UK StratCom Security Assurance Practitioner Northwood, South East England, England
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About the job
Job summary
UK Strategic Command (UK StratCom) Assurance Team positions are part of the Principal Security Advisor (PSyA) department of a busy 4*Headquarters. The demanding and operational nature of the Headquarters means that this role will require a significant level of flexibility and professionalism.
UK StratCom is one of the four front line military commands (alongside Navy, Army, and Air Force) which conducts joint operations and generates, develops, and manages key enablers. It has approximately 22,500 military and civilian personnel deployed across the UK and worldwide. UK StratCom is a 4* HQ and a Top Level Budget (TLB), tasked with developing and preparing an integrated Joint Force for current and future operations. It has a unique structure, with a small Headquarters that works above, and with, a number of subordinate organisations, including Permanent Joint Headquarters, Defence Intelligence, Defence Digital and MOD A Block. UK StratCom also has management and operational responsibility for the Overseas Bases of Gibraltar, Cyprus, the South Atlantic Islands, British Indian Overseas Territory and British Defence Support Unit Singapore.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job description
The role of Security Assurance Team is to identify Physical and other security risks and highlight non-compliance and vulnerabilities to enable the effective management of risk.
Protective Security specialists employed on UK StratCom Assurance Teams provide direct support to commanders, through the completion of security surveys, inspections and the provision of specialist security advice in support of UK StratCom and broader Defence tasks, throughout the UK and Overseas Bases. Role level expectation is to deliver Physical Security assurance processes, including providing audit information to risk owners.
The UK Strategic Command HEO Security Assurance Team Operator will work to the SEO Team Leader delivering second line assurance activity across the UK StratCom estate in the UK and Overseas Bases. This will cover a wide geographical area and a diverse range of assurance activity spanning Def CNI, STRAP, Establishments within the Defence Estate, and leased premises in the public/ industrial domain.
This will result in accurate and timely reporting to identify areas of compliance/ non-compliance, areas of risk, and recommendation of appropriate/ proportionate/ cost effective mitigations.
The Permanent Duty Station (PDS) is Northwood HQ and the positions will be predominately based from home addresses but are not home-working. They require a significant amount of UK and some overseas travel with remote stays away up to several days. As such, a high level of flexibility will be required to support the outputs of the team. Travel and expenses will be in accordance with Defence and Northwood HQ policies.
Responsibilities will include:
1. Conduct a range of security assurance visits supporting PSyA, Command/ Corporate STRAPSOs and Heads of Establishment at varying levels of complexity including:
- CNI Surveys
- STRAP Protective Security Surveys (SPSS)
- STRAP Protective Security Inspections (SPSI)
- Protective Security Assurance Visits (PSAV)
- Bespoke Assurance Tasks as required
2. Deliver unambiguous, timely and accurate reports to the highest professional standard and within set time limits through the Team Leader. Products will reflect the findings of activity, areas of compliance/ non-compliance and risk.
3. Work with all relevant stakeholders to identify, develop and recommend proportionate and cost effective mitigations to reduce risk.
4. Manage follow-up activity to support mitigation strategies and monitor/ upwardly report on progress.
5. Work with Team leaders and the HQ Assurance C2 to programme efficient and focused activity in-line with Command priorities.
6. Manage personal travel, accommodation, and expense arrangements in line with the relevant travel and subsistence policies.
7. Champion continual improvement and proactively seek to develop lessons learned arising from activity, opportunities to improve and, report these to the appropriate CoC or policy teams.
8. Handle, store and dispose of classified documents/ IT equipment in accordance with MoD Policy. Ensure compliance with all WfH behaviours across all platforms provided.
9. All assurance team members are expected to maintain currency with the relevant policies and procedures relevant to the role including:
- JSP 440; The Defence Manual of Security
- Cabinet Office STRAP Supplement
- MOD STRAP Leaflets
- JSP 892; Risk Management
10. All team members are expected to continually develop their professional skills through collaborative working, sharing of best practice and peer review.
- Note – UK and some International travel will be required with stays remote from the parent unit of several days at a time.
Person specification
The successful applicant will have a background in protective security and survey/ audit work – ideally within the MOD.
The Assurance Team Operator will have a proven track record delivering assurance and physical security activity within defence, government, or industry. They will have experience of carrying out Protective Security Advisory Visits, STRAP Inspection activity and other physical security and assurance tasks as required. They will have been formally trained and will have underpinned this with appropriate levels of experience as a practitioner.
The position is Veteran Friendly and would be ideally suited to Service Leavers from the relevant specialisation within the RAF Police and Intelligence Corps.
Licences
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Changing and Improving
- Managing a Quality Service
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Protective/ Physical Security
- Security Surveys
- Experience relevant to the role and indicating the ability to deliver key outputs
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
The post does not offer relocation expenses.
External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.
Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.
Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.
MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – we may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy will use Success Profiles and will assess Behaviours, Experience and Skills.
All applicants must provide a CV and a statement of suitability of no more than 250 words. Sifting will take place using the CV and personal statement only. This statement of suitability should include evidence of the following:
Essential Criteria
- Experience of delivering security compliance, assurance, and policy.
- Experience as a Protective Security Practitioner.
- Experience delivering audit and inspection activity as a practitioner.
- Experience delivering high quality reports appropriate to the audience.
- Proven ability to manage remote working.
- Good level of IT skills and familiar with mainstream MS applications.
- Recognised training and qualification in security assurance or related discipline.
Desirable
- Line management experience.
- Awareness of risk management and Information security.
- Awareness of Defence Security Policies.
- Experience of CS Recruitment.
You will be asked behaviours and skills/ experience based questions at the interview stage if selected to attend. The skills based questions will seek to verify your knowledge and experience relevant to the role. Please refer to the Government Security Profession Career Framework - Physical Security Assurance:
Government Security Profession career framework (publishing.service.gov.uk)
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: [email protected]
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.
The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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