Intelligence Development and Advisory Officer

Rural Payments Agency; Bridgwater; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in the UK is seeking an Intelligence Development and Advisory Officer to enhance intelligence-led support across the organisation. The role involves gathering intelligence, supporting field operations, and maintaining relationships with stakeholders to mitigate risks of fraud and non-compliance. Candidates should have strong analytical skills, communication abilities, and a valid UK driving licence as travel is required.

Qualifications

• Experience in intelligence gathering and analysis.
• Strong understanding of compliance and risk management.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Support field teams with intelligence-gathering activities.
• Identify internal sources of intelligence and provide training.
• Enhance quality and flow of intelligence across the organisation.

Skills

Intelligence gathering

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Communication

Job description

This is a brilliant time to join RPA. Our organisation is growing and we're at the heart of delivering the Government's agricultural transition and making a genuine difference to the health of our environment and rural economy. We continue to make year on year improvements in performance as we become a data and intelligence‑led organisation, embedding our vision of customer excellence at every level and growing our reputation to make a difference every day. Our Data & Innovation Business Area is a multidisciplinary team including Geospatial Analysts, Data Engineers and Architects, Data Analysts and Intelligence Analysts. Together, we're in a unique position to use our specialist skills to work with the agricultural community to deliver big, impactful change, supporting high level environmental and animal welfare outcomes and the move towards net zero. This is a really exciting time to join our team as we grow and develop our ability to continuously analyse nationwide agricultural activity and provide agile, directed data and evidence‑driven support to the farming community. We have clear values that we are embedding at every level in our organisation, improving engagement and innovating to be a more inclusive, supportive, and engaging employer. Recent new starters have talked glowingly about how supportive and caring their new colleagues are. We are proud of this culture; how open and approachable we are and our commitment to individual development, investing in the skills of our people and creating an environment in which everyone can flourish. Further details can be found at Rural Payments Agency - GOV.UK.

This newly created Intelligence Development and Advisory Officer role is central to embedding intelligence‑led approaches across the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), in alignment with the National Intelligence Model. Working within the Intelligence, Monitoring and Tasking Unit, you will help identify areas of high risk for non‑compliance with RPA‑managed funding schemes and regulations, protecting public funds and supporting environmental outcomes. You will play a hands‑on role in intelligence gathering, supporting field teams, and enhancing the quality and flow of intelligence across the organisation. The role involves close collaboration with internal teams and external partners to strengthen the RPA's understanding of fraud and non‑compliance risks.

• Act as a deployable intelligence resource, responding to specific intelligence requirements and supporting field operations across England (regular travel required).
• Identify and cultivate new internal sources of intelligence. Provide training and guidance to teams on recognising and reporting high‑quality intelligence.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal stakeholders, Defra, Arms‑Length Bodies (ALBs), and other government partners to share insights and promote best practices.
• Support the development of intelligence‑led processes and contribute to RPA's understanding of fraud and error.

The role requires regular travel across England and a valid UK driving licence.

Disability Confident

We are a Disability Confident employer. We generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. For more details, please refer to the Disability Confident guidelines.