26.35 EO Op Sec Assurance Manager

Job summary

DBS was established under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 on 1 December 2012, operating from two sites, Liverpool and Darlington. We operate on behalf of government delivering Disclosure functions in England, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, and Barring functions for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

We operate in the complex world of safeguarding alongside our multi agency partners. Safeguarding means protecting people’s health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect.

We provide a service that enables organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors to make better informed, safer recruitment and other decisions. We do this by providing information to enable them to determine whether individuals are unsuitable or unable to undertake certain work, particularly with occupations involving regular contact with vulnerable groups, including children.

DBS has four strategic objectives and four cross-cutting strategic priorities:

Strategic objective one: Customer Experience

We will provide increased reliability, consistency, timeliness, and accessibility of service for our customers, increasing quality and value for public money.

Strategic objective two: Technology

We will drive efficiencies and value for money across DBS and foster a culture of innovation through a modern, stable, secure and accessible technology estate

Strategic objective three: Making a Difference

We will strengthen our reputation as a recognised and trusted provider of public services, and as a source of specialist expertise who actively contributes to safeguarding across the communities we serve.

Strategic objective four: Our People and Organisation

We will make DBS a modern workplace, with a talented and diverse workforce who are empowered to do their jobs and to fulfil their public duty.

Our strategic priorities are as follows

Quality - We will deliver the highest possible quality of products and services, to the highest standard of practice and integrity.

Value for Money - We will achieve optimal value from how we work, where we work, and who we work with, for our customers and stakeholders.

Diversity and Inclusion - We will increase the diversity of our workforce, of the representation in our decision making and service offering, and the inclusiveness of our operations and the services we provide.

Sustainability and Wellbeing - We will look towards increased sustainability in the improvement of our products and services, and enhanced focus on the wellbeing of our people and customers.

Job description

You will be part of a high performing Security team which ensures the secure delivery and operation of the technology and online products that underpin our citizen facing Services. This is an exciting time to join the organisation at the start of an ambitious change journey as we build our Digital Data and Technology (DDaT) capabilities that will design, build and operate services that are critical to our vision to make recruitment safer by providing outstanding quality of service to all our customers and partners.

The post holder will report to the Operational Security Manager and be responsible for the management of 2 AOs. The role plays an integral part in identifying and ensuring DBS complies with policies and procedures issued by DBS and the wider HO. You will also be responsible for the day-to-day physical security for DBS Sites and the monitoring of various DBS and supplier systems.

As a member of the DBS Security team, you will provide Security support and advice on a number of areas including physical, IT and personnel Security. You will be required to develop strong links to DBS colleagues, Suppliers and other government departments and be able to respond quickly and accurately to requests for urgent and complex information. You will need to have strong organisational skills and be able to manage your own time effectively. The role will also involve working closely with a key suppliers, cyber risk leads, the Data Protection team .You will also be responsible for the Security Teams SharePoint and intranet sites, and reviewing and drafting appropriate security policies. The job role will also require regular access to DBS sites sometimes outside of core hours. Some overnight stays will also be required when supporting the Operational Security Manager on site visits.

Corporate Duties:

