About the job

Job summary

The Homeland Security Group (HSG) unites capabilities and expertise to deliver better outcomes from the UK’s response to the most serious domestic threats – Terrorism, Cyber, State Threats and Economic Crime.

The group will strengthen coordination and collective focus across a range of growing and overlapping threats, whilst remaining consistent with existing strategies. Working with partners, HSG will foster more transparent and sustainable collaboration between national security, law enforcement and other relevant communities to enhance capabilities and leverage our response to threats.

As a part of the Home Office, the role of the Homeland Security Group is to:

• Support the Home Secretary to develop and implement strategies to keep our people and interests safe and secure

• Build HMG capabilities to reduce national security risk

• Reduce volume of, and harm from, economic crime, particularly for the most vulnerable

• Work in partnership with public and private sectors in the UK and overseas to deliver better outcomes

• Ensure legitimate economic growth and prosperity

This is an exciting opportunity to join Prevent Online and Enablers highly regarded RICU Knowledge Hub. It is a unique Home Office team that informs the UK’s counter terrorism community on terrorist use of propaganda and the role the internet plays in radicalisation and recruitment. The Prevent Online and Enablers unit sits in the Prevent Directorate in the Home Office’s Homeland Security Group and supports a number of strategies that deliver against CONTEST objectives.

The RICU Knowledge Hub (RICU KH) is an insight and research-led team responsible for developing and delivering the evidence-base for Prevent interventions in support of counter-terrorism priorities. The overarching aim of Prevent is 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.

It comprises three distinct but complementary teams (Research, News & Analysis and Data & Innovation), who produce analysis and insight to inform customers across Prevent teams as well as the broader national security community.

This role is an exciting opportunity to contribute to evidence-driven policy making. It would suit a high performing, inquisitive, and creative analyst, with experience undertaking open-source research.

We are recruiting for up to three Higher Executive Officers (HEO) in RICU’s Knowledge Hub. The vacancies are for: 

• Counter Terrorism Analyst in the Data & Innovation (D&I) team.
• Counter Terrorism Analyst in the News & Analysis (N&A) team.

Job description

The Knowledge Hub provides a unique research and analysis function, which delivers a wide range of insights on terrorist use of propaganda and exploitation of the information environment, informing Prevent and the wider Counter Terrorism (CT) system.

It leads on developing, delivering, and managing a range of quantitative and qualitative sources, contracts with external companies, and bespoke research projects to better understand and tackle terrorist use of the internet. 

As a Counter Terrorism Analyst, you will work closely with the Preventing Radicalisation Online team (PRO), security stakeholders, and CT experts across government. This role is an exciting opportunity to contribute to evidence-driven policy making and influence a fast-paced operational landscape. It would suit a high performing, curious analyst, who has experience undertaking open-source research and is keen to directly influence policy direction.

The ideal candidate will be able to deliver on evidence and research requirements at the request of stakeholders to inform policy development specifically relating to tackling terrorism online. Such work may involve writing analytical briefings on specific topics related to Islamist Terrorist (IT) and Extreme Right Wing Terrorist (ERWT) exploitation of the internet, and analysing quantitative and qualitative data to draw evidence-based conclusions. 

This is a challenging and rewarding role, with a high-profile portfolio and a range of stakeholders operating at all levels across government. The role offers plenty of opportunities to further develop and broaden relationships with academia and other key stakeholders, many of whom operate at the cutting-edge of national efforts to tackle the biggest threats facing the UK and government partners.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estates capacity, by Spring 2024. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). 

Person specification

Post holders in both the D&I and N&A teams will share similar responsibilities, these include: 

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

• Contributing to bespoke research into areas of interest to industry engagement teams and policy development concerning terrorist use of the internet. This may include working with external contractors to better understand how terrorists communicate online or carrying out open-source research to understand new or emerging online communication platforms and their potential appeal to hostile actors. 

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

• Developing and maintaining your own subject-matter expertise and building capacity in others. You will role model Home Office values by actively promoting an innovative, supportive, diverse, and inclusive culture. 

• Contribute to RICU Knowledge Hub incident response capability, briefing Ministers and senior leaders when required, and participating in an on-call rota to provide out-of-hours cover. 

