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https://companieshouse.blog.gov.uk/2024/10/11/what-its-like-to-be-an-intelligence-officer-at-companies-house/

What it’s like to be an intelligence officer at Companies House 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Working at Companies House

As an intelligence officer at Companies House, no 2 days are ever the same. I joined the organisation 5 years ago, starting in the mail team, and have since progressed through various roles to become a fully-fledged intelligence officer. It's been an incredible journey of growth and development. 

Hands working on a keyboard.

My role involves receiving intelligence referrals from both internal and external sources. Working alongside researchers and analysts, we build a comprehensive picture of potential economic crime or abuse of the company register. We then prepare intelligence reports and referrals to share with partner organisations and internal teams.  

What I love most about this job is the investigative aspect. I get to dig deep into data, piecing together clues like a detective solving a puzzle. It's incredibly satisfying to take raw information, analyse it, and create valuable intelligence products that can make a real difference. 

What sets this role apart is that it's not about following a set process - it's about using your intuition, critical thinking skills, and curiosity to uncover the truth. We're tackling serious economic crime and protecting vulnerable people, which makes the work extremely rewarding. 

The intelligence team at Companies House is made up of individuals with diverse experience - we have colleagues from law enforcement, military, and civilian backgrounds. This variety of perspectives is so valuable. You don't need to come from an intelligence background - I certainly didn't! What's most important is having a naturally inquisitive mind, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work with large amounts of data. 

Beyond the role itself, working at Companies House offers an excellent work-life balance. There's a culture of trust and empowerment - you're treated like an adult and given the flexibility to manage your own time and workload. The wellbeing support is fantastic too. 

If you're curious, love solving puzzles, and want to make a real difference, I'd encourage you to consider applying for an intelligence officer role here. Don't be intimidated by the job title - we're looking for people with the right mindset rather than specific experience. There are amazing opportunities for progression and development as our intelligence function continues to grow. 

Joining this team means you'll be at the forefront of Companies House's exciting new chapter in helping to tackle economic crime. From day one, you'll feel like you're contributing to something important.

Visit Civil Service Jobs to see our current vacancies.

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6 comments

  1. Comment by Sammy posted on

    That’s really cool. I’d love to do something like that, but its too scary.

    Reply
  2. Comment by Harry posted on

    The link says: "Visit Civil Service Jobs to see our current vacancies". This does not show current vacancies, but asks "What" and "Where". Putting UK does not compute!

    Reply
    • Replies to Harry>

      Comment by Luke C posted on

      Hi Harry, thanks for your comment.

      You can enter 'Companies House' in the 'What' box or enter your postcode or town in the 'Where' box which will return all relevant results.

      Reply
  3. Comment by Eugene Broderick posted on

    This is great news and finally you can chase individuals who are continually robbing The Inland Revenue and the VAT department .
    I am aware of an individual that has set up 18 companies in the last 20 years and has liquidated 16 of them . Surely this cannot be allowed to continue .
    I admit I am a large aggrieved creditor but happy to discuss the situation with any of your team

    Reply
  4. Comment by Michael Loveridge posted on

    Unfortunately, the existing system of recording director appointments is a complete shambles. There is NO system for performing even a basic check against a director appointment.

    At present I'm pursuing a director, and when I perform a search of her name she is shown as a director of 4 companies. Yet I know for a fact that she is a director of at least 5 other companies, and, sure enough, if a search is made against any of them there's her name as a director.

    So I asked Companies House how this could be, and it appears that when they register a director appointment they rely ENTIRELY on that director to list any other director appointments!

    It's extremely important for creditors (or potential creditors) to know the full history of a director - as Eugene has said, one would be very wary of extending credit to a company whose director had liquidated 16 out of 18 companies. One would therefore expect that an organisation as important as Companies House would have an automatic cross-check against any new director appointment, and it's a disgrace that they haven't.

    It's equally disgraceful that zero checks are made as to the identity of a director, and that the same director can register with different versions of their name so as to avoid people cross-checking. I know that - at long last - there are steps taking place to amend this, but the timetable for implementation is a joke, and it will be years before there is even the most basic security in place. These rules should have been brought in immediately, in an attempt to slow the huge amount of fraud that the present lax system encourages.

    Reply
  5. Comment by Simon posted on

    It’s very positive change that Companies House has been given more powers and resources to tackle economic crime. That kind of deliberate acts has very negative impact not only on economic system itself but also on society and individuals effected. It might include exploiting legal loopholes as well as people. If someone is building their wealth while abusing the system or making others suffer it’s morally unacceptable to say the least.
    For someone who has the right skills and mindset intelligence officers position might be a perfect opportunity to do something meaningful. What else can feel more rewarding then protecting the vulnerable.

    Reply

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