Counter Terrorism Analyst

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.

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).