Location
City of Westminster

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£46,844 per annum

About the Role
Following a recent change to the Machinery of Government, the Investment Security Unit (ISU) is now based in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) as of 20th July 2026. BIST connects the UK’s world-class science and technology base directly to the businesses, places, and workers that will drive good growth across the country. The ISU sits at the cutting edge of the government’s economic security agenda within the newly formed DBIST Economic Security and Trade Relations Directorate, delivering an operational response to changes in the global economy and the geostrategic balance of power.

We are seeking an enthusiastic, curious, and detail-oriented individual to join the friendly and high-performing Risk Identification and Review team as an Investment Security Adviser. This role uniquely combines policy and operational delivery, cross-government negotiation, exposure to Ministers, and opportunities for business engagement.

The ISU leads the Government screening of acquisitions of, or investment into, UK companies, assessing the risks that investments or asset transfers could present to the UK’s national security. The Risk Identification and Review team leads the cross-Whitehall review of the national security implications of individual investments, identifying risks and supporting ministerial decision-making on real-world economic security risks.

The ISU is an exciting and diverse place to work, with teams delivering a range of operational, policy, analytical, and international activities. This role offers an excellent opportunity to strengthen core behaviours and skills, with wide exposure to other government departments within and beyond the national security space, and a range of private sector industries.

Experience
- Ability to confidently analyse information from a wide variety of sources to arrive at a well-reasoned, persuasive decision
- Ability to deliver high quality work at pace while balancing multiple priorities
- Excellent written and oral briefing skills
- Ability to engage with a broad variety of cross-government and international stakeholders
- Desirable: Understanding of national security policy or operations
- Desirable: Experience working with cross-government groups and agreeing a way forward on issues with competing priorities
- Desirable: Experience delivering continuous improvement and/or developing corporate culture or willingness to engage in corporate initiatives

About you
You will be responsible for overseeing and driving individual investment security cases, managing a portfolio of active investigations. This involves conducting due diligence checks on acquisitions, collaborating with other Government departments and partners to procure necessary expertise and views, making judgements on national security risks, and producing high-quality written and oral advice to senior officials and Ministers.

You will work with policy and legal advisors to assess how the Act could be applied to mitigate national security risks arising from investments. You will keep senior officials and Ministers informed on developments, often at short notice, and support the day-to-day running of the ISU to ensure delivery of its high-quality service.

We are looking for candidates who can collaborate efficiently within a dynamic operational environment to deliver high-quality results to tight deadlines. Critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills are essential to make reasoned judgements on risk levels. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, including those from underrepresented groups.

Qualifications
Due to the nature of the role, the successful candidate will need to either hold or undergo Security Check (SC) clearance before a start date can be agreed, with a willingness to apply for Developed Vetting (DV) clearance once in post. SC clearance normally requires 5 years UK residency, although supplementary checks may be needed if this is not met.

Open to UK nationals only.