Senior Intelligence Liaison Officer (West Africa)

Prevail; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A forward-thinking intelligence firm is seeking a Senior Intelligence Liaison Officer to serve as the primary liaison in West Africa. This role involves significant engagement with host nation military and intelligence stakeholders, making judgments under pressure, and requires strong communication skills. Candidates must be ready for extended deployments in challenging environments, and proficiency in French is essential. The position offers a path for career development in intelligence and operations, with various benefits including health insurance and pension schemes.

Benefits

Health insurance

Visa sponsorship

Pension schemes

Qualifications

• Significant experience in intelligence, defence, security, or government roles.
• Proven ability to operate independently and make judgement calls under pressure.
• Working proficiency in French is required; professional level is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary liaison with host nation military and intelligence stakeholders.
• Provide insights and feedback to improve UK produced intelligence outputs.
• Ensure compliance with Prevail's approved mandate and governance frameworks.

Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Strong judgement and discretion in politically sensitive environments

Ability to balance forward engagement with governance

Personal resilience and security awareness

Job description

Location

This role will be predominantly deployed within West Africa and other complex operating environments, with periodic time spent in the UK or in rear team support roles.

Overview

The Senior Intelligence Liaison Officer (West Africa) is responsible for acting as the primary forward facing intelligence liaison between Prevail and host nation military and intelligence stakeholders in West Africa and other complex operating environments.

The post holder will provide senior level engagement, contextualise intelligence requirements, and ensure that UK based intelligence delivery is relevant, prioritised, and operationally useful. The role is predominantly deployable in nature, with periods spent forward in operational environments balanced by rear team coordination and governance activity.

The role operates in close coordination with the UK based delivery team, balancing forward engagement with continuity, oversight, and compliance.

Key Responsibilities

1. Intelligence Liaison and Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as the primary liaison between Prevail and host nation military and intelligence stakeholders.
• Engage credibly with senior officers and officials, maintaining trusted professional relationships.
• Participate in sensitive verbal briefings and engagements, handling political nuance and discretion appropriately.
• Represent Prevail professionally in all forward engagements, ensuring clarity of intent and expectation.
• Ensure that any commitments made in forward engagement align with agreed scope and approved delivery parameters.

2. Tasking, Prioritisation and Contextualisation

• Receive intelligence requirements from host nation stakeholders and shape them into clear, prioritised tasking.
• Contextualise requirements for the UK based intelligence delivery team to ensure relevance and impact.
• Exercise judgement in prioritising tasking in consultation with the UK delivery lead and Contract SRO. Where appropriate, challenge or push back on unrealistic or inappropriate requests, escalating as required.

3. Intelligence Support and Light Analytical Contribution

• Provide contextual insight and feedback to improve the quality and applicability of UK produced intelligence outputs.
• Produce light analytical products, situational assessments, or verbal summaries where required.
• Support the secure dissemination of intelligence products in line with agreed protocols and governance.

4. Forward Presence and Risk Judgement

• Operate predominantly in austere or challenging operating environments, exercising sound judgement regarding movement, visibility, and engagement.
• Make real time decisions related to personal security and operational posture, escalating concerns as appropriate.
• Maintain high standards of personal security discipline, situational awareness, and discretion at all times.

5. Coordination and Continuity

• Maintain close coordination with the UK based intelligence delivery team to ensure continuity of understanding and intent.
• Support a rotational model between forward engagement and rear team support as operational requirements evolve.
• Ensure institutional knowledge, context, and relationships are retained and shared appropriately within the team.

6. Professional Standards, Mandate and Governance

• Exercise sound professional judgement at all times, recognising limits of authority and escalating issues appropriately.
• Operate strictly within Prevail’s approved mandate and governance frameworks and not represent themselves as acting on behalf of any host nation authority. Ensure all engagement and activity aligns with Prevail’s legal, compliance, ethical, and reputational standards.
• Uphold Prevail’s reputation for integrity, discretion, and delivery excellence in all interactions.

Career Development

This role represents a senior operational pathway within Prevail’s intelligence and operations function. It provides exposure to forward engagement, complex stakeholder environments, and high consequence intelligence delivery. As delivery matures, the role may evolve to include greater responsibility for mentoring, continuity management, and rotational team leadership.

Required Experience

• Significant experience in intelligence, defence, security, or government roles.
• Demonstrated engagement with senior military or intelligence stakeholders.
• Experience operating in hostile, austere, or high risk environments.
• Strong understanding of intelligence support to operations rather than operational command.
• Proven ability to operate independently and make judgement calls under pressure.

Language Requirements

• Working proficiency in French is required.
• Professional level French is highly desirable.

Technical and Professional Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong judgement and discretion in politically sensitive environments.
• Ability to balance forward engagement with governance, compliance, and delivery discipline.
• Comfort operating with ambiguity and evolving requirements.
• High levels of personal resilience, professionalism, and security awareness.

Desirable Attributes

• Experience working in West Africa or other Francophone environments.
• Military operational experience with intelligence exposure, or intelligence experience with military operational literacy.
• Previous liaison, advisory, or attaché style roles.
• Experience supporting counter terrorism or national security related activity.

Additional Information

This role is predominantly deployable. Candidates must be willing and able to spend extended periods in challenging environments, subject to Prevail’s duty of care obligations, internal risk assessment processes, and operational requirements. All travel and in country activity will be approved in advance and supported by appropriate security, medical, and insurance arrangements.

Comprehensive Benefits

Access to a range of benefits including health insurance, visa sponsorship, pension schemes, and more.