber/economic crime investigations in accordance with PIP2 investigative standards also generating further lines of enquiry where required to bring offenders to justice.

Sound interesting? For further information, and to support your application, please view the job description.

What you’ll bring

Essential:

Proven experience in investigations and/or disruption activities, with a strong understanding of organised crime groups.
Ability to work effectively within a multi-agency team, building strong collaborative relationships to achieve shared objectives.
Strong time management skills with the ability to prioritise tasks and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to take ownership for delivering outcomes against identified individuals and issues, particularly those linked to serious and organised crime (SOC).
Willingness to travel within the region and nationally as required.
Commitment to ongoing professional development and continuous learning.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and confidently.
Demonstrated high levels of honesty and integrity in all aspects of work.

Desirable:

Successfully passed the NIE and completed the Initial Crime Investigators Development Programme (ICIDP), or equivalent.
Basic Knowledge of Serious Organised Crime, legislation, structure and practices.
Good Knowledge of intelligence handling processes and covert tactics in investigations. Knowledge of criminality within prisons and the regional prison estates.

We know it's important for you to feel that you're not only part of a great team, but part of a community. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Harnessing these differences creates a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, and their talents are fully utilised. Appointments are based on merit alone.

Interested to learn more? For further information about the role please contact careers@northumbria.police.uk.

What we offer

26 days’ leave (increasing to 30 days for 5 years+ service) plus 8 bank holidays
NHS Fleet Solutions Car Lease Scheme
Enhanced maternity, shared parental and adoption leave
Flexi time - allowing you to fit your working hours around your individual needs
Flexible working (we are happy to discuss options such as compressed hours)
Fantastic market-leading public sector pension scheme with up to 16% employer contribution
Corporate travel schemes – local rail, bus services and metro discounts
Access to private healthcare and eye test vouchers
Discounts on shopping and eating out thanks to the Blue Light Card and Blue Light Tickets
We’ve invested in extensive paid sick leave, trained mental health first aiders on-site, an employee advice service for the times you need that additional support.
Access to gyms in some stations
Sports & Social Club – join our thriving sports scene at Team NP and enjoy further exclusive discounts on days out and travel
Cycle to work scheme
Opportunity to volunteer in local community

Just so you know

Our application form will help us understand how your work, education and life experience has prepared you for the role of a Police Staff Investigator PIP2 Crypto Seizure with #TeamNP. To help support your application research what makes us tick here at Northumbria, the role you’re applying for and the values and behaviours that contribute.

Use of AI in Applications: At Northumbria Police, we embrace innovative technologies to enhance our recruitment process. We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While AI can be a valuable resource, we encourage applicants to ensure their submissions accurately reflect their personal qualifications, experiences, and skills. Our selection process includes thorough evaluations to verify the authenticity and suitability of all applications. We value genuine and thoughtful responses that showcase your unique strengths and perspectives.

The recruitment process will consist of the initial application form followed by a face-to-face interview. Just so you know, you can save your application and come back to it any time prior to the closing date on the advert.

We are proud members of the Business Disability Forum, with whom we collaborate with to improve the lives of disabled employees. We are also a Disability Confident Employer, therefore if you demonstrate that you meet the minimum criteria for this role as stated in the advert, we will progress your application and offer you an interview.

If you tell us that you have a disability, we can make adjustments to support you through the recruitment process (for example we can arrange extra time for tests or provide a sign language interpreter) You can get in touch with us via careers@northumbria.police.uk for any support regarding the application process. Please provide us with plenty of notice so we can ensure your visit goes smoothly.

If your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a Management Vetting (MV)/ Security Clearance (SC) form, therefore you must be a resident of the UK for a minimum period of 5 years to ensure vetting checks can be successfully performed. A job offer will be dependent upon vetting clearance, medical information, and references.

Terms of appointment

This is a fixed term role subject to a six-month probationary period.

If you are successful in your application, you will have a six-month probation period with us where you will be unable to apply for any other post advertised internally or externally.

Please note if you are a current NEROCU/Northumbria Police employee interested in applying for this role as a secondment opportunity, please discuss this with your Line Manager and gain agreement prior to applying.

We’re pleased to advertise this funded opportunity, with the appointment expected to be confirmed following the finalisation of funding.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.