RiskUKMarch2018

Developing a Career in Security and
Intelligence: The Pathway to Success
The Young
Professionals Group
was created by ASIS
UK to establish a
comfortable
environment both for
members new to
security and future
leaders wishing to
engage with ASIS
programmes and
activities. Its core
mission is to develop
and educate young
careerists in the
security industry.
Recently, Jerry Ross
was asked to speak at
an ASIS Young
Professionals Group
event and give an
account of how she
embarked on a career
in the field of
intelligence and,
subsequently, security
Jerry Ross: Regional Intelligence
Analyst at Securitas UK
40
www.risk-uk.com
Though incredibly nerve-wracking, it was an
honour to be asked to share my
experiences on developing a career within
the security business sector with the invited
audience, the key points of which are now
being shared here among the readers of Risk
UK. After graduating from Oxford Brookes
University in 2011 with a BA (Honours) degree
in English Literature and Geography, like many
graduates fresh out of university I wasn’t
entirely clear on the way forward. I’ve always
had an interest in the Armed Forces and
counter-terrorism, in the main prompted by
media coverage of the Iraq and Afghanistan
wars, so I initially considered joining the Armed
Forces or the police service.
I’ve always harboured an inquisitive nature,
enjoying the analysis and research I completed
in my studies, whether that be researching
people, events or history. It was a combination
of these factors that led me to make up my
ideal job title – Intelligence Researcher. It just
so happened that this kind of role did actually
exist, and so the pursuit of a role began.
After extensive travelling and with some
direction as to what career path to pursue, I hit
the job market with a vengeance to track down
the perfect starting job. In February 2013, I
applied for – and duly secured – my first
position as intelligence researcher with Surrey
Police. Based in Staines, the role involved
monitoring and investigating crimes in the local
area, among them high-value burglaries,
kidnapping and drug offences.
Intelligence was gathered on a daily basis via
open and closed sources to compile profiles on
suspects and identify trends in criminal activity.
The intelligence was used to proactively
minimise and prevent repeat incidents. The
responsibility and experience I gained from
running my own operations on dangerous
individuals, combined with the support of
amazing colleagues, made this the perfect
hands-on role for me.
Eventually, it was time to join the on-call
team, in turn dealing with crisis situations
including kidnappings and extortion. I can still
remember being called to assist with an
incident on my first day with the unit and then
on my last day with the force.
In January 2014, I took the opportunity to
transfer from criminal intelligence to Surrey
Police’s Special Branch and begin combating
terrorism. In this role, I continued
investigations and assumed responsibility for
gathering more in-depth open source
intelligence. It was in this role that I began my
unexpected journey as an open source
intelligence specialist with the force, using
bespoke software and investigation tools.
I built up solid experience in open source
intelligence, and was starting to train fellow
colleagues in Best Practice methods and the
use of specialist software. Training and
upskilling are important aspects of any role in
intelligence, as it’s very much the case that you
have to stay ahead of the latest developments
in systems, monitoring and technology.
Come January 2016, and after two years in
counter-terrorism, I transferred to the Anti-
Corruption Unit within Surrey Police. This role
was part of a small and specialised team
focused on exposing corrupt individuals and
practices within the force. During this time, our
team received a Chief’s Commendation. That
was an important highlight for me.
After four-and-a-half exciting years with
Surrey Police, I decided the time was right to
make a change and focus on a new challenge. I
was particularly keen to step out of my comfort
zone and explore new opportunities. That being
so, I set out to extend my professional network.
One of the first events I attended was the
Security and Counter-Terrorism Expo that ran at
London’s Olympia in March 2016. It was here
that I was first introduced to the ASIS UK
Women in Security Group, a sub-group of the
organisation that supports and assists women
in the security sector and also encourages new
entrants into the profession.
Indeed, this was the first of many ASIS
networking events I would subsequently
attend. ASIS International is the largest
organisation for security professionals, with
more than 35,000 members worldwide,
including 800 here in the UK.
An intriguing career
While attending the Expo, I met ASIS UK
director Dawn Holmes CPP (at that time the
lead for the ASIS UK Women in Security Group)
who had just taken up the role of technical
security specialist at Bloomberg LP. Up until
this point, I hadn’t considered security as a