Inquiry Inspector

🎯 Role Definition

The Inquiry Inspector is responsible for receiving, triaging and investigating inquiries, complaints, or incidents; conducting on-site inspections and evidence collection; applying regulatory frameworks and internal policies to determine compliance or breach; preparing detailed investigative reports; and recommending corrective actions or referrals. This role balances fieldwork with desk-based analysis, case management, and close coordination with internal teams, external agencies, and customers to resolve issues quickly, accurately, and with legal defensibility.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Regulatory Compliance Assistant or Compliance Coordinator
Field Technician, Quality Assurance Technician, or Claims Adjuster
Customer Service Specialist in regulated industries (utilities, housing, healthcare)

Advancement To:

Senior Inquiry Inspector / Lead Inspector
Compliance Investigator or Enforcement Officer
Case Supervisor or Investigation Team Lead
Regulatory Affairs Manager or Quality & Safety Manager

Lateral Moves:

Policy Analyst (Regulatory Affairs)
Risk & Compliance Analyst
Training Specialist for inspection teams

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Receive, prioritize and triage incoming inquiries, complaints and incident reports; determine jurisdiction, risk level and appropriate investigative pathway while adhering to service level agreements and statutory timelines.
Plan and execute field inspections and site visits including pre-visit research, safety planning, securing access, photographing and documenting conditions, and coordinating with property owners, tenants, or custodians.
Conduct thorough evidence collection and chain-of-custody procedures for physical and digital materials, ensuring all items are logged, preserved and handled in a forensically defensible manner.
Interview complainants, witnesses and subjects using structured interview techniques to elicit reliable statements; document interviews verbatim when required and evaluate credibility and relevance.
Inspect and test equipment, installations or processes against regulatory standards, technical specifications and internal policies; perform measurements, sample collection and basic diagnostic testing as required by the inquiry.
Analyze complex case information — combining field notes, test results, historical records, and third-party reports — to identify causal factors, non-compliance, and patterns of repeat incidents.
Prepare and produce comprehensive, well-structured investigation reports that include factual findings, supporting evidence, regulatory citations, risk assessments and clear recommendations for corrective action or enforcement.
Recommend and coordinate appropriate enforcement actions, corrective plans or referrals to other agencies; draft written notices, compliance orders or referral packages in accordance with legal and organizational protocols.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date case management records in the organization's information systems; log progress, track deadlines, and ensure secure storage of confidential materials and personally identifiable information.
Liaise with external stakeholders — including law enforcement, regulatory bodies, contractors, subject-matter experts and legal counsel — to escalate matters, obtain technical assistance, or pursue joint enforcement actions where necessary.
Apply technical knowledge of relevant codes, statutes and regulations to interpret requirements, assess compliance risk and advise internal teams on remediation priorities and acceptable corrective measures.
Conduct follow-up inspections and compliance monitoring to verify remediation, evaluate the effectiveness of corrective actions and close cases only when verified compliance is achieved.
Provide technical input into dispute resolution or hearings by preparing case exhibits, witness statements and, when required, delivering testimony before administrative tribunals or courts.
Use data analytics and trend analysis to identify systemic issues, emerging risks and opportunities for process improvement; prepare periodic trend reports for management and contribute to preventative action plans.
Coordinate with legal and records teams to respond to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, subpoenas and evidence preservation orders, ensuring legal defensibility and compliance with disclosure requirements.
Train and mentor junior inspectors, interns and cross-functional staff on inspection techniques, evidence handling, report writing and health & safety best practices.
Ensure all field and office activities are conducted in compliance with occupational health and safety standards; complete risk assessments and use requisite personal protective equipment (PPE) during site visits.
Manage contested or high-sensitivity inquiries with tact, maintaining neutrality and protecting the organization’s integrity while striving for fair and timely resolution.
Support prosecution and enforcement proceedings by compiling exhibits, preparing case summaries and coordinating witness availability and briefing materials for legal teams.
Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by documenting lessons learned from investigations, proposing process and policy updates, and participating in inter-departmental working groups to reduce future inquiries.
Oversee and coordinate specialist testing (laboratory, structural, environmental) by drafting scopes of work, selecting vendors, and reviewing technical reports for incorporation into the case file.
Respond to after-hours incidents as part of an on-call rotation when required, performing triage, initial response and timely escalation to emergency services or management.
Ensure high standards of customer service and transparency by providing clear status updates to complainants, managing expectations, and documenting communication for auditability.
Maintain confidentiality, impartiality and professional ethics throughout all investigative activities; avoid conflicts of interest and disclose any potential bias according to policy.

