Experienced Intelligence Officer

Job summary

Serious and organised crime (SOC) is estimated at costing the UK economy over £37 billion every year. We collect, record and enhance intelligence to build a picture of that SOC, sharing this with partners in the UK and abroad. Then, through the exploitation of intelligence, we flex law enforcement’s collective resources against these dynamic threats. We are continuously looking for new opportunities to enhance traditional capabilities to increase the quantity and quality of available intelligence and maximise its potential for exploitation.

Please Note: Security Vetting requirements - To be considered, you will need to successfully complete SC Enhanced clearance before commencing the role and for some roles achieve DV clearance within the first 12 months in post. Some applicants may also be required to achieve DV STRAP, depending upon the team they are allocated to. Applicants must be willing to undergo DV clearance and STRAP induction and be full UK Nationals. Dual Nationals, of whom one component is British, may be considered on a case by case basis. Any candidate who does not achieve DV or DV STRAP in post will be found a suitable alternative role at the same grade.

Please note we anticipate we will have current vacancies in the following locations upon completion of this campaign. Please note this is subject to change and will be reviewed in line with business needs.

Birmingham, London and Warrington.

For all other named locations, successful candidates will be added to a pipeline vacancy list.

Virtual Open Evening Event

If you would like to find out more about the role and the application process we will be holding a virtual opening evening via MS Teams on Thursday 14th May 2026 at 6.00pm -7.00pm.

This event is by invitation only.

To register, please click on the following link

Experienced Intelligence Officer – Fill out form

You will be asked for your name and email address.

Registration will close on Wednesday 13th May at 12.00pm.

You will not be able to register after this date and time.

Please see our Privacy Policy notice for details on how your data is handled.

Job description

As an experienced Intelligence Officer, your role will be to collect, evaluate, develop and exploit intelligence in support of the NCA’s mission. You will undertake intelligence development work on projects and operations to contribute to the National Strategic Assessment, Annual Plan, National Intelligence Requirements and National Control Strategy to drive business and aid the fight to cut serious and organised crime (SOC).
You will be carrying out cross-source data exploitation, delivery and dissemination of intelligence relating to SOC. Your work will play a key role in supporting activity to combat SOC, both tactically and strategically.

Please note, whilst there are many opportunities within the Intelligence and Other Directorates, the majority of appointees from this recruitment campaign will be assigned to work on Organised Immigration Crime (OIC).

Duties and Responsibilities

• Research and Gather Intelligence - Conduct the gathering, handling, storage, utilisation and dissemination of intelligence in support of operational objectives, including exploitation of live intelligence sources and fusion with other data and analytical products, in accordance with relevant legislation, policies and procedures.
• Identify Intelligence Sources - Proactively identify and exploit potential intelligence sources, in collaboration with specialist teams where necessary.
• Report on Intelligence and Analytical Outputs - Produce and disseminate appropriate and relevant intelligence and analytical outputs, e.g. products for evidential or intelligence purposes or to inform operational, tactical or strategic decision making.
• Conduct Briefings - Conduct briefings, debriefings, tasking and presentations, making recommendations to support the decision making and risk management process, using Agency-proscribed models as appropriate.
• Tasking - Request, support and/or coordinate the tasking of intelligence assets.
• Risk Management - Conduct the gathering, handling, storage, utilisation and dissemination of intelligence in support of operational objectives, including exploitation of live intelligence sources and fusion with other data and analytical products, in accordance with relevant legislation, policies and procedures. Identify, prioritise and manage risk in accordance with legislation, policy and standard operating procedures.
• Compliance - Ensure that all activities are conducted in full compliance with Agency policy and all relevant legislation (e.g. CPIA, IPA).
• Intelligence Dissemination - Interact with customers and providers of intelligence through verbal and written dissemination or briefings, ensuring thorough understanding of intelligence requirements and effective communication of these to analytic teams and/or other stakeholders.
• Applications - Draft and submit applications as required to carry out covert and other activity for the purpose of intelligence gathering.

Person specification

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• IT - Proficient in Microsoft Office (or equivalent), with good Excel skills relating to analysing data, information and statistics from a wide range of sources.
• Research - Able to carry out research and/or gather intelligence from a wide range of sources in support of operational, tactical and strategic objectives, deploying on operations as appropriate.
• Data Interpretation - Able to proactively identify and exploit potential intelligence sources.
• Data Analysis - Able to assess information, conduct analysis and present results.
• Evaluating Intelligence - Able to evaluate information to determine its utility and application.
• Problem Solving - Confident in making recommendations to support the decision making and risk management process, using Agency-proscribed models as appropriate.
• Risk Management - Able to identify, prioritise and manage risk in accordance with legislation, policy and standard operating procedures.
• Communication - Able to carry out briefings, debriefings, tasking and presentations.
• Use of Intelligence - Understanding of the use of intelligence and evidence by law enforcement agencies.
• Legislation - Ability to apply relevant legislation and policy within law enforcement, defence and/or national security,
• Intelligence Collection Methods - Knowledge of intelligence collection methods and techniques.
• Information Management - Understanding of information management (eg collecting, storing, protecting and using data securely) and data integrity issues

Qualifications

IPP Intelligence Officer Certification

OR

Equivalent experience gained from performing Intelligence Officer functions in your current or previous role(s).(To be assessed via responses to the technical criteria being assessed)

Candidates who hold IPP Intelligence officer certification will be required to provide evidence.

