Forensic Accountant - Investigations

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Forensic Accountant will provide forensic accounting services in support of serious and complex immigration related crime investigations and prosecutions. This includes reviewing and analysing financial records and information from a variety of sources, for the purposes of identifying proceeds of crime, money laundering, and other matters related to immigration related crime; preparing financial information in support of prosecutions and other legal or alternate actions, including the preparation of sworn affidavits and presentation of evidence in court hearings; providing the Immigration New Zealand Investigators with credible professional opinions and expert evidence for the purpose of successfully prosecuting immigration-related crime.

The Forensic Accountant will also provide general advice on financial matters arising in investigations and support the Investigations leadership team to build financial capability in the Investigations teams nationally.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Must be a NZ citizen or permanent NZ resident.
• The ability to gain and maintain a national security clearance as required.
• A member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand or is able to attain this status within a reasonable timeframe.
• A relevant tertiary qualification / professional registration and/or extensive and comparable experience in business management, business planning and/or financial investigation, such as forensic accounting.
• A minimum of five years’ experience as a professional operating in finance or business-related roles including practical experience in financial accounting practices in the private and public sector.
• Knowledge of relevant Acts, Regulations and Common Law.
• Demonstrated problem analysis skills and sound judgment.
• Demonstrated planning and organisational skills, with an ability to balance and prioritise workload.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and effectively manage risks, sensitive issues and confidentiality in a regulatory environment.
• Demonstrated communication, facilitation, influencing and interpersonal skills, with the ability to clearly communicate technical information in plain language.
• Proven ability to develop trust and credibility with managers, staff and stakeholders at all levels, internally and externally.
• Focus on providing quality service to INZ staff and key stakeholders and takes responsibility for managing client relationships.
• A demonstrable commitment to improve and develop financial and business acumen.
• Facilitates immigration crime investigations by undertaking and contributing to investigative activity as part of an investigations team.
• Co-ordinating within area of expertise and providing expert advice and recommendations on the direction of enquiries.
• Identifying and demonstrating links between targets and alleged criminally acquired assets.
• Identifying and assessing complex financial information and determining its relevance to the investigation as evidence.
• Linking information to the investigation and identifying information that requires further analysis.
• Making recommendations on the feasibility of pursuing specific crime investigations, and the resources and specialists required.
• Implementing computer procedures and programmes to facilitate the analysis of evidence for enquiries and prosecutions.
• Managing the retrieval storage and control of data required to perform financial investigations including maintaining a computer based financial information service for the investigation.
• Preparing schedules, diagrams, financial statements and reports, and questionnaires for the purposes of interviewing suspects, and crown exhibits.
• Examining, analysing, investigating and evaluating financial documents, financial reports and statements and reconstructing financial accounts, including group structures relevant to the investigations.
• Assisting in the execution of search warrants and/or site visits or other regulatory activities, as required.
• Briefing and assisting the Crown Prosecutor in the prosecution of immigration related crimes.
• Appearing as an expert witness and providing evidence for the Crown.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Indicators of success

• The Forensic Accountant will be required to deliver results in the following areas:
  • Delivery of specialist business and financial advice and information that support timely and high-quality investigation and prosecution in respect of immigration related offences.
  • Leading investigations into and analysis of financial statements and.
  • Business plans as part of active investigations.
  • Work closely with Risk and Verification Senior Business and Financial Advisors and regulatory teams across MBIE to achieve joined up compliance outcomes.
  • Provide technical and financial expertise nationally in relation to complaints, investigations, and other Immigration matters, such as Immigration.
  • Protection Tribunal hearings and prosecutions.
  • Ensure all processes are documented and regularly reviewed/updated.
  • Support other team members as business need arises.
  • Identify opportunities for improvement and implementing these in relation to systems, processes, and information relating to financial investigations.

Capability building

• Support the Investigations leadership team to build financial capability in the Investigations teams nationally. Maintain own technical skills and understanding of the wider economic and commercial environment to ensure advice and work are accurate, insightful and reflect current best practice.

Relationship management

• Work collaboratively across all of INZ, other MBIE teams and wider NZ Government teams to deliver quality outcomes, including providing appropriate technical advice and support in matters relating to investigations, trend analysis, policy review and implementation.
• Develops effective working relationships with MBIE staff in order to transfer knowledge to the wider team.
• Builds and maintains effective relationships and partnerships with stakeholders, when necessary, in order to identify and share best practice information.

