Investigator, NS (Buffalo)

Description

Duties Description

The New York State Department of Financial Services seeks to build an equitable, transparent, and resilient financial system that benefits individuals and supports business. Through engagement, data-driven regulation and policy, and operational excellence, the Department and its employees are responsible for empowering consumers and protecting them from financial harm; ensuring the health of the entities we regulate; driving economic growth in New York through responsible innovation; and preserving the stability of the global financial system.

Duties

The Department of Financial Services (DFS) is seeking candidates for the position of Investigator to work in various business units to investigate criminal and fraudulent activities in our regulated financial institutions in support of DFS’ efforts to enforce the Banking, Insurance and Financial Services laws. This may involve travel and undercover operations for extended periods and irregular hours, including weekends. The duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Performs a wide variety of enforcement, regulatory and licensing investigative activities, pursuant to the Banking, Insurance and Financial Services Laws and the Department’s regulatory obligations, in order to gather information and report facts;
• Reviews assigned cases or complaints from the public;
• Plans the scope and method of an investigation based on office policy, accessibility of information and importance of a case;
• Meets with and interviews witnesses, complainants, proprietors, prospective licensees and others to obtain information relating to an investigation and take statements from individuals in an appropriate format, taking care to include a full description of the facts needed to support an investigation;
• Develops leads and informants and conducts surveillance and engages in undercover work often using a camera, recording device, or other equipment to document findings;
• Obtains and safeguards evidence according to agency procedures and legal requirements;
• Confers with law enforcement and other entities to convey and obtain information relevant to an investigation and to develop and maintain rapport to ensure mutual cooperation in the conduct of an investigation;
• Participates in joint agency operations targeting patterns of non-compliance or violations by regulated entities;
• Prepares factual written reports of information gathered during an investigation and discusses investigative findings and recommendations with supervisors and program specialists;
• Recommends an appropriate course of action consistent with findings and agency policy and practices;
• Assists with witness preparation and fact and evidence development during trials;
• Testifies at administrative proceedings or in court regarding the details of investigations and related conclusions; and
• Other appropriate and occupationally related duties as assigned.
• Travel may be required up to 50%.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• The incumbent will be designated as a peace officer and must be a United States citizen, reside in New York State and maintain New York State residency during employment, as well as meet all other requirements related to peace officer status.
• The preferred candidate will have a minimum of eight years of law enforcement experience or in the conduct of field investigations preliminary to criminal litigation or to criminal prosecution, with at least five years experience in conducting financial fraud investigations to include no -fault insurance fraud; an understanding of law enforcement agencies throughout the country; the ability to analyze criminal history reports; the ability to conduct research, investigative interviews and prepare written memoranda detailing the results; the ability to analyze financial documents and filings, including mortgage records; and possess excellent presentation, organization, writing, telephone and computer skills, including the ability to work with spreadsheets.
  
  

Appointment Method

This is an appointment to a position in the exempt jurisdictional class. As such, the incumbent of this position would serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.

Additional Comments

Appointment Status: This is an appointment to a position in the exempt jurisdictional class.

Appointment to this position is pending Governor Appointment’s Office and Division of Budget approval.