Analyst - Global Organized Crime Index

Application Deadline : 16 October 2026 - 17:00 CET

Start Date : November 2026

Contract Duration : One-year fixed term (full-time)

Location : Remote, preferably based in the CET time zone (+/- 2 or 3 hours)

Background

The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) is an independent civil society organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with a globally dispersed Secretariat working across 43 countries. Founded in 2013, GI-TOC brings together a global network of more than 810 independent experts and a team of over 150 staff dedicated to understanding and responding to organized crime. Through research, analysis, policy engagement and support to civil society actors, GI-TOC works to deepen understanding of organized crime and strengthen effective, rights-based responses. 

The GI-TOC works to:

• Identify, analyse and map criminal trends and patterns of regional instability, and their impact on illicit flows, governance, development, security, conflict and the rule of law.
• Connect and support civil society actors working on organized crime and corruption, and on their links to instability and conflict.
• Strengthen local monitoring and analysis of national, regional and international organized crime and insecurity trends.

Job Summary

The GI-TOC is seeking an Analyst to conduct research and analysis on illicit economies as part of the Global Organized Crime Index project.

The Analyst will engage closely with the core Index and Extra teams and the broader analytic team within the GI-TOC. This role demands strong analytic and interpersonal skills, and time-management skills to deliver high-quality products on tight timelines.

Main Responsibilities and Specific Tasks

Main responsibilities and specific tasks related to the Global Organized Crime Index include:

Assist in the organization, running and follow-up of a series of dissemination activities. These include but are not limited to analytical pieces, podcast series, media engagements and CSO/expert meetings 

1. 1. In performing these duties, the Analyst may have to coordinate between the core Index team and GI-TOC staff, GIN members as well as external experts.
   2. Carry out research, participate in events and represent the Index team
   3. The Analyst will also be responsible for keeping track of progress on different tasks as well as on communication with experts, using appropriate templates as advised by supervisors

Be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day research and subsequent consolidation of country profiles/summaries of countries carried out by a team of assigned Research Assistants (RAs). This includes

1. 1. Introducing newly recruited RAs to the Index structure, methodology, research process and their roles
   2. Assigning RAs to research and develop country profiles independently and in parallel through desk research (on a rolling basis, upon completion of a country)
   3. Draw on their own knowledge, background and expertise to guide RAs in their research (e.g., sources to search, etc.)
   4. Periodically (daily/weekly), check the work of the RAs to ensure quality, accuracy and alignment with country profile guidelines and answer any questions they may have
   5. If possible, identify RAs with adequate background, language and research skills to join the research team, upon approval by GI-TOC
   6. Periodically (weekly) report back and provide updates to the rest of the core GI-TOC implementation team on the status of country profiles, any challenges faced, issues related to RAs, deadlines, and other related deadlines

In conjunction with managing RA teams, the Analyst will provide support in the scoring and verification phases of the Index by

1. 1. Identifying and reaching out to key organized crime experts whose knowledge and experience may be drawn upon for scoring/verification of scores for any country(ies) and/ or verification of country rankings for a particular criminal market
   2. Overseeing the day-to-day verification of country profiles and/or thematic areas carried out by organized crime /county experts. This includes:

1. 1. • Introducing experts to the Index structure, methodology, research process and their roles
      • Monitoring the verification process to ensure alignment with Index guidelines and requirements and to answer questions experts may have
      • Ensure expert submissions meet set deadlines and periodically follow up with experts to ensure timely submissions
      • Check the quality and accuracy of the verified country profile/thematic area before submitting it to supervisors
      • Send and submit completed expert invoices to the supervisors
      • Maintain index progress monitoring and update records in a timely fashion

Consolidate all expert input and comments into a final internal country profile for all countries assigned to them by the supervisors

1. 1. Edit for accuracy, repetition, grammar and comprehensiveness
   2. Input major developments for countries if and when they occur
   3. Include/exclude information based on Index guidelines and requirements
   4. Re-write and re-arrange text as needed to ensure text reads well

Other related tasks should they arise as requested by supervisors.

The Analyst will also support the development, research and dissemination of the “SCAR” framework, developed as part of the Global Organized Crime Index award. Key responsibilities will include

1. Developing, validating and refining the methodology of the “SCAR” framework;
2. Conducting literature reviews and developing questionnaires to measure the harm and capabilities of organized crime groups featured in the “SCAR” framework;
3. Conducting research, creating and finalizing lists of actors as well as actor profiles based on the finalized methodology;
4. Liaising between the core team and relevant Observatories to coordinate the collection of underlying data and the scoring of criminal groups identified under the “SCAR” framework;
5. Identifying and engaging key experts on organized crime groups, as well as coordinating and overseeing their contributions to the project; and
6. Undertaking any additional tasks arising during the development, research and dissemination phases of “SCAR”.

The Analyst will also contribute to the drafting, editing and design of publications produced by the Index team.

Requisite Skills and Experience

Experience should include:

• Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree in a relevant field, such as criminology, countering organized crime, international relations, or criminal justice.
• Experience in investigations, analysis or research work on organized crime is desirable.
• Ability to identify information gaps, research, synthesize information, develop analysis and write on tight timelines.
• Experience in leveraging OSINT techniques as part of research.
• Native or professional proficiency in spoken and written English, with additional language skills in an UN language a plus.
• Motivated and enthusiastic to work in a fast-paced environment.
• High degree of accuracy, detail orientation, and time management is essential
  

Personal Attributes

• Operationally resilient: you are comfortable running operating with substantial autonomy.
• Detailed oriented: you pay strong attention to detail, keep track of deadlines and ongoing task and are committed to accuracy and thoroughness in analysis.
• A clear writer and communicator: you produce well-written reports/briefs/analytical insights, and are able to clearly communicate requirements and deadlines to consultants and stakeholders.
• Collegiate: you work well as part of regional and global teams, drawing on the support of the core Index team.
• Discreet and trustworthy: you exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive information.

Practical Assignment Requirement - to be uploaded with Application

Pick one of the two assignments below

Option A: Justification for Timor-Leste

Choose one criminal market or one criminal actor type, as defined in the Global Organized Crime Index methodology. Draft a full justification for it in Timor-Leste, covering the period 2025–2026. Your justification should assess the scale, nature and impact of the market or actor in the country during that period, supported by referenced evidence.

Option B: Analytical brief using Index data

Download the Global Organized Crime Index dataset and formulate a focused research question about organized crime that the data can help answer. Your question may centre on a single indicator, a small group of related indicators, or a region. Write an analytical brief of no more than 800 words that answers it, explaining the relationships, patterns or changes over time that you find. You are free to cut, combine and compare the data in whatever way best serves your question.

GI-TOC operates a flexible working environment and encourages staff to achieve a suitable work-life balance and supports professional development and learning.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

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