MI5. Careers Guide 2012/13. Owing to the sensitivity of our work, we do not publicly disclose the identities of our staff.

Transcription

1 Owing to the sensitivity of our work, we do not publicly disclose the identities of our staff. MI5 Discretion is vital. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member. For more information and to apply, visit / Careers Guide 2012/13

2 Contents Welcome to MI5 5 What we do 7 Our partners 9 MI5 or MI6? 11 Graduate careers 14 Training and development 18 How to apply 21 Eligibility 23 The vetting process 25 Discretion 27 Benefits 29 Diversity 31 3

3 Welcome to MI5 MI5 is the United Kingdom s national security intelligence agency. We safeguard the UK against threats to national security including terrorism, espionage, sabotage and the spread of weapons of mass destruction. MI5 investigates suspect individuals and organisations to obtain, collate, analyse and assess secret intelligence relating to these threats. We also act to counter the sources of threats and advise the Government and critical national infrastructure on the threat level and protective security measures, in order to help them reduce their vulnerability. The Service has played a vital but necessarily secret role over the past century in countering the activities of terrorists and spies. Our staff, headed by Director General Jonathan Evans, is largely based in our headquarters at Thames House in London. We also have a number of regional offices around the UK, plus a Northern Ireland headquarters. There are a variety of opportunities at MI5 for people from a range of academic backgrounds. Graduates who have read degrees ranging from Architecture to Zoology from 36 different universities across the UK have joined us as Intelligence Officers in recent years. We also have opportunities for people with a range of technical, vocational or professional qualifications. You will find information about how to join our organisation in this guide. Separate leaflets are available on a range of roles for which we recruit. Our website carries the full range of our current vacancies and a range of tools to help you assess your suitability for a career here. 5

4 What we do The collection of intelligence is at the heart of the Security Service s work. By gathering secret intelligence, we seek to obtain detailed knowledge of target organisations, their key personalities, infrastructure, intentions, plans and capabilities. We obtain intelligence through a number of means including: Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS) i.e. agents able to provide secret reporting on a target of investigation. Agents are not members of the Security Service. Directed surveillance i.e. covert monitoring of a target s movements, conversations and other activities by specialist surveillance officers working in vehicles, on foot or from fixed observation posts. We use these techniques in accordance with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and the associated Codes of Practice. The use of each technique is independently scrutinised and mechanisms are in place to ensure we investigate only genuine threats to national security. We do so with proper regard for the law, in proportion to the threat and, where the law so requires, with the Home Secretary s authorisation for intrusive measures. We need talented people with a range of skills to help us to collect and analyse this intelligence. You will find information about a number of such roles on our website. Interception of communications e.g. listening to the calls made on a particular telephone line or reading the contents of a target s letters or s. The Interception Commissioner oversees our arrangements for access to this type of data. Intrusive surveillance e.g. eavesdropping in someone s home or car. Our use of warrants authorising intrusive surveillance is monitored by the Intelligence Services Commissioner 7

5 Our partners MI5 liaises with a wide range of organisations and Government departments, both in the UK and overseas. We work closely with the Home Office and have strong links with the Foreign Office, the Cabinet Office, the Northern Ireland Office, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Defence and the armed services. We advise all central government departments and agencies on protective security matters. We have strong ties with the UK s 56 police forces, particularly their counter terrorist networks, and with other law enforcement agencies, such as the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). We also work with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, who continue to provide the operational police response in countering terrorism and protecting the whole community in Northern Ireland. We receive help from the police in many areas of our work, provide them with information and intelligence assessments on current threats, and work closely with them in investigations that may result in criminal proceedings. We work collaboratively with the other intelligence agencies the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6) and the Government Communication Headquarters (GCHQ). The agencies have different but related functions, and the range of mutual assistance is wide. MI5 is one of the many departments that task SIS and GCHQ through the Joint Intelligence Committee to collect intelligence to supplement our own collection efforts. SIS collects secret foreign intelligence to protect the UK s security and economic wellbeing. GCHQ counters threats through the production of signals intelligence and the security of communications and information systems, known as Information Assurance. GCHQ is also the operational hub for cyber security in the UK and concentrates expertise on understanding threats and exploiting opportunities in cyber space. Although our primary focus is domestic, the concept of national security extends beyond the UK. We have links with more than 100 foreign security and intelligence services worldwide, and work closely with them in countering transnational threats. 9

