Intelligence Analyst

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; England; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced intelligence analyst. The successful candidate will manage open-source projects and analyze large datasets to support strategic decision-making. Strong skills in open-source research, critical thinking, and data analysis are essential. This role is crucial for driving the pace of building remediation and recovering public funds from responsible companies.

Qualifications

• Proven experience conducting robust open-source research and analysis.
• Strong critical thinking and investigative skills.
• Ability to produce concise, timely and evidenced written analyses.

Responsibilities

• Manage and deliver open-source analysis projects.
• Analyse large datasets to identify patterns.
• Support governance boards with real-time insights.

Skills

Open-source research

Critical thinking

Data analysis

Investigative skills

Job description

Job summary

Are you enthusiastic, resilient, a good team player and motivated to make a difference and develop in a public sector setting? Do you have experience in gathering and analysing open-source intelligence? If so, we have an exciting opportunity to join our team at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG); it's ground-breaking, fast-paced and a great opportunity to develop yourself and widen your experience.

The Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 exposed serious fire safety issues in blocks of flats nationwide. The government has been clear that those responsible for making buildings safe must do so without delay, that those responsible for constructing unsafe buildings must pay to fix them and that those living in unsafe buildings must be protected. The Recovery Strategy Unit is a delivery focused team that is central to achieving those aims. We use a range of direct levers including strategic communications, intelligence gathering, legal action and sector engagement to increase the pace of remediation and compel those responsible for defective buildings to pay to fix them. Our work includes taking direct action on behalf of the Secretary of State using new powers in the Building Safety Act 2022.

We are recruiting an intelligence analyst to drive forward the RSU’s work by providing actionable intelligence, contributing to target mapping and selection, and helping to drive the strategic direction of the team's actions. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with the vacancy holder to find out more about the role.

Please note that this role is not a badged analyst role belonging to one of the 4 professions: Government Statistical Service (GSS), Government Social Research (GSR), Government Operational Research Service (GORS) and Government Economic Service (GES)

Job description

We are seeking a driven and imaginative intelligence analyst to join our team, working closely with other intelligence analysts and intelligence manager alongside the wider Recovery Strategy Unit.

As an intelligence analyst in the RSU, you will manage and deliver open-source projects to identify patterns, trends and intelligence that will support strategy and decision making. You will conduct thorough and imaginative investigations, delivering and contributing to high impact results. You will build relationships and engage with relevant contacts to enable data collection from a variety of credible sources.

Once you have gathered information, you will collate, synthesise, analyse and disseminate - writing and producing well-crafted and imaginative packages, delivering complex ideas confidently, clearly and with precision.

This role presents an exciting opportunity to directly contribute to the team’s work in increasing the pace of remediation of buildings with unsafe cladding and recovery of public funds from responsible companies.

Key accountabilities:

• Manage and deliver open-source analysis projects in collaboration with the wider RSU and other MHCLG teams, producing clear, well-evidenced briefings and intelligence products for senior stakeholders.
• Analyse large datasets to identify patterns, trends and insights that support strategy and decision making. Alongside this, you will use data to identify areas and corporations where RSU action will have the greatest impact.
• Identify patterns of behaviour, risk flags (e.g. litigation history, phoenix activity, offshore ownership), and financial vulnerabilities to analyse the efficacy of different available levers.
• Use investigative tools and structured analysis methods (e.g. network mapping, red-flag frameworks) to build accurate target profiles.
• Identify and assess any reputational, financial and delivery risks posed and advise on risk mitigation, ensuring the team’s risk register is updated.
• Support governance boards and programme teams with real-time insights on high-risk entities.
• Develop and maintain an awareness of the applicable laws and regulations, including RIPA (Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act), DPA and UK GDPR.
• Contribute to the strategic planning and forward looks for developing current and future intelligence capabilities with the team.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Proven experience conducting robust open-source research and analysis, drawing on a diverse range of qualitative sources.
• Strong critical thinking and investigative skills with experience in intelligence, risk, or due diligence roles, and experience working in or with intelligence teams in a public sector or government context.
• The ability to produce concise, timely and evidenced written analyses, with a proven record of presenting complex issues clearly and with precision to a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Ability to think strategically and challenge the direction of travel to iterate and improve services offered.
• Proven experience in data analysis, with the ability to interpret large and complex data sets to gain actionable insights and identify trends and anomalies, and conduct horizon scanning.
• Familiarity with data governance practices, maintaining data integrity and quality, risk management, and RIPA legislation