Financial ServicesISCO 2422

Intelligence officer

An intelligence officer is a person who plans and carries out the gathering of information, then turns what has been collected into an assessment somebody can act on.

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Rate 5 of the 11 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.

develop investigation strategy

undertake inspections

ensure information security

conduct threat intelligence

document evidence

About intelligence officer

The work begins with a question that needs answering. The officer decides which lines of enquiry are worth following, works out where the information might sit, and builds a plan for collecting it. Much of the collection is done by talking to people: identifying who may know something, approaching them, and interviewing them. Knowledge of human behaviour is applied throughout. Other material comes from inspections, from open sources, and from cyber threat analysis where the question concerns networks and systems.

What has been collected then has to be written up. An intelligence officer produces reports on the findings, keeps a record of the activities carried out, and maintains the files that allow a conclusion to be traced back to its source. All of it is subject to information security: material is stored and passed on only as far as its classification allows.

Intelligence officer skills mix the analytical with the personal — investigative research methods, operational research, a sense of which fragment matters, and the ability to get a person to talk. Qualifications for the post, and the security clearance it requires, are set by the employing service and by the law of each country.

Do You Have the Skills for This Role?

Core competency requirements inferred from the occupation's skill profile. Take the free assessment to see how you match.

Must-Have Skills (Advanced)

Problem SolvingAdvanced

CommunicationAdvanced

CollaborationAdvanced

Developing PeopleAdvanced

Customer OrientationAdvanced

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European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (11)

operational researchoperational researchThe application of scientific methods to provide solutions to administrative and management issues of organised systems as industrial, commercial, or governmental processes.investigation research methodsinvestigation research methodsThe methods and strategies used to conduct police, government intelligence or military investigation research, as well as the research regulations specific to the operation.surveillance methodssurveillance methodsSurveillance methods used in the gathering of information and intelligence for investigation purposes.develop investigation strategydevelop investigation strategyDevelop strategies used in an investigation to gather information and intelligence in the most productive way, compliant with legislation, ensuring that the strategy is adapted to each individual case...undertake inspectionsundertake inspectionsUndertake safety inspections in areas of concern to identify and report potential hazards or security breaches; take measures to maximise safety standards.ensure information securityensure information securityEnsure that the information gathered during surveillance or investigations remains in the hands of those authorised to receive and use it, and does not fall into enemy or otherwise non-authorised indi...maintain professional recordsmaintain professional recordsProduce and maintain records of work performed.conduct threat intelligenceconduct threat intelligenceConduct cyber threats intelligence by collecting, analysing, and interpreting data about potential cyber threats. Leverage various sources of information such as open-source intelligence (OSINT), soci...document evidencedocument evidenceDocument all evidence found on a crime scene, during an investigation, or when presented in a hearing, in a manner compliant with regulations, to ensure that no piece of evidence is left out of the ca...conduct research interviewconduct research interviewUse professional researching and interviewing methods and techniques to gather relevant data, facts or information, to gain new insights and to fully comprehend the message of the interviewee.apply knowledge of human behaviourapply knowledge of human behaviourPractice principles related to group behaviour, trends in society, and influence of societal dynamics.

Optional (17) — show

law enforcementlaw enforcementThe different organisations involved in law enforcement, as well as the laws and regulations in law enforcement procedures.constitutional lawconstitutional lawThe regulations dealing with the fundamental principles or established precedents which govern a state or organisation.international security studiesinternational security studiesThe field of study that examine the origin, the actions and the termination of conflicts.handle case evidencehandle case evidenceHandle evidence important for a case in a manner compliant with regulations, in order to not affect the state of the evidence in question and to ensure its pristine condition and usability in the case...present evidencepresent evidencePresent evidence in a criminal or civil case to others, in a convincing and appropriate manner, in order to reach the right or most beneficial solution.use different communication channelsuse different communication channelsMake use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.promote human rightspromote human rightsPromote and respect human rights and diversity in light of the physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs of autonomous individuals, taking into account their opinions, beliefs and values, an...examine crime scenesexamine crime scenesExamine crime scenes upon arrival to ensure they are not tampered and perform the initial assessments and analyses of what may have occurred, as well as examining the nature of the evidence present.apply information security policiesapply information security policiesImplement policies, methods and regulations for data and information security in order to respect confidentiality, integrity and availability principles.handle surveillance equipmenthandle surveillance equipmentMonitor surveillance equipment to observe what people are doing in a given area and ensure their safety.check official documentscheck official documentsCheck an individuals' official documentation, such as driver's licenses and identification, to ensure compliance with legal regulations, and to identify and assess individuals.hear witness accountshear witness accountsHear witness accounts during a court hearing or during an investigation to assess the significance of the account, its impact on the case under scrutiny or investigation, and to aid in reaching a conc...identify security threatsidentify security threatsIdentify security threats during investigations, inspections, or patrols, and perform the necessary actions to minimise or neutralise the threat.ensure adherence to the constitutionensure adherence to the constitutionInspect compliance from organisations and individuals to constitutionally defined legislation, and take the appropriate measures if there are breaches against the constitution.write situation reportswrite situation reportsWrite reports according to specifications and regulations of an organisation on the situation which needs to be reported on, such as the status of an investigation, of intelligence gathering, or of mi...ensure compliance with policiesensure compliance with policiesTo ensure compliance with legislation and company procedures in respect of Health and Safety in the workplace and public areas, at all times. To ensure awareness of and compliance with all Company Pol...maintain operational communicationsmaintain operational communicationsMaintain communications between different departments of an organisation, between the staff, or during specific operations or missions, to ensure that the operation or mission is successful, or that t...

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Frequently asked questions

What does an intelligence officer do?

Intelligence officers develop and execute plans to gather information and intelligence. They investigate the lines of enquiry which would provide them with the necessary intelligence, and contact and interview people who may provide intelligence. They write reports on their results, and perform administrative duties to ensure records maintenance.

What skills does an intelligence officer need?

An intelligence officer needs 11 essential skills, including operational research, investigation research methods, surveillance methods, develop investigation strategy, undertake inspections.

Will AI replace intelligence officer jobs?

The AI disruption score for intelligence officer is 37/100 (moderate risk). Skills most exposed to automation: maintain professional records, write situation reports, apply information security policies. Most resilient: promote human rights, international security studies, hear witness accounts.