Fancy Yourself As A Bit Of A James Bond? MI5 Are Hiring

Every bloke deep down fancies himself as a bit of a James Bond, but for the vast majority of us it will never be anything more than a fantasy.

However, if you think you have what it takes, you could be in with a chance of making the dream a reality...well, kind of.

MI5 are hiring a new member of staff and you can apply for it right now.

The spy agency describes the job as a route into a "career like no other", but successful applicants won't be rappelling down from helicopters in tuxedos, or assassinating rich villains at cocktail parties, given that the opening is for a finance officer. Still though, foot in the door and all that.

Credit: Columbia Pictures

The salary isn't too shabby either; the successful candidate will walk away with a cool £46,860 a year for the Belfast-based role.

So, what can you expect?

"It's our mission to keep the country and its people safe," the job notice reads. "Not only does it make working here rewarding, it also provides a variety unlike anywhere else.

"Combined with our supportive and flexible working environment, it's the reason most of our people stay for a substantial part of their careers.

"This is an opportunity to work within a unique finance community, providing dedicated support and ensuring we make the most of our resources.

"We will help develop your personal, professional and technical skills, through both internal training and external courses.

"Embedded within our finance community, you will help make sure money is managed effectively. It will also be your responsibility to support colleagues and managers through the monthly finance cycle, ensuring financial data is complete and accurate.

"You will meet with cost centre managers to determine and challenge future financial forecasts and provide accounting advice to customers."

Hmmm, it's not exactly explosions and excitement, is it? But the good news is you might actually be qualified to do it.

"To apply, a finance qualification (or willingness to work towards one) would be an advantage, although not essential if you have relevant experience or an aptitude for financial management," MI5 explains.

"However, it's vital you enjoy building strong relationships with partners and customers, sharing advice to inform spending decisions and manage financial risks.

"As a creative thinker you will generate innovative solutions. You will be able to apply theory and technical skills on a pragmatic basis, as well as communicate complex technical information to a range of audiences.

"To apply to MI5 you must be a born or naturalised British citizen, over 18 years of age and normally have lived in the UK for nine of the last ten years.

"You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member, providing that they are British. They should also be made aware of the importance of discretion."

So, you might not get to drive an Aston Martin and get loads of new gadgets, but at least when people ask where you work you'll be able to say MI5. Pretty cool, really.