How Sibylline’s embedded services stand out in the security and intelligence sector
FEBRUARY 2024
Our Client Relations Manager, Robert Veldhuizen, explores the unique features that set Sibylline’s Embedded Services apart. A former embed himself, Robert highlights the benefits of our support structure for both our embeds and their clients, as well as our approach to sourcing and retaining top talent.
Sibylline is a leading provider of highly trained embedded staff in the security and intelligence sector, serving organisations across a variety of sectors and regions. These dedicated analysts, managers and consultants respond to clients’ threat monitoring, risk analysis and crisis management requirements, providing tailored guidance and support – often on a 24/7 basis. This crucial function demands a significant amount of support for day-to-day operations, quality control, onboarding, training and personal development.
This is where our Embedded Services team comes in. Positioned within Sibylline’s wider support structure alongside our HR, training and in-house analytical teams, the Embedded Services managers ensure a holistic approach to maximising performance, skills, learning and best practice. They take the time to understand the unique capabilities and characteristics of each embed, connecting them with the right support networks and resources that will help them to deliver a quality service for their clients.
The key areas where our Embedded Services team adds value include:
Talent acquisition: Our Talent Acquisition team allows us to move exceptionally quickly to source the right people at the right time. We maintain an active database of candidates worldwide, many of whom we have worked with on past projects or in their previous employment. While our experienced recruiters are well-versed in the industry and its requirements, our Embedded Services team brings the in-depth understanding of our clients and the ‘ground-level’ context, ensuring that candidate selection is finely attuned to business requirements.
Candidate selection and assessment: Sibylline has a proven and reputable multi-stage candidate selection process. Our Embedded Services team has helped to refine this since the beginning, customising writing assessments for each role and collating years of feedback on client preferences. This instils complete confidence in our clients, allowing them to focus on their priorities without worrying about securing the ideal candidate.
Access to a global network: From our internal centre of excellence, the Intelligence Hub, to our global network of subject-matter experts, the Embedded Services team actively helps our people to collaborate with other teams, an approach which supports analytical benchmarking and the sharing of best practices. I used this network extensively as an embed; one example was sourcing insights within Sibylline on EU privacy policy for a project regarding the client’s potential sources of reputational risk.
Training and development: Our embedded colleagues enjoy tremendous benefits and support. This includes extensive training and mentoring with guidance from our Embedded Services managers to ensure that Sibylline’s high standards are consistently achieved; this also fosters an environment in which people can grow and develop, which substantially reduces turnover rates.
Our own experience: Many of our in-house employees have previous firsthand experience of working as embeds. This lends them a unique position from where they can understand client requirements and staffing factors (including experience, skillsets, aptitude and competency), as well as structural elements such as team dynamics and (both internal and external) career development pathways. These considerations often help us to build compelling cases for proposals or consulting assignments, while also contributing to an authentic and personal connection.
Sibylline’s Embedded Services function positions the company as a unique and leading innovator within the embedded services domain. We are ready to offer clients the best possible solutions to meet their intelligence and security requirements, giving them a powerful decision-making advantage in the face of an ever-changing global landscape.
Robert Veldhuizen, Client Relations Manager.