All candidates that pass the interview stage will be required to sit the Experienced Officer Knowledge Check (EOKC), even if they already hold IPP certification. This forms part of the selection process and is mandatory.

For more information go to www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk and search for Intelligence Professionalisation Programme (IPP) Application Guidance

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Experience of researching, gathering, evaluating, assessing risk and structuring intelligence in law enforcement, defence and/or national security. The ability to utilise a range of techniques, tools and resources to achieve this.
• Knowledge of information handling, secure storage, dissemination and systems within law enforcement, defence and/or national security.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and policy within law enforcement, defence and/or national security.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,770, National Crime Agency contributes £12,390 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

New entrants to the NCA receive 26 days annual leave, rising to 31 on completion of 5 years continuous service, plus 8 bank holidays.

If qualifying criteria is met new joiners from UK Police Forces or the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) will have service with those employers taken into account for continuous service purposes for annual leave entitlement only, this will be up to a maximum of 31 days leave (including 1 privilege day).

Other benefits include:

• Flexible working, including flexi-time, compressed hours and job sharing (in line with business requirements)
• Family friendly policies, notably above the statutory minimum
• Learning and Development opportunities
• Interest free loans and advances, including season tickets, childcare and rental deposits
• Housing schemes - Key Worker status
• Discounts and Savings with a wide variety of services including Cycle to Work, Smart Tech schemes, dental insurance, gym discounts and savings on everyday spending, available through the Reward Gateway , Edenred and Blue Light Card schemes.
• Staff support groups/networks
• Sports and social activities, including membership to the Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC)

Further information is available on the NCA Website.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

How we will assess you

Your application will be assessed against the following:Technical - this will be assessed by 500 word examples on:

• Experience of researching, gathering, evaluating, assessing risk and structuring intelligence in law enforcement, defence and/or national security. The ability to utilise a range of techniques, tools and resources to achieve this.

• Knowledge of relevant legislation and policy within law enforcement, defence and/or national security.

A panel will assess how well your application demonstrates the requirements outlined above.

Longlist

In the event of a high number of applications, we may operate a longlist. Applicants will need to meet the minimum pass mark for the lead criteria.

- Experience of researching, gathering, evaluating, assessing risk and structuring intelligence in law enforcement, defence and/or national security. The ability to utilise a range of techniques, tools and resources to achieve this.

Candidates who do not meet the minimum pass mark for the lead criteria will not progress to having their other criteria assessed. Applications must meet the minimum criteria to be progressed to the assessment stage.

You will receive an acknowledgement once your application is submitted.

We aim to have sift completed and scores released within 10 working days of the closing date of the advert. For high volume campaigns this timeframe may be extended.

Scores will be provided but further feedback will not be available at this stage.

For guidance on the application process, visit:
NCA Applying and Onboarding

Assessment 1

The format of this assessment will be Interview which will be tested on the criteria listed in the Success Profiles at Assessment section.

If you are successful you will be invited to the second assessment.

Assessment 2

The format of this assessment will be Final Selection Day which will be tested on via the details listed below.

The Final selection day will include an Experienced Officer Knowledge Check (EOKC).

These will be held face to face in Birmingham, Bristol, London and Warrington. Dates and locations to be confirmed to successful candidates. Please note there will be no travel reimbursement

Candidates that pass interview will be given more details as appropriate.

Success Profiles at Assessment

Behaviours

• Working Together

• Delivering at Pace

Technical

• Experience of researching, gathering, evaluating, assessing risk and structuring intelligence in law enforcement, defence and/or national security. The ability to utilise a range of techniques, tools and resources to achieve this.

• Knowledge of information handling, secure storage, dissemination and systems within law enforcement, defence and/or national security.

• Knowledge of relevant legislation and policy within law enforcement, defence and/or national security.

Assessment OutcomeOutcomes will be communicated via the NCA recruitment portal.
If successful but no role is immediately available, you may be placed on a reserve list for 12 months.
Reserve lists can be used to fill similar role types across the Agency where the assessment criteria is considered a match by the recruitment team and the business area.

In the event of a tie at the assessment stage, available roles will be offered in merit order using the following order:

1. Lead criteria (behaviours/technical/experience)
2. If still tied, desirable criteria will be assessed (if advertised)
3. If still tied, application sift scores will be used

Feedback is provided only to those who attend an assessment.You will be subject to vetting and pre-employment checks before appointment.Once the vacancy closes, the advert will no longer be accessible. Please save a copy for your records. We encourage all candidates to visit the NCA Careers Page for more information.

Full advert details for this vacancy can found on the advert on the NCA Recruitment Portal. Please follow the link to apply at advertisers' site

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : The Recruitment Team
• Email : central.recruitment@nca.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : central.recruitment@nca.gov.uk

Further information

If you believe your application has not been treated fairly, email: Central.Recruitment@nca.gov.uk (quoting the vacancy reference).
If unresolved, you may escalate your complaint to the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

NCA Intelligence Directorate About Our Teams Opens in new window (pdf, 1178kB)FAQ - Frequently asked Questions Opens in new window (pdf, 323kB)Guidance for Applicants (OSCAU) Opens in new window (pdf, 188kB)