Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Global Security Analyst

🎯 Role Definition

A Global Security Analyst serves as the forward-looking eyes and ears of the organization, responsible for identifying, analyzing, and communicating potential threats to our people, assets, and operations around the world. This role is not just about monitoring the news; it's about connecting the dots between geopolitical events, civil unrest, natural disasters, and criminal activity to provide strategic intelligence that informs business decisions. The Analyst is a vital partner in our global security framework, enabling proactive risk mitigation, supporting our traveling employees, and ensuring a robust response during crises. They transform raw information into actionable insights, briefing everyone from traveling employees to senior leadership on emerging security landscapes.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Intelligence Analyst (Government or Military)
Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst
Regional Security Coordinator or Specialist
Research Assistant (Think Tank or Academia)

Advancement To:

Senior Global Security Analyst or Team Lead
Manager, Global Security Intelligence
Regional Security Manager
Director of Global Security or Threat Intelligence

Lateral Moves:

Business Continuity Manager
Crisis Management Specialist
Corporate Investigator
Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Continuously monitor global events through open-source intelligence (OSINT), vendor feeds, and internal sources to detect and assess threats to company personnel, facilities, and supply chains.
Produce a range of high-quality analytical products, including daily intelligence summaries, in-depth threat assessments, location-based risk reports, and executive-level security briefs.
Provide direct, real-time intelligence support and guidance to traveling employees, expatriates, and in-country teams, particularly during periods of heightened risk.
Analyze and map geopolitical, economic, and social trends to forecast potential impacts on the company's strategic interests and global footprint.
Manage and triage incoming alerts from threat intelligence platforms, quickly determining the credibility, relevance, and potential impact of emerging incidents.
Support the crisis management team by providing critical situational awareness, intelligence updates, and impact analysis during security incidents or natural disasters.
Conduct comprehensive security risk assessments for new office locations, major corporate events, and executive travel itineraries.
Develop and deliver tailored security awareness training and pre-travel briefings to employees based on current threat intelligence and destination-specific risks.
Maintain and update the organization's global threat matrix, ensuring risk ratings for countries and cities of operational interest are accurate and current.
Utilize Geographic Information System (GIS) tools to create visual intelligence products, such as threat maps and incident trackers, to enhance stakeholder understanding.
Liaise with a network of external contacts, including peer companies, private security providers, and government agencies, to share information and benchmark best practices.
Support due diligence and background investigation processes by researching individuals and entities to identify potential reputational or security risks.
Monitor online and social media platforms for direct or indirect threats against the company, its brand, and its key personnel.
Provide analytical support for investigations into security incidents, helping to identify root causes and contributing factors.
Evaluate the effectiveness of existing security protocols and recommend improvements based on evolving threat landscapes and incident after-action reviews.
Contribute to the development and refinement of intelligence collection plans and analytical methodologies to ensure the team remains effective and forward-leaning.
Serve as a subject matter expert on security risks for specific regions, providing nuanced context and analysis to business leaders and operational teams.
Manage intelligence requirements from various stakeholders, ensuring that analytical products are timely, relevant, and directly support their decision-making needs.
Prepare and present clear, concise, and compelling intelligence briefings to senior leadership and executive committees.
Support the physical security team by providing intelligence on localized crime trends, protest activity, and other threats that could impact facility security.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc intelligence requests and exploratory analysis for business leaders and regional security teams.
Contribute to the continuous improvement of the organization's threat intelligence gathering and analysis methodology.
Collaborate with cross-functional partners in HR, Legal, and Communications to ensure a holistic approach to security risk management.
Participate in regular team meetings, intelligence sharing calls, and after-action reviews to enhance team performance and situational awareness.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Geopolitical Risk Analysis: Deep understanding of international affairs and the ability to analyze their impact on a corporate environment.
Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT): Mastery of advanced techniques for gathering and verifying information from publicly available sources.
Threat Assessment Methodologies: Formal training or experience in structured risk assessment and threat analysis.
Intelligence Report Writing: Ability to produce clear, concise, and actionable intelligence products for diverse audiences.
Threat Intelligence Platforms: Proficiency with tools like Dataminr, Recorded Future, or similar real-time alerting services.
GIS Mapping Software: Experience with platforms like ArcGIS, QGIS, or Google Earth Pro to visualize spatial data.
Travel Risk Management (TRM): Familiarity with TRM platforms (e.g., International SOS, Everbridge) and traveler tracking.
Data Visualization: Skill in using tools like Tableau or Power BI to create insightful charts and dashboards from security data.
Crisis Management Protocols: Knowledge of incident response frameworks and the role of intelligence within them.
Social Media Monitoring: Competency in using tools to monitor social media for threat intelligence and sentiment analysis.
Foreign Language Proficiency: Fluency or professional proficiency in a language relevant to a key operational region is a significant asset.

Soft Skills

Critical Thinking & Analytical Mindset: The ability to dissect complex situations, identify key drivers, and anticipate second- and third-order effects.
Exceptional Communication: Articulate and precise, capable of briefing senior executives and writing for a broad audience with clarity.
Composure Under Pressure: The capacity to remain calm, focused, and effective during fast-moving crises and high-stakes situations.
Adaptability & Flexibility: Thrives in a dynamic environment where priorities can shift rapidly in response to world events.
Discretion & Professionalism: Upholds the highest level of confidentiality and integrity when handling sensitive information.
Inquisitive & Proactive: A natural curiosity and a drive to look beyond the obvious to find the underlying story.
Stakeholder Management: Builds and maintains strong, trust-based relationships with partners across the organization.
Cross-Cultural Awareness: Possesses a strong understanding of and sensitivity to cultural nuances in a global context.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

Master's Degree

Relevant Fields of Study:

International Relations / Affairs
Political Science
Security Studies
Intelligence Studies
Journalism
Regional Studies

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3-7 years of relevant experience in intelligence analysis, corporate security, risk management, or a related field.

Preferred:

Experience within a global corporation's security department, a government intelligence agency (e.g., CIA, DIA, State Department), military intelligence, or a private intelligence firm is highly valued. Direct experience operating within a Global Security Operations Center (GSOC) or intelligence fusion center is a strong plus.