Senior Insight Advisor

Job content

Senior Insight Advisor - Research, Information and Communications Unit (RICU)

Location: Colgate Ln, Salford M5 3LZ

The Research, Information and Communications Unit (RICU) in the Home Office is an insight and research-led delivery unit responsible for developing and delivering evidence-based activity in support of counter-terrorism priorities across government. RICU supports the CONTEST Strategy which aims to reduce the risk to the UK, its citizens and its interests overseas from terrorism, so that people can go about their lives freely and with confidence.

The highly-respected News & Analysis (N&A) team is part of RICU’s unique research and analysis function. The team delivers a wide range of analysis and insights on terrorist use of propaganda and exploitation of the information environment, informing RICU and the wider counter-terrorism (CT) system.

Job description

The role covers a diverse threat landscape, including Islamist terrorism, extreme right-wing terrorism, and other emerging aspects of the UK terrorist threat. The team operates within and responds to the challenges of a fast-evolving information environment. The N&A team also plays a central role in leading the unit’s real-time response to terrorist incidents. Its outputs regularly feed directly into Ministerial and other senior briefings.

The role involves building relationships with stakeholders across HMG’s counter-terrorism analytical community, as well as communications and delivery partners and experts within academia (domestically and internationally) and key think-tanks.

The Home Office is committed to being an inclusive employer with a diverse and representative workforce at all levels. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates and people with disabilities, as they are currently underrepresented within Homeland Security Group at this grade level. Appointments will be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

DV security clearance or a willingness to undergo DV clearance is an essential requirement for this role. Successful candidates will be permitted to start with SC whilst they undergo the DV clearance processes.

Key duties and responsibilities will include:

• Providing analysis on terrorist propaganda outputs to inform the CT system of terrorist exploitation of the information environment in order to inform, drive and refine policy and delivery. You will present your findings to colleagues and cross-Whitehall partners, and be consistently innovative in seeking out new ways to convey your analysis.

• Contributing to the team’s broad suite of insight products, which are delivered to partners across the Home Office, Whitehall and beyond, to inform understanding of the changing terrorism threat. This includes daily press monitoring, drafting contributions to weekly reporting on issues relevant to CT considerations, plus long-term deep-dive analytical projects.

• Drawing on online and offline sources, including UK and global media reporting, to conduct and oversee analysis and research to identify and determine themes and narratives as to how terrorists exploit the information environment and resonance with audiences.

• Developing and maintaining relationships with the cross-Whitehall CT community, including joint working on leading and delivering research and analysis projects. In addition, the role will involve working with academia and contractors to design and lead external research.

• Provide high-quality out-of-hours analysis in response to terrorism or related incidents, working closely with Homeland Security Operations to feed into Ministerial briefings when required and ensuring 24/7 cover when a situation demands. The role includes providing ‘on-call’ support, approximately one weekend every 2 months. (Reimbursement is available for out of hours work and providing ‘on-call’ support).

Please click ’Apply’ for further information and a full job description.

“Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and are a Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Stonewall top 100 Workplace Equality Employer and a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.”