Lead Security Analyst - Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan

International SOS; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 450,000; Full time

Job summary

International SOS is seeking a Lead Security Analyst – Middle East to provide senior security intelligence leadership across the Middle East, with Afghanistan and Pakistan. The role informs clients, supports crisis response, and guides regional collection and analysis with a 24/7 risk intelligence perspective.

The candidate will lead a regional I&A team, translate complex security developments into clear insights, engage clients and stakeholders, and travel as required to assess local threats

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of the political and security landscape within the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including ability to explain complex situations to non-expert audiences in English.
• Ability to critically analyse multiple streams of information under time pressure and produce actionable insights.
• Ability to identify key streams of effort and direct colleagues accordingly.
• Knowledge of all stages of intelligence cycle including multi-source direction and collection.
• Commercial acumen and understanding of how risk intelligence fits in the business cycle.
• On the ground experience in the region.
• Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office Suite and other applications.

Responsibilities

• Ensure analytical position and outlook for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan is clear to clients and internal stakeholders.
• Provide collection direction for the region for the Security Specialist, I&A team.
• Maintain diverse sources and develop action plans for regional intelligence collection.
• Oversee regional security posture, planning and output development for the region.
• Guide junior staff on intelligence writing best practice and deliverables.
• Collaborate with Product, Content Services & Medical I&A communities to ensure output quality.
• Maintain up-to-date background client-facing security information reflecting current risk.
• Contribute to enhancing the I&A capability through tools and trainings.

Skills

Region knowledge

English proficiency

Analytical thinking

Leadership

Intelligence cycle

Commercial acumen

On-the-ground experience

IT skills

Education

Masters degree

Job description

About The Role

International SOS is seeking an experienced and dynamic Lead Security Analyst – Middle East to provide senior security intelligence and analytical leadership across the Middle East, with additional responsibility for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

This is a key regional role, responsible for delivering timely, high-quality intelligence and risk analysis that supports clients, operational decision-making and crisis response. The successful candidate will combine strong regional expertise with analytical leadership, client engagement, team development and the ability to translate complex security and geopolitical developments into clear, actionable insights.

Key Responsibilities

Core Client & Internal Support

• Ensure International SOS' analytical position and outlook on the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan is clear to its clients and internal stakeholders in order to inform timely decision-making.


• Ensure the Security Specialist, I&A team is given appropriate collection direction for the region on a standing and dynamic basis.


• Ensure the Security Specialist, I&A team has appropriate numbers and diversity of sources for intelligence collection, developing action plans for the Regional Security Director, I&A where appropriate.


• Ensure International SOS' operational posture and planning for the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan is taken in full view of the security outlook.


• Oversee functional feedback to Security Specialists, I&A for deliverables relating to the region, building both subject matter knowledge of the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the team as well as intelligence analysis and writing best practice.


• Collaborate with relevant stakeholders across the Product, Content Services & Medical I&A professional communities to ensure comprehensiveness of output and overall economy of effort.


• Oversee the maintenance of background client-facing security information, ensuring it is up to date and reflective of the current risk environment and International SOS' analytical and operational position.


• Contribute to ensuring International SOS has a best-in-class security I&A capability by participating in projects relating to functional enhancements, such as intelligence collection tools and trainings.


• As required travel to countries in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan to assess the current security situation, local provider capabilities and expand the existing network of security I&A and assistance contacts to further support intelligence collection, clients' needs and aid operational planning.


• Participation in the regional security on-call roster.

Consulting Delivery & Sales, Marketing Support

• As required, deliver research and analysis related to security and geopolitical risk in the region as well as engage in client specific risk intelligence consultancy tasks as required.


• Support the Sales and Marketing teams in the articulation of International SOS' services and in providing functional expertise in the region client facing forums such as webinars, conferences, industry events.

Personal Development

• Build an extensive understanding of a 24/7, global, integrated risk intelligence cycle as part of a business supporting clients with analysis and assistance across security, health and logistical threats


• Undertake competency-based trainings based on management assessment of priorities


• Undertake wider training courses relating to the work of security I&A as agreed with line management.

Required Skills & Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of the political and security landscape within the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan.


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including ability to explain complex situations to non-expert audiences in English.


• Ability to critically analyse multiple streams of information under time pressure and produce actionable insights.


• Ability to identify key streams of effort and direct colleagues accordingly.


• Knowledge of all stages of intelligence cycle including multi-source direction and collection.


• Commercial acumen and understanding of how risk intelligence fits in the business cycle.


• On the ground experience in the region.


• Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office Suite and other applications

Required Work Experience

• Typically, at least 5 - 7 years' experience in security intelligence analysis and production including a period specialising in the Middle East and/or Afghanistan and Pakistan in a relevant sector such as: risk consulting, military, government, NGO, journalism; relevant academic studies.


• Experience at all levels of an intelligence cycle involving digital and human sources.


• Experience on the ground in the Middle East and/or Afghanistan and Pakistan.


• Experience in writing to senior management and decision-makers.

Preferred Experience

• Public speaking, client-facing presentation and/or media experience.


• Experience of working in a customer/client focused role.

Required Qualifications

• Masters degree (or relevant professional training) in a field related to security intelligence, international politics, international relations or similar

Required Languages

• Excellent spoken and written English language.


• Other language proficiency required: Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Pashto or other regional language.