NZ spies open up about work
Guns disguised as watches? Fancy cars? Endless international travel? Who hasn’t dreamed of being a spy?
The New Zealand Intelligence Service is currently on a recruitment drive for those considering a career change into the secretive world of intelligence.
They are advertising for both surveillance officers – who can earn up to $88,000 – and intelligence specialists – who can earn up to $103,000.
In a rare move, the agency put forward two active staff members to talk to Stuff about what it would be like to join their ranks.
‘‘I have been doing it for twenty years ... I still feel like a kid in a candy shop when I go to work,’’ Dan* said.
Part of the surveillance team, Dan’s work involves using ‘‘tradecraft and technology’’ to obtain intelligence for New Zealand’s national security.
Each week his team are juggling ‘‘a number of different’’ operations – sometimes in plain sight.
‘‘It is a full time job, we are out pretty much every day. You will be walking past us in the street, you won’t see us, but we will be working.’’
The hours can be long and unpredictable, with operations starting in one part of the country and ending in an entirely different location later that day.
‘‘It can be quite a challenging job at times. Depending on the subjects you are going up against ... There is always going to be risk.’’
For Jess* – an intelligence specialist – her former job couldn’t have been more different.
‘‘I worked in tourism and hospitality. I saw this job advertised, gave it a crack and got accepted.
‘‘I guess the key point is we are not special people, but have special jobs.’’
She now works in the field to help gather information from contacts to assist with ongoing operations.
Both have a small number of people who know what they do – everyone else gets told a ‘‘cover story’’.
‘‘It is like a genie in a bottle,’’ according to Dan. ‘‘Once the genie is out of the bottle it is very difficult to get it back in.
‘‘I don’t tell people what I do. My wife and I have got a cover story we roll out in social settings.
‘‘The best thing is to ask what other people do. People like to talk about themselves.’’
Not being able to talk about work fostered a tight-knit and supportive work environment, Dan said. While James Bond car chases and Jason Bourne shootouts weren’t part of the job, the work offered different challenges, according to the pair. ‘‘Some of our team are die-hard spy movie fans ... There are some aspects of are jobs which are comparable,’’ Jess said.
‘‘We don’t do explosives training or abseil down buildings but we do do some pretty special stuff.’’
Director-general of Security Rebecca Kitteridge was hoping people from all walks of life would consider applying for the roles.
‘‘We are looking for more women and for people from a range of backgrounds with different life experiences to join us,’’ she said.
‘‘Having people from different backgrounds and the perspectives and experiences they bring, makes us stronger and more effective.’’
To obtain the level of clearance needed, potential candidates must have a 15-year checkable background ‘‘in countries where meaningful and reliable checks can be undertaken,’’ according to the website.
And exploding pens?
‘‘Not exploding,’’ according to Dan. ‘‘It might have some other functions though,’’ Jess adds.
* The names in this story have been changed for security purposes.
‘‘I have been doing it for twenty years ... I still feel like a kid in a candy shop when I go to work.’’
‘‘Dan’’, SIS member