AI Assurance Advisor Ref. 3747

Location: Central London with some occasional wider UK travel.

Salary: £74,624 initial salary on confirmation of skills to achieve DDAT Group One Rate C. Additional payment of Recruitment and Retention Allowance of £6,251 on completion of a minimum term and successful achievement and validation of skills.

Flexible working: we support full-time (36 hours per week) and part time (minimum three days a week) working patterns as well as job shares. Due to the sensitive nature of our work, this role is fully office-based with no option for remote or home working.

About us

We're MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS). Our mission is to protect the security and economic wellbeing of the UK from overseas threats such as regional instability, terrorism, and cyber attacks. Working across the globe and in close partnership with MI5 and GCHQ, we help the Government to counter these threats through the provision of secret intelligence. A role in MI6 will see you providing vital support to this work, within a supportive and encouraging environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

The role

Enhancing how we operate today will better prepare us for the challenges of tomorrow. That’s why we’re creating dedicated teams focused on bringing Artificial Intelligence (AI) into some of our most mission critical areas. As an AI Information Assurance Advisor, you'll play a central role in shaping how AI is assessed, trusted, and used responsibly at MI6 in both new capabilities and its integration into existing systems. Independent, authoritative, and close to the heart of the action, you'll make sure any AI capabilities are secure, aligned to recognised national frameworks, and our risk appetite. You'll translate that assurance into clear, actionable documentation for project teams, governance boards, and the senior leadership team alike.

As part of a close-knit Information Security (InfoSec) team, you’ll carry out in-depth risk assessments on AI systems, weigh up proposed mitigations against real business objectives, and give clear, honest advice on whether a system is safe and ready for deployment. You’ll also work closely with fellow accreditors as well as with architects, and engineering teams, reviewing artefacts, identifying residual risk, and making sure that assurance is baked into any development right from the start. Day to day, you’ll be embedded in live AI projects, working closely with Information Assurance Security Managers who bridge the gap between business need and security rigour.

In this role, your reach will extend far beyond any single team. You’ll engage regularly with senior leadership on AI risk posture, work across internal networks and partner organisations, and occasionally lend your expertise to overseas partners in an advisory capacity. Your judgement will be sought, your recommendations will carry weight, and your ability to communicate clearly will make a genuine difference to how decisions get made at the highest levels.

With AI capabilities constantly evolving, you’ll be expected to look beyond the horizon, considering emerging risk areas including the long-term implications of quantum computing. This will support you as you shape organisational policy on AI adoption, and contribute to the broader conversation about what responsible AI use looks like at MI6.

About you

You’re a natural collaborator, someone who builds relationships easily and communicates with confidence at every level. You'll have a broad and current understanding of AI and how rapidly the landscape has shifted, and you'll be comfortable bringing that knowledge into a unique, complex environment.

Your previous experience spans risk management, security tools and techniques, and the implementation of AI systems and technologies. You'll also have experience developing and delivering effective security controls and countermeasures, backed by broader InfoSec experience gained on large-scale IT projects and programmes. Qualifications-wise, you'll bring a relevant professional information security credential such as Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) or SANS certifications, alongside a formal AI-related qualification such as the AI Governance Professional (AIGP).

Training and development

We take professional development seriously, and you'll be joining a community that invests in helping people grow their skills. You'll have access to a broad mix of learning opportunities, including in-house and online training, technical deep dives and development pathways shaped around your interests and the needs of the organisation. This includes support to strengthen your capability across modern AI techniques and wider security practices, with courses in areas such as Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK), AI governance and quantum technology development in AI all within reach.

We use the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework (formerly known as DDaT) as a compass to provide guidance and tools to support you. You can find out more about the framework here: Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework. You’ll also have opportunities to work with external professional bodies and training providers who offer routes to specialist accreditation, advanced AI training or broader professional recognition. Whether you choose to deepen your expertise in a specific technical area or broaden your capability across new domains, you’ll have the guidance and support you need to progress.

Apart from formal training, you’ll benefit from mentoring, peer support and a collaborative community that shares knowledge openly. You’ll have opportunities to rotate across different teams, explore emerging technologies and contribute to shaping how MI6 evolves its AI and data science capability. As you develop, you’ll have the space to experiment, expand your expertise and play an active role in strengthening our AI practice across the organisation.

Rewards and benefits

You’ll receive a starting salary of £74,624 plus other benefits including:

• 25 Days Annual Leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays
• Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
• Interest-free season ticket loan
• Excellent pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
• Paid parental and adoption leave

Equal opportunities

At MI6 diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website.

Offer of interview

We are committed to providing equitable opportunities throughout the recruitment process to support candidates with disabilities. As part of this, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who best meet the essential minimum criteria for this position, will be offered an interview, if it is practical for us to do so. (This is known as the Offer of an Interview.) To secure an interview for this role, the minimum criteria (in order of application process) are:

• You’ll be required to reach the minimum pass mark for the Online Situational Judgement Test (SJT), which assesses your ability to problem-solve
• You’ll demonstrate direct experience of information assurance or security risk assessment for AI enabled or data driven systems – assessed at application sift
• You’ll demonstrate core Information Security experience within complex IT or digital programmes – assessed at application sift
• You’ll have experience and ability to clearly explain complex technical or security concepts – assessed at application sift

There is a wide range of extra support available throughout the recruitment process to enable you to do your best, visit our how to apply page for information on reasonable adjustments we can offer.

What to expect

Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:

• An initial online application form including pre-screening questions to ensure you meet our eligibility criteria
• Online Situational Judgement Test (SJT) rating the appropriateness of your responses to a series of short scenarios. The SJT tests criteria important for all roles in our organisation
• Application sift looking at your skills and motivation for the role and organisation
• Online HR and Competency Interview
• In-person interview looking at your technical skills against the DDaT framework

If successful you will receive a conditional offer of employment. Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 - 9 months to process including vetting, so we advise you continue any current employment until you have received your final job offer.

Before you apply

To work at MI6, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. Read about our eligibility criteria. This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It’s something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. You can find out more about the vetting process.

Please note we have a strict drugs policy, so once you start your application, you can’t take any recreational drugs and you’ll need to declare your previous drug usage at the relevant stage.

Before you apply, we advise you to consider setting up a separate email address for your contact with us, to ensure your personal and application correspondence remain separate. Try to avoid having identifying features in your email address, such as your first and/or surname and date of birth. This is good practice and will help you to manage your application with us more securely.

The role is based in central London, so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application. An interest-free loan is available to assist with relocating into privately rented accommodation to take up the offer of employment.

We offer reasonable reimbursement of travel costs for candidates attending in-person appointments during the recruitment and vetting process. Full details will be provided with your interview or assessment invitation. Reimbursement is discretionary and will only be made in line with the Candidate Expenses Policy, as amended from time to time. Candidates must book their own travel, using the most economical option, and provide original hardcopy receipts for reimbursement.

Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application. Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.

Right to withdraw statement: Please be aware that we withhold the right to bring forward the closing date for this role from the original closing date once a certain number of applications have been received. Please be mindful of this and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.