Secondary Functions

Assist with policy and procedure reviews to align investigative practices with new legislation, technology and community expectations.
Support ad-hoc data requests, maintain statistical dashboards on inquiry volumes and outcomes, and perform exploratory analysis to inform resource planning.
Contribute to the organization's inspection strategy and roadmap by identifying areas for increased coverage or efficiency gains.
Collaborate with business units to translate operational issues into investigative requirements and technical specifications for system enhancements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies where investigative workflow or case management software development is in progress.
Provide subject-matter expertise for training modules, internal audits and public education campaigns to reduce compliance breaches.
Actively participate in cross-functional incident reviews to capture root causes, recommend system-wide corrections, and measure effectiveness of remediation activities.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Regulatory interpretation: ability to read, interpret and apply statutes, codes and technical standards relevant to the jurisdiction and industry.
Evidence handling: experience with chain-of-custody procedures, forensic preservation of digital and physical evidence, and secure documentation.
Case management systems: proficiency with case management and records systems (e.g., Enquire, i-Sight, Salesforce Service Cloud, or comparable platforms) for tracking investigations and deadlines.
Report writing: advanced report-writing skills with the ability to prepare legally defensible, structured, and persuasive investigation reports and enforcement documents.
Technical inspection skills: hands-on experience performing field inspections, measurements, sampling, photography and basic testing relevant to utilities, housing, environmental or safety domains.
Interviewing techniques: skilled in statement-taking, structured interviews and witness interviewing to obtain accurate, admissible information.
Data analysis and reporting: ability to synthesize quantitative and qualitative data, run trend analysis, and produce KPI dashboards using Excel, Power BI, Tableau or similar tools.
Legal and litigation support: familiarity with prosecution processes, subpoena response, FOI procedures and preparing exhibits for hearings or court.
Health & safety compliance: knowledge of workplace safety protocols, hazard assessment, PPE use and incident reporting.
Contracting & procurement basics: experience drafting scopes for specialist testing, managing external vendors and evaluating technical deliverables.

Soft Skills

Strong attention to detail and investigative curiosity; ability to spot inconsistencies and pursue follow-up rigorously.
Excellent written and verbal communication tailored to technical and non-technical audiences, balancing clarity with legal precision.
Critical thinking and judgment to weigh evidence, assess credibility and make defensible decisions under uncertainty.
Stakeholder management and diplomacy: experience handling sensitive conversations with complainants, regulated parties and third-party agencies.
Time management and organization to manage multiple active cases, prioritize work and meet statutory deadlines.
Resilience and stress tolerance to manage challenging field encounters, adversarial stakeholders and emotionally charged complaints.
Ethical integrity and impartiality; commitment to confidentiality and fair investigative practice.
Collaborative mindset with the ability to work across departments, share knowledge and support continuous improvement.
Adaptability and learning orientation to stay current with evolving regulations, technology and investigative methods.
Conflict resolution and de-escalation skills for managing tense on-site interactions or hostile interviews.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED with relevant vocational training OR an associate degree in a technical or enforcement-related discipline.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Public Administration, Environmental Science, Engineering, Occupational Health & Safety or a closely related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Criminal Justice or Forensic Investigation
Public Administration or Policy
Environmental Science or Engineering
Occupational Health & Safety
Legal Studies or Paralegal Studies

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–7 years of combined field inspection, investigation, regulatory compliance, or claims/quality assurance experience.

Preferred:

3+ years conducting formal investigations or inspections in a regulated environment (utilities, housing, environmental services, healthcare, transportation, insurance claims).
Demonstrated experience preparing enforcement actions or supporting prosecution and familiarity with administrative hearing processes.
Prior exposure to field safety programs and ability to complete mandatory health & safety certifications (e.g., OSHA 10/30, confined space awareness, working at heights) where applicable.