Internet Intelligence & Investigations Officer

Are you a curious, analytical, and technically proficient professional with a passion for uncovering insights from the online world? The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is looking for an Internet Intelligence & Investigations (III) Officer to join our specialist Internet Investigations Laboratory, the CMA's Centre of Excellence for Internet Intelligence & Investigations.

In this exciting role, you'll use cutting-edge digital investigation techniques, innovative tools, and intelligence methodologies to deliver high-quality insights that support some of the CMA's most important work. From competition enforcement and consumer protection to digital markets and market studies, your intelligence products will help drive impactful decisions that benefit consumers and businesses across the UK.

About the CMA

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is the UK’s principal competition and consumer protection authority. We promote competition and protect consumers with a clear end goal in mind: to drive economic growth and improve household prosperity. The CMA has a range of powers, which it uses to undertake a wide variety of cutting-edge, high profile and complex work, spanning merger and market inquiries, competition and consumer law enforcement, our role in the digital markets competition regime, subsidy advice, and internal market advice.

We are fully committed to being a flexible, respectful and inclusive employer. It is a priority to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we welcome applications from under-represented groups.

You can read more about working at the CMA in our candidate pack

Please note, we are also recruiting for a Senior Intelligence & Investigations Officer (SEO). If you are interested both, please ensure that you submit an application to each - Senior Internet Intelligence & Investigations Officer - Civil Service Jobs - GOV.UK

Job description

As an Internet Intelligence & Investigations (III) Officer, you will deliver high-quality intelligence and investigative support to some of the CMA's most important work. Using advanced online research techniques and digital investigation methods, you'll gather, analyse and interpret information from a wide range of online sources to support competition enforcement, consumer protection, digital markets and market studies projects.

Working within the CMA's specialist Internet Investigations Laboratory, you'll collaborate closely with case teams and stakeholders to identify intelligence requirements, produce actionable reports, and ensure intelligence activity is aligned to operational priorities. You'll play a key role in developing innovative approaches to internet intelligence, helping colleagues understand and apply specialist tools and techniques, and contributing to the growth of the CMA's capabilities in open-source intelligence (OSINT), emerging technologies and digital investigations.

You'll help maintain specialist software, hardware and virtual environments, evaluate new tools and methodologies, and support the development of guidance, training and best practice across the organisation. The role involves researching and analysing information from a diverse range of online environments and technologies, including websites, restricted-access platforms, mobile devices, computers, gaming consoles and emerging digital and virtual technologies, ensuring that all activity is conducted to the highest standards of evidential integrity and professional practice.
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Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following essential selection criteria in your application:

Please note: if you do not meet the lead selection criteria in your application, the panel will not be required to score your application against the remaining Essential Criteria of the role.
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Essential Criteria

• Demonstrable experience in a technical investigations role (lead criteria).
• Familiarity with digital tools and platforms used in III work, understanding of scripting specifically python and ideally knowledge of emerging technologies in the OSINT sphere and webpage/website structures (lead criteria).
• Effective analytical skills and ability to produce clear, actionable intelligence reports.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to produce documents and brief stakeholders across all levels of seniority.
• Ability to prioritise tasks, work independently and collaboratively and deliver high-quality outcomes in a fast-paced and constantly changing environment.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace
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Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Practical understanding of common IT systems, computer operations and internet connectivity, including the ability to identify and troubleshoot basic technical issues.
• Webpage/website structures
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Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,500, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £11,443 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

You’ll also get:

• 25 days leave (increasing to 30 days over five years), plus 8 public holidays and an additional day off for the King’s birthday. In addition, you’ll be able to access a wide range of other types of leave as and when you need it, including generous maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption options, as well as paid special leave for volunteering
• Season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, flu vaccinations and eye tests
• Access to the Civil Service Sports & Leisure, giving discounted gym membership, high street discounts, free access to UK wide attractions and a free Tastecard
• A range of wellbeing benefits, including an employee assistance programme, flexible working options and family friendly policies, regular networking events and professional learning opportunities at work

You can read more about our benefits in our candidate pack.
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Our Values

We are Ambitious and Evidence-based, and always strive for Excellence.​ We treat everyone with Respect and are Collaborative and Inclusive.​

Everything we do is underpinned by the Civil Service values: Honesty, Integrity, Impartiality and Objectivity.

You can read more about life at the CMA in our candidate pack.
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Things you need to know
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Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
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Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
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Application and sift stage

• As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.
• At the sift stage, your application (CV & personal statement) will be reviewed and assessed against the essential criteria listed under the Person Specification of the role profile.
• Please note that it is essential that your personal statement is aligned to provide evidence that you have the knowledge and experience for each of the essential criteria (as included on the role profile attached and listed above under 'Person Specification') in your application. Your personal statement should be no more than 1250 words.
• You will first be sifted on the lead essential criteria.
• If you meet the lead essential criteria you will then be progressed to the full sift. If your application progresses to a full sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification will then be considered.
• We may raise the score required at sift stage to progress to interview if we receive a high number of applications and take through the highest performing candidates to the interview stage.
• Successful candidates at sift will be invited to an interview which will be conducted in-person at the CMA's London office in Canary Wharf.
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Interview stage

• At the CMA we apply a blended interview technique, allowing us to find out more about you and we use the Success Profiles framework assessing the Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills outlined in the advert and attached role profile.
• The interview will be a 45-60 minute panel interview held in-person at the CMA's London office in Canary Wharf.
• During the interview, candidates will be asked questions based on the Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills outlined in the role profile.
• A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.
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Timeline (the dates outlined below are indicative and may be subject to change)

• The advert closing date is 24 August 2026 (23:55). We are not able to accept late applications.
• The sift is scheduled to take place between 25-28 August 2026.
• Interviews will be held from the week commencing 07 September.
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Reasonable adjustments

We want to make sure no one is at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process.  You can also email recruitment@cma.gov.uk.

For example, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you are deaf, a Language Service Professional. You might also require additional time to complete a timed assessment or a sign language interpreter to support with the relaying of information.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
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Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
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Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
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Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
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Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
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Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name :Tom Skidmore
• Email :recruitment@cma.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email :recruitment@cma.gov.uk
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Further information

If your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact Recruitment@cma.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.

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