Head of Enforcement and Regional Lead
Posted by: Immigration Advice Authority
Employed By: Immigration Advice Authority
Job Title: Head of Enforcement and Regional Lead
Salary or salary range: The starting salary for the role is £58,260 per annum, increasing to £62,220 after successfully completing a 6 month probation period.
Contract type: Full-time
Location of position: Home working
Application deadline: 23/07/2025
Job summary
Those seeking immigration advice and services are often among the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of society. The Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) is an Arm’s Length Body of the Home Office. We regulate the work of registered Immigration Advisers and tackle the illegal advice-giving activities of criminals that often exploit vulnerable and disadvantaged migrants and threaten the integrity of the immigration system.
The Immigration Advice Authority is looking to recruit a number of regulatory professionals who will drive forward a transformative agenda to strengthen, regulate, and enforce standards across the immigration advice sector - improving outcomes for advice seekers and ensuring a fairer, more accountable system.
Purpose
Lead responsibility for the IAA’s enforcement agenda, including oversight of all enforcement processes, policy, performance and capability, setting the professional standards for enforcement activity, and implementation of a significant change agenda, including an increased focus on disruptions and implementation of new enforcement powers. This role will also play a key role in driving our efficiency and innovation agenda
With an increased focus within the Home Office on tackling professional enablers of immigration abuse, this is an exciting time to lead a fundamental shift in the IAA’s enforcement agenda and work in partnership to protect vulnerable advice seekers.
Job description
Key responsibilities
Head of Profession
Lead enforcement across regions, influencing teams beyond direct line management.
Set professional and investigative standards.
Oversee enforcement policies, performance, and innovation to combat illegal advice-giving.
Shape the IAA’s response to emerging enforcement and intelligence challenges using the National Intelligence Model.
Champion operational change and development as both Head of Profession and Regional Lead.
Implementation of new BSIA enforcement powers
Lead delivery of new enforcement powers (subject to legislation), including fines for unregulated advisers, compensation orders, and use of POCA powers.
Drive 2026 implementation, beginning with policy design and sector engagement.
Collaborate with the new Head of Regulation to align regulatory and enforcement policy.
Work with the Home Office on secondary legislation, including setting fine levels.
Develop external guidance and operational frameworks for the new powers.
Design efficient new processes in partnership with a business analyst.
Lead organisational change to embed new powers, including:
Updating manuals and policies
Staff training
Coordinated internal and external communications with support from the Comms team
Oversight of a Regional Team
Lead a regional IAA team through the Regional Operations Manager, driving performance and efficiency.
Oversee regional engagement and act as national lead for enforcement engagement.
Collaborate with G7 peers to align regional approaches.
Ensure quality regulatory and enforcement work across the region, supporting high standards of advice in the regulated sector.
Oversight of Intelligence Team
Lead the IAA’s intelligence team, implementing improvements from the upcoming strategic review.
Oversee intelligence operations across both regulatory and enforcement cases.
Other responsibilities
Drive change and organisational development to support a high-performance culture.
Champion IAA values and play an active role in senior leadership.
Line manage key roles including Regional Operating Managers, policy/change leads, and the Intelligence Manager.
Manage delegated budgets, ensuring robust financial control and risk management.
Lead efficiency improvements and innovative resource use across regional and enforcement functions.
Support the Director of Service Delivery, Chief Executive, and Commissioner with additional duties as required.
Person specification
Essential criteria; candidates must demonstrate the following:
Extensive enforcement experience, including leading criminal investigations and tackling illegal activity in public or regulatory contexts.
Strong analytical skills to assess complex information and make sound, strategic policy decisions.
Proven leadership in driving continuous improvement and delivering organisational change
Effective team leadership in operational settings, enhancing efficiency and impact.
Clear communicator with experience presenting complex ideas to senior stakeholders.
Skilled relationship builder with a track record of influencing across diverse, senior, and political audiences.
Relevant degree or equivalent professional experience in law, regulation, policy, criminology or a related field
Evidence of continuing professional development in areas relevant to operational leadership, compliance, enforcement or public policy
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £58,260, Immigration Advice Authority contributes £16,877 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Learning and development tailored to your role
An environment with flexible working options
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
An information pack on the IAA is attached to this advertisement.
How to apply
Selection process details
To apply for this role please send your CV and a Supporting Statement (statement no more than two sides of A4) detailing how you meet the criteria to the Hays Recruitment Team via the link at the bottom of the advert.
As you apply you will be invited to complete an Equality and Diversity Questionnaire. This is to assist the IAA in ensuring its recruitment processes are fair to all. The questionnaire is not seen by anyone involved in the selection process. Completing the questionnaire is not mandatory.
This must be received by Hays no later than 5pm on 27th July 2025.
The proposed timetable for selecting a successful candidate is set out below. Candidates must be available for all interview dates:
Shortlisting completed and successful candidates invited to final interview by 5th August 2025
Interviews held 12th – 14th August 2025 online via Teams, candidates must be available for interview on these dates.
Candidates informed of interview outcomes by 15th August 2025.
Please note: If you have not received a response to your application by 5th August 2025 unfortunately you will have not been placed on the longlist and your application will not progress any further. Feedback will only be given to candidates who attend a final shortlist interview.
Contact
Hays Recruitment is managing this role on behalf of the Immigration Advice Authority. If you are interested in finding out more about this role, please reach out to:
Owen Quant - owen.quant@hays.com, 07867695217, or
Gavin Jones – gavin.jones@hays.com, 07395882395