Security Investigator (RSO) - All Interested Applicants

Role Overview

This position sits within the U.S. Embassy’s Regional Security Office in Nairobi, where the investigator performs sensitive inquiries into personal suitability, fraud, and employee misconduct on behalf of U.S. government agencies under the Chief of Mission. Day to day, the role involves interviewing subjects and references, coordinating with senior Kenyan police and security officials, and advising on threats that could affect embassy personnel, facilities, and official travel. The work directly supports a security certification process for locally employed staff and helps keep an embassy community of over 2,000 people safe in a high-risk environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Process background investigations through the RESOLVE vetting system, ensuring each case follows Overseas Vetting Guidelines and local standard operating procedures, with thorough interviews of the subject and multiple references including employment and neighborhood checks.
• Serve as the Regional Security Officer’s primary liaison to Kenyan law enforcement, judicial, and legislative bodies, arranging meetings with senior contacts in Nairobi and remote regions to gather intelligence on crime and security conditions.
• Coordinate with Kenyan National Police Service units to provide armed officers for the Ambassador’s personal security detail, including scheduling, travel planning, and facilitating stipend payments.
• Review all official trip requests within Kenya, consult with destination-area police, identify security concerns, and deliver risk assessments that inform mission leadership and front office decisions.
• Investigate malfeasance, fraud, and other misconduct by locally employed staff as directed by the Regional Security Officer, and compile statistical data on crime, political violence, and terrorism nationwide.
• Conduct hotel surveys for Chief of Mission traveler use and support the residential security team with home surveys, monthly radio checks, and response to residential alarms in locations such as Kisumu.
• Act as deputy to the Senior FSNI and assume the senior investigator role when directed, including managing casework and liaison duties in their absence.
• Support security for U.S. government dignitaries and coordinate with the Ambassador’s bodyguard detail on protective operations during official events and travel.

Requirements & Qualifications

• A minimum of five years of professional experience in law enforcement, military service, private security, or investigations is required.
• At least two years of university study in international relations, security studies, law enforcement, legal affairs, or a closely related field is required.
• Must be able to obtain and hold a U.S. government security clearance as a condition of employment.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain relationships with senior host-government police and security officials, and to work effectively across cultural and institutional boundaries.
• Strong interviewing and investigative skills, including the ability to assess credibility, verify references, and document findings accurately and promptly.
• Practical knowledge of threat assessment, travel security, and the security environment in Kenya, particularly regions affected by ethnic violence or terrorism.
• Proficiency in compiling and analyzing crime and security data to produce clear, actionable reports for senior leadership.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment under pressure, and handle sensitive information with discretion.