6 MI5 or MI6? Terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, espionage and regional instability are some of the major challenges facing us in the 21st Century. The Security Service (MI5) is the UK s security intelligence agency. It is responsible for protecting the UK, its citizens and interests against the major threats to national security. The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS, or MI6) operates world-wide and is responsible for gathering secret intelligence outside the UK in support of the government s security, defence and foreign and economic policies. Where the threat has an international angle, MI6 works closely with MI5 in its efforts to counter terrorism, espionage, sabotage and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. MI6 detects and disrupts terrorist threats to the UK and its interests overseas by running covert operations and recruiting agents to provide key intelligence on terrorists plans and organisations. MI5 works to disrupt these threats in the UK using similar methods. MI5 s headquarters is at Thames House in London, across the river from MI6 s headquarters at Vauxhall Cross. The Home Secretary is accountable in Parliament for the work of MI5 and the Foreign Secretary for the work of MI6. MI5 s network of offices is based across Great Britain and in Northern Ireland and you can expect to spend one or two postings at regional stations during the course of your career. These postings will be for two to three years and you can be accompanied by your family. MI6 have people stationed across the globe. Most of their operational officers undertake at least one foreign posting, usually lasting for two to three years. The third UK intelligence agency is the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) based in Cheltenham. GCHQ counters threats that compromise national security through the production of signals intelligence (known as SIGINT) and the security of communications and information systems (known as Information Assurance). 11

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8 Graduate careers Talented graduates from a range of backgrounds join MI5 for demanding, stimulating and rewarding careers. Many graduates join us as Intelligence Officers, moving postings every few years to take on new challenges, gain different experience and expand their understanding of our work. Others join as Intelligence Analysts, Foreign Language Analysts or Internet Investigation, Exploitation and Cyber Security Specialists. Together they work on investigations assessing threats, solving complex digital intelligence problems, manipulating data, spotting connections and identifying patterns. Whatever your degree, it s likely we have something that suits your skills and abilities. We need highly capable, persuasive, objective and analytical graduates with outstanding communication skills and finely-balanced judgement. You ll have the confidence and resilience to handle a high level of responsibility early in your career but will be supported by managers, peers and mentors. The culture here is professional, friendly and informal. You ll be a team player, able to establish rapport with a variety of people and recognise problems and suggest solutions in a collaborative working environment. You will need to be patient and discreet. Honesty and integrity are expected from all our staff and strong organisation skills, attention to detail and commitment to self-development are important. We advertise roles suitable for graduates several times a year, so keep an eye on the Current Jobs page of our website. The Upcoming Jobs page of our website also lists roles that we are not currently recruiting for, but expect to be in the near future. If there is a vacancy there that you are interested in, you will be able to register to receive a job alert by when the campaign launches. Qualifications We welcome applicants from all degree disciplines. If you are considering applying for the Intelligence Officer role you should have or be expecting a 2:1 degree or equivalent. The specific requirements for other roles are listed on our website

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10 Training and development Although we do not offer a bespoke graduate programme, whatever your career path, we provide extensive training and development opportunities. You will be encouraged to expand your skill set through our training academy, personal and professional courses and work experience in a range of our departments. We offer a wide range of training from IT and communication skills, leadership and management to investigative and analytical techniques and covert operational training. Training is delivered by a combination of professionally qualified trainers, subject matter experts and external providers. We use a mix of on the job and classroom training, mentoring, coaching and modular courses as well as e-learning and tools to support distance learning. Broader development opportunities include lunchtime talks from guest speakers, language training and sponsorship for further education. As an Intelligence Officer, postings may take you to our legal, policy, finance or human resources teams as well as our investigative and operational sections. There are opportunities to work in our regional offices and Northern Ireland. On joining you will take part in an induction course to learn about our values and culture, history, the legal framework we operate within, security, health and safety and our IT systems. New joiners get plenty of support from their managers, colleagues and mentors and will also find their induction group provides additional informal support. Developing our managers is crucial and there are foundation management and leadership programmes designed to give staff the skills they need to be successful managers and leaders. You may get the opportunity to complete our management training programme relatively early on in your career and could then manage support staff in your team. MI5 places a great deal of importance on the development of others so you could be setting your mentee s work objectives, planning their progress and training needs, holding regular feedback sessions and completing their appraisal. Training, development and a variety of job postings improves job satisfaction and promotion prospects, makes you more deployable over the course of your career and exposes you to a broader spectrum of our work

