Despite what TV and films might tell you, today’s MI6 isn’t a place for suave tuxedo-wearing action heroes. But as an Intelligence Officer, you’ll certainly get a thrill from the impact you make. Because the work you do will help us protect the security and economic well-being of the UK. And you’ll do it all within an environment that’s supportive and inclusive.
“I feel honoured and privileged to be doing the extraordinary every day: saving lives.”
Impossible, high-energy missions won’t be on your to-do list. Instead, you’ll use your everyday skills to tackle extraordinary challenges. Skills like problem-solving, attention to detail, and perseverance. If you didn’t know the mission behind it, the work we do might look like an everyday office job. But it’s critical, sensitive, and potentially life-saving.
Intelligence Officers cover four main roles:
- Targeting Officers, who analyse data to be turned into real-life intelligence operations
- Case Officers, who build and manage relationships with agents (the people who pass on intelligence to us)
- Reporting Officers, who analyse, validate, and test the intelligence before briefing government officials
- Operational Managers, who plan and manage the collection of intelligence
When you join, you’ll complete a three-year training pathway, learning all about gathering intelligence. There’ll be both classroom learning and on-the-job training where you’ll experience different roles and take on your own workload, so you’ll get the opportunity to make an impact while you learn. After that, you’ll get the chance to apply for a role in an area that suits your skills and interests. And all along, you’ll have access to mentors and be supported by the those you work with.
“I was surprised about the great maternity and paternity leave available, which applies when you work overseas too. It’s better than some private sector.”
We’re an inclusive organisation, filled with supportive people who are passionate about what they do and always happy to lend a helping hand. While we’ve made great progress, we’re not where we want to be in terms of diversity and have more to do. We want to be diverse in every sense of the word, and we value the many characteristics that make each of us unique: culture, ethnicity, socio-economic background, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, neurodivergence – to name just a few.
Not only do we want our workforce to represent the diverse communities we’re protecting, but we’re also committed to creating opportunities for all. We value the diverse opinions and perspectives that strengthen our work and how we collaborate.
“My voice is valued. How I understand the world and my perspective as a woman of colour is important in supporting successful operations to protect the UK.”
Curious. Adaptable. Motivated. That’s you. We’re looking for solutions-focused people with a passion for learning and a knack for building relationships. What we do takes collaboration, proactivity, and excellent communication. These skills may have been developed at university or in a previous role, or you might naturally possess them and not even realise it.
So why don’t you find out? Play our game, Finding Kloos, to see if you’ve got what it takes to be an Intelligence Officer.