Wellbeing, health and safety

• Displays commitment through actively supporting all safety and wellbeing initiatives.
• Ensures own and others safety at all times.
• Complies with relevant safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, safe systems of work and event reporting.
• Reports all incidents/accidents, including near misses in a timely fashion.
• Is involved in health and safety through participation and consultation.

Tō tūranga i roto i te Manatū – Your place in the Ministry

The Forensic Accountant position reports into the Risk and Verification Manager within the Immigration Risk and Border branch. The branch sits within the Immigration New Zealand group.

More information about MBIE’s structure

To mātou aronga – What we do for Aotearoa New Zealand

Hīkina Whakatutuki is the te reo Māori name for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Hīkina means to uplift. Whakatutuki means to move forward, to make successful. Our name speaks to our purpose, Grow Aotearoa New Zealand for All.

To Grow Aotearoa New Zealand for All, we put people at the heart of our mahi. Based on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi, we are committed to upholding authentic partnerships with Māori.

As agile public service leaders, we use our breadth and experience to navigate the ever-changing world. We are service providers, policy makers, investors and regulators. We engage with diverse communities, businesses and regions. Our work touches on the daily lives of New Zealanders. We grow opportunities (Puāwai), guard and protect (Kaihāpai) and innovate and navigate towards a better future (Auaha).

Ngā matatau – Our competencies

Cultivates innovation We create new and better ways for the organisation to be successful by challenging the status quo generating new and creative ideas and translating them into workable solutions.

Nimble learning We are curious and actively learn through experimentation when tackling new problems by learning as we go when facing new situations and challenges.

Customer focus We build strong customer relationships and deliver customer-centric solutions by listening and gaining insights into the needs of the communities we serve and actively seeking and responding to feedback.

Decision quality We make quality and timely decisions that shape the future for our communities and keep the organisation moving forward by relying on an appropriate mix of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgement to make valid and reliable decisions.

Action oriented We step up, taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with purpose, urgency and discipline by taking responsibility, ownership and action on challenges, and being accountable for the results.

Collaborates We connect, working together to build partnerships with our communities, working collaboratively to meet shared objectives by gaining trust and support of others; actively seeking the views, experiences, and opinions of others and by working co-operatively with others across MBIE, the public sector and external stakeholder groups.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

As an agency of the public service, MBIE has a responsibility to contribute to the Crown meeting its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti). Meeting our commitment to Te Tiriti will contribute towards us realising the overall aims of Te Ara Amiorangi – Our Path, Our Direction, and achieve the outcome of Growing New Zealand for All. The principles of Te Tiriti - including partnership, good faith, and active protection – are at the core of our work. MBIE is committed to delivering on our obligations as a Treaty partner with authenticity and integrity and to enable Māori interests. We are committed to ensuring that MBIE is well placed to meet our obligations under the Public Service Act 2020 (Te Ao Tūmatanui) to support the Crown in strengthening the Māori/Crown Relationship under the Treaty and to build MBIE’s capability, capacity and cultural intelligence to deliver this.

Mahi i roto i te Ratonga Tūmatanui – Working in the public service

Ka mahitahi mātou o te ratonga tūmatanui kia hei painga mō ngā tāngata o Aotearoa i āianei, ā, hei ngā rā ki tua hoki. He kawenga tino whaitake tā mātou hei tautoko i te Karauna i runga i āna hononga ki a ngāi Māori i raro i te Tiriti o Waitangi. Ka tautoko mātou i te kāwanatanga manapori. Ka whakakotahingia mātou e te wairua whakarato ki ō mātou hapori, ā, e arahina ana mātou e ngā mātāpono me ngā tikanga matua o te ratonga tūmatanui i roto i ā mātou mahi.

In the public service we work collectively to make a meaningful difference for New Zealanders now and in the future. We have an important role in supporting the Crown in its relationships with Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi. We support democratic government. We are unified by a spirit of service to our communities and guided by the core principles and values of the public service in our work.

What does it mean to work in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Public Service?(external link) — Te Kawa Mataaho The Public Service Commission