11 How to apply All our jobs are advertised on our website. You can apply online if a vacancy is live, or register to receive an alert when the job you are interested in opens. A series of guides is available on our website to give you an insight into our selection processes and we advise you to look at them before making an application. You should also explore the range of tools on the website designed to assess your suitability for particular roles. The recruitment process can take around six months. Due to the sensitive nature of our work, candidates have to go through a vetting process in addition to the selection process for the specific role for which they have applied. You may only submit one application at a time. When considering a career with us, we expect you to apply for the role that you think your skills most closely match. You should not apply for the same role more than once in a twelve-month period. This twelve-month period begins on the date that you were informed that your application was unsuccessful. Please note, for reasons of national security, we are unable to offer work experience or internships. 21

12 Eligibility To be eligible to apply, you must meet our residency criteria. You must be a born or naturalised British citizen and one of your parents must be a British citizen or have substantial ties to the UK. Due to vetting requirements you will need to be 18 years old, or above, to apply. You will be required to provide your date of birth during the application process. Candidates must normally have been resident in the UK for nine out of the last 10 years. This is particularly important if you were born outside the UK. You will nonetheless be considered if you have, for example, served overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of Her Majesty s Government, studied abroad, or lived overseas with your parents. 23

13 The vetting process Owing to the sensitive nature of our work we must be satisfied as to the honesty and integrity of our staff. We must also be satisfied that there are no significant vulnerabilities to the people who work here or to the organisation itself. Our members of staff are likely to have access to sensitive information relevant to national security. Candidates are therefore required to obtain the highest form of security clearance required for government positions, Developed Vetting (DV). The aim of vetting is to ensure that the character and personal circumstances of an individual are such that he or she can be trusted with sensitive government information or assets. We look at candidates very carefully before making a decision about their suitability to hold DV status. Information provided and obtained during the vetting process will be treated in strict confidence and is held separately from recruitment information. 25

14 Discretion This is a unique place to work. Owing to the sensitivity of our work, discretion is vital. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member. With the exception of the Director General, we do not publicly disclose the identities of our staff. You must be the sort of person who does not need to discuss your work with your friends and family. You will be involved with important work and proud of your contribution. If publicly celebrating your career successes is important to you, however, you should reconsider your suitability for working at MI5. We will ask you through the process who knows you have applied. Should your application be successful, you will be given a full briefing on the reasons why it is important not to disclose that you work for the Security Service and what to say if people ask you or your family about your career. 27

15 Benefits Our salaries are set within pay bands, like many other organisations. We take into account your skills and experience and how you have performed during the recruitment process. In exceptional circumstances we may offer a starting salary that is higher up the salary band or the advertised remuneration. Flexible working may be available where operational requirements allow. Our offices also have a range of onsite facilities and there are a number of clubs, societies and fitness classes. We offer a range of benefits including 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 days after five years service), a pension scheme comparable with that of the Civil Service, child care vouchers and an interest-free travel season ticket loan. 29

16 Diversity To safeguard the UK against threats to national security requires talented people. We recruit people who will directly increase the skills and experience within our organisation to make it more effective. Our members of staff come from an increasingly diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. And an in depth knowledge and understanding of a variety of communities and languages isn t just an advantage, it is crucial for our work. We are committed to reflecting both equal opportunities and the society we protect. 41% of our employees are female, 56% are under the age of 40, 8% come from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and 3% have a disability. As an equal opportunities employer, the selection of new recruits and decisions on promotion and postings are based on merit, irrespective of gender, age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability or religion. We are a Positive About Disabled People employer. Our Guaranteed Interview Scheme means that we guarantee an interview to all candidates with a disability who meet our minimum criteria for the job vacancy. We welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates from all sections of the community, but would particularly be interested in hearing from women and individuals from ethnic minority groups. 31