Additional D&I post holder responsibilities: 

• Supporting D&I’s annual Platform Prioritisation exercise. This will involve supporting with the data collection and platform-focused research to construct a comprehensive picture of the online platforms used by terrorists and their supporters online. 

• Supporting the analysis of online terrorist communications data (namely the creation and dissemination of propaganda). This would include preparing data for analysis and horizon scanning to identify new/relevant data sources. In addition, you will present complex findings in a clear and understandable way to drive recommendations on policy making, and wider strategic communication development and operational activity. 

• Working with a range of private sector data analytical experts, service providers, and academics to ensure the delivery of data-driven CT research and analytical products. You will be comfortable drawing evidence-based recommendations using both qualitative and quantitative data. 

Additional N&A post holder responsibilities: 

• Contributing to the team’s broad suite of insight products, which are delivered to stakeholders across the Home Office, Whitehall and beyond, to inform understanding of the changing terrorism threat. This includes daily press monitoring as well as producing tactical and thematic products. 

• 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 terrorist contents resonance with audiences. 

Essential Criteria: 

• You will have strong research skills and be capable of identifying relevant sources from which to collect evidence (such as open source, academic articles, or other government analysis). You will confidently interpret competing, possibly disputed evidence and present your findings clearly, ensuring stakeholders understand all relevant implications (and limitations) of your analysis. 

• You will have a proven track record of seeing the big picture, understanding trends in data, and proactively making links between what the evidence is showing and the implications for stakeholders. You will have experience in critically interpreting data and drawing recommendations based on your findings. 

• You will be a good communicator, able to present complex messages both verbally and in writing, to stakeholders and colleagues at all levels of seniority, taking into account the needs of a variety of customers and wider partners. 

• You will be a motivated self-starter, who seeks out and implements positive change in their area of work. 

• If applying for the D&I role, you will be a competent user of Excel or other data analysis software. You will have experience working with numerical data. 

Desirable Criteria: 

• A keen interest in (or experience of) counter-terrorism, including knowledge of how terrorists (subscribing to extreme right-wing principles, extreme Islamist principles, or both) use the internet to communicate. 

• A keen interest in (or experience of) online communications, including content moderation and services provided by online platforms.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

As part of the application, you will be asked to complete:

• A CV (job history/qualifications/skills)
• Statement of Suitability (Personal statement) (750 words maximum)
• Evidence of the lead behaviour 'Making Effective Decisions' (250 words maximum).

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The Statement of Suitability should state which role/s you are interested in and evidence your suitability according to the Essential Criteria as set out in the job advertisement.

The sift will be held on the Statement of Suitability and the lead behaviour. CVs will not be scored, but should consist of your career history, including any key achievements in each role. It will be used to provide further context on your personal statement, and support conversations at interview.

In an event where a high volume of applications are received, an initial sift will take place using the lead behaviour 'Making Effective Decisions'. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be either progressed to a full sift or straight to interview.

Successful candidates shortlisted for interview will be tested on all behaviours outlined in the job advertisement.

In addition you will be asked to prepare a presentation to be delivered at interview. The presentation will be tested against 'Experience' on the 'Success Profiles' and will be assessed against the 'Essential Criteria' as listed in the job advertisement. (The question/scenario will be disclosed closer to the interviews).

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying and generating of examples/answers from internet sources including Artificial Intelligence. If any is detected the application may be withdrawn from the process. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving civil servants. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants.

Sift and Interview Dates:

The sift will take place week commencing 26th February 2024
Interviews will take place week commencing 11th March 2024

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

Interviews will take place remotely. Candidates will be required to have access to:

• A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
• Good internet connection
• Microsoft Teams

PLEASE NOTE: Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.

Further details and instructions will be provided closer to the scheduled interview.

Further Information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Please note: Developed Vetting (DV) 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.

If the required level of security clearance is not met and the Unit is not able to accommodate any caveats, the successful candidate will not be able to remain in post within the unit. Support will be provided to help find an alternative role.

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made.

We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need for them to go through a further selection process.

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 area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to  bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

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

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.