Senior Intelligence Officer

Job summary

If you’re interested in making a difference to people’s lives, the Treasury can offer you an exciting opportunity to influence decision making that affects the whole of the UK. Working at the heart of government, we collaborate across government to promote responsible public spending and drive strong and sustainable economic growth.

Our work ranges from protecting customers through the regulation of the financial sector, helping to reduce carbon emissions and creating a greener economy, to promoting British trade around the world and supporting people across the country on jobs, growth and more.

We are part of the Darlington Economic Campus, a cross-government hub bringing people together to tackle key national issues while working closer to the communities we serve.

Job description

About the Job

The OFSI Sensitive Intelligence Unit oversees the management, development, and distribution of OFSI’s intelligence. The Leads & Triage Unit (LTU) collaborates with both internal and external stakeholders, managing important partnerships to guarantee that intelligence across all classifications is effectively received and evaluated for possible further development. The LTU is accountable for delivering accurate and prompt recommendations on intelligence leads, ensuring that the most critical instances of financial sanctions circumvention, evasion, and breaches are prioritised.

In this role you will:

• Provide leadership and managerial oversight to two HEOs, ensuring the effective receipt, evaluation and analysis of intelligence from multiple sources across all security classifications.
• Lead on supporting intelligence requirements for complex casework, applying strong case management and prioritisation skills whilst ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, policies and procedures.
• Apply strong attention to detail to identify key information and provide clear, accurate and timely advice and recommendations to senior staff, taking account of legal, political and operational risks.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with key UK and overseas partners and stakeholders, contributing to a community of intelligence expertise in the financial sanctions space.
• Lead external engagement within areas of responsibility, including negotiating with partners where appropriate, and represent OFSI’s Sensitive Intelligence Unit in wider external forums.
• Identify and implement measures to address emerging threats to the integrity of UK financial sanctions, using intelligence to disrupt and deter sanctions circumvention.
• Develop the knowledge and competencies required to work towards Intelligence Professionalisation Programme (IPP) accreditation.

We are looking for candidates with proven expertise in intelligence operations who demonstrate strong leadership abilities and are prepared to contribute immediately. Ideal applicants will exemplify our organisation's values and display a genuine motivation to become part of our team. This role provides a unique opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of sanctions, a complex and sensitive policy area, and understand their connection to criminal and civil enforcement, as well as broader HMG national security goals. You will lead on high-profile casework, collaborating with a range of senior stakeholders and deliver at pace in a dynamic environment.

Owing to the sensitive nature of this post, it is only open to UK Nationals. You will need to have or be willing to obtain Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance. Candidates may start in post once Security Check (SC) security clearance is obtained, while DV is in progress.

If you would like to speak to the hiring manager informally prior to the closing date for applications to find out more about the job, please contact ofsi@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Person specification

Pre-Application Online Test

Prior to submitting your application, you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Online Test relevant to the role. Once you start your application you will receive an email invitation with details on how to proceed and you will only be able to submit your full application if you meet the pass mark.

For this post, you will be asked to complete;

• Civil Service Judgement Test (Judgement Test)

For more information on Civil Service tests, and for guidance on how to practice and prepare for

them, please visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/civil-service-online-tests

Application Stage

Application Form

Applications should consist of a CV including your employment history, and a 250-word statement demonstrating evidence of each of the below shortlisting criteria. Your CV and employment history won’t be scored. It’s used to give context to your application and support discussions at interview.

The panel will review applications and invite those that best demonstrate evidence of the shortlisting criteria below for interview. Please keep this in mind when writing your application.

Please note that only applications submitted through Civil Service Jobs will be accepted.

1. Making Effective Decisions - Ability to analyse complex, incomplete and sometimes conflicting information and make evidence-based recommendations that are robust, defensible, and aligned to wider organisational priorities
2. Experience – Experience of leading intelligence development operations with enforcement or disruption outcomes.
3. Communicating and Influencing - Ability to deliver clear, structured and impactful communication tailored to a diverse audience that influence and drive decisions and outcomes.
4. Delivering at Pace - Ability to lead delivery across multiple competing priorities and maintain pace and quality of outputs despite shifting demands.

The lead criterion is: Making Effective Decisions.

If we receive a high volume of applications, we’ll first sift using the lead criterion only. Those meeting the minimum score will then be assessed against all remaining criteria.

Interview Stage

If you are successful at the application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Strengths
• Behaviours:
  • Making Effective Decisions.
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Leadership

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,090, HM Treasury contributes £12,483 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Generous Annual Leave - 25 days (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus public holidays and the King’s birthday.
• Outstanding Pension Scheme - Defined Benefit pension with employer contributions of 28.97%
• Parental Leave Packages - Including 6 months’ occupational pay for maternity/adoption, shared parental leave options.
• Flexible & Hybrid Working - Options include part-time, job-share, compressed hours, flexitime, and hybrid working (where business needs allow).
• Advance Schemes & Discounts - Rental deposit, cycle-to-work, SmartTech, season ticket loans, and access to HM Treasury’s benefits portal for a wide range of discount codes.

You can review HM Treasury’s full offer here.

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, Strengths and Experience.

Candidate Guidance

Please review the candidate guidance for an overview of the Success Profiles and STAR approach, along with top tips for applications and interviews.

Recruitment Timeline

• Closing date: Tuesday 16th June 2026
• Shortlisting: From 17th June 2026
• Interviews: w/c 6th July 2026

This timeline is indicative and may be subject to change. We will inform you if there is a substantial change to the recruitment timeline.

If your contact details change at any time during the selection process, please ensure you update your Civil Service Jobs Profile.

Reserve Lists

You will be placed on a reserve list if your application is successful, but we cannot offer you a role immediately. Where more than one location has been advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to provide your location preference on your application form. Please note that a place on the reserve list does not guarantee an offer.

If you are offered a role in your first preferred location and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe, you will be removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Those on the reserve list may also be approached for similar roles at a lower grade. If you are offered a role at a lower grade and choose to decline, you can remain on the reserve list.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Candidates cannot apply to roles in the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Successful candidates will be subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database. This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This also applies to those who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the database will be refused employment.

National Security Vetting

Everyone working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks. Additionally, successful candidates will be subject to National Security Vetting. The level of security vetting required for this role is Developed Vetting (DV).

To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out, applicants typically need to have lived in the UK for the past 10 years. You will be asked to provide residency information within your application form, and eligibility for national security vetting will be checked once the advert closing date has passed. In certain circumstances, for example if you have been working abroad on a government posting, a lack of residency would not be a bar to security clearance however the Department will need to consider eligibility on a case-by-case basis once the advert closing date has passed.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (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

Open to UK nationals only.

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 : OFSI
• Email : ofsi@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Further information

Complaints Process: Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment based on fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact HMT by email at: hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.

Attachments

452501 Senior Intelligence Officer - Role Profile Opens in new window (pdf, 179kB)