Job description
2nd October 2023 at 23:55
House of Commons
The House of Commons is a unique and exciting place to work right at the heart of the UK's thriving democratic system.
Behind the scenes, the House of Commons Service is made up of more than 3,000 employees who support and facilitate the smooth day to day running of the House. They provide professional services to Members of Parliament, their staff, and the wider parliamentary community.
Staff Benefits
In addition to your salary, we offer an attractive range of benefits including:
- 30 days’ annual leave (increasing to 35 days after first full leave year).
- Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%.
- Access to training and development.
- Flexible working.
- Interest free season ticket loan and bicycle loan.
Introduction
We have several Security Officer roles available for individuals who are looking to work in a fast pace environment where you will deal with a wide range of potential security risks which may arise in a complex and diverse organisation.
If you are looking for this type of career path and have a good understanding of security policies and their practical application in the workplace, we would love to hear from you!
The Parliamentary Security Department (PSD) is responsible for physical and personnel security across both Houses of Parliament and provides support to Members and staff when away from the Estate. Its purpose is to keep Parliament safe and open for business.
PSD sets security strategy provides expert advice and delivers an operational service. It does this in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and by working closely with the In-House and Strategic Estates teams, Serjeant at Arms and Black Rod’s office, the Restoration & Renewal programme, the Parliamentary Digital Service, and other key stakeholders.
The Role
We are seeking to recruit our next cohort of Security Officers to meet our departmental aim of maintaining a safe, security and accessible Parliament, free from disruption. Please be aware that you do not need prior security experience to become a Security Officer at Parliament – all training required for the role will be provided.
Security Officers are responsible for controlling access to the Parliamentary Estate which will include searching and screening visitors, vehicles, and specified premises to prevent or trace prohibited items. As Parliament has over 1 million visitors per year, ranging from the public to high-profile guests, this role requires postholders to be confident in delivering excellent customer service and interacting with diverse groups of people in high-pressure situations.
Skills and Experience
We are looking for individuals who will bring excellent analytical skills to identify, analyse, and act safely on potential security risks. You will have the ability to make clear and sound decisions independently when under pressure to ensure a successful solution is applied.
You will have the ability to gather relevant information to fully understand an issue and use that information to identify problems and draw logical conclusion. You will need good prioritising skills to ensure that all incidents are reported in an effective and efficient manner with an appropriate and professional audit trail.
The next steps
If this opportunity sounds right for you, please submit a supporting statement, providing clear evidence on how you meet Criterions 2 and 3 on the Job Description. Please submit your statement via the House of Commons portal.
Please only apply once you have read and understood the eligibility requirements.
All criteria will be assessed at Assessment and interview stage. See below assessment and interview dates that you will be required to attend:
Closing Date for applications: Monday 2nd October 2023
Assessment Days: 12th 13th 14th 15th October 2023
Interviews: 12th 13th 14th 15th October 2023
Please note that any applicant that is successful through the assessment and fitness test will be interviewed on the same day.
The salary is inclusive of a 30% Shift Disturbance Allowance of £7,791 per annum. The allowance may change dependent on business needs.
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