• Manage the Security Team inbox, ensuring prompt responses while delivering clear, professional advice to DBS and suppliers through digital and face-to-face engagement.
• Responsible for maintaining the team document and template library including version control, templates, and associated links
• Supporting line manager (HEO) in regular and ad-hoc security initiatives/meetings
• Reviewing operational documents and providing comment from a security perspective.
• Overseeing the security clearance process, liaising with Home Office Security teams and suppliers.
• Overseeing the issue of security passes, access to sensitive areas and the clearance requirements of unescorted visitors.
• Managing compliance with key Information Assurance Frameworks such as the Supplier Assurance framework, and internal assurance frameworks, producing accurate and detailed reports on a regular and ad-hoc basis
• Manage the third-party supplier site audit schedule, while supporting the HEO. The role requires occasional overnight stays.
• Management, development, and delivery of DBS’s Security compliance activities e.g., access assurance checks, email monitoring and file transfer. Responsible for any escalation activity as necessary
• Develop and deliver operational and information security reporting, utilising a range of inputs and tools including Supplier data.
• Responsible for the management of 2 AO’S providing input into the PDR process and regular meetings, supporting development and providing support
• Complete compliance activities to a high standard, proactively identifying issues and escalating them when necessary.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Able to work independently to complete tasks seeking clarification when required
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and promote a positive environment
• Ability to use own initiative to get a job done
• Ability to respond to urgent and complex requests with accuracy
• The ability to engage in difficult discussions with clarity, respect, and purpose, aiming for constructive outcomes
• Ability to connect with colleagues, suppliers and other organisations a positive, professional, and proactive manner
• The ability to engage in difficult discussions with clarity, respect, and purpose, aiming for constructive outcomes
• Able to provide excellent customer service to colleagues of all grades
• Experience of working in an assurance-based environment ensuring compliance, accuracy, and timely escalation of issues
• Experience of document reviews and managing review cycles
• Excellent decision-making abilities in a dynamic and challenging environment using knowledge and process and considering impact
• Strong interpersonal skills to build and foster collaboration with colleagues, suppliers, and other external teams
• Experience in building and maintaining effective relationships across multiple teams both external and internal
• Must be competent is using Microsoft word, excel and all standard office applications
• Demonstrates the ability to prepare precise and comprehensive reports, even under tight deadlines, and present them in a clear and appropriate format
• Skilled in data entry, formatting, and basic spreadsheet functions

Desirable Criteria

• Problem solving skills
• Ability to work with colleagues, suppliers and other stakeholders
• Line Manager experience
• Knowledge of working in an operational security environment.
• Experience in managing SharePoint sites

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,993, Disclosure & Barring Service contributes £8,978 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The DBS offers a number of excellent benefits for its employees. These can include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Excellent maternity, paternity and adoption schemes (after a qualifying period)
• Commitment to the health and wellbeing of our employees
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Flexible working opportunities
• Eyecare voucher scheme
• Occupational Health Service including referrals for counselling and physiotherapy
• 24/7 Counselling and Wellbeing Service
• A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

The DBS vision and purpose is to make people safer by being a visible, trusted and influential organisation, providing an outstanding quality of service to all our customers and partners, where our people understand the important safeguarding contributions they make and feel proud to work here. To do this, the DBS is committed to being an employer that is able to attract, develop, retain and engage diverse talent that is representative of the communities we serve, and to be an organisation providing outstanding service to all our existing and new customers, who are diverse and have a range of different needs. We want all our staff to be able to bring their ‘whole self’ to work.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

As part of the recruitment process the Disclosure & Barring Service will conduct a behaviour, experience and strengths based sift exercise and interview process

To apply for this post, please provide a suitability statement of no more than 500 words, outlining how your skills, experience and qualifications meet the requirements of the role, including all essential and desirable criteria and the key responsibilities. You will also be asked to provide 250-word statements showcasing each of the following Civil Service Behaviours.

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

For all candidates who are successful at the initial sifting stage, you will be invited to interview. The interview will be a face to face, panel-based interview.

The aim of the panel interview will be to assess your ability to demonstrate the following behaviours:

• Changing and improving
• Managing a quality Service

Recruitment Timeline:

The following timetable outlines indicative dates. Please note, these dates may be subject to change without prior notice.

Closing date: 13/04/2026 at 10.00am

The initial candidate sift is due to take place week commencing 13/04/2025

Interviews are due to take place week commencing 20/04/2025

Whilst we will endeavour to provide some flexibility with regards to dates wherever possible, it is unlikely that we will be able to offer an alternative date once an appointment has been scheduled

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

You must meet the security requirements before you can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

For meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Whilst a lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance, and expectation of UK residency may range from 3 to 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for the role may result in the withdrawal of provisional jobs offers.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : DBS People Support Team
• Email : DBSPeopleSupportTeam@dbs.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSPeopleSupportTeam@dbs.gov.uk

Attachments

1. Success Profiles Candidate Overview Opens in new window (pdf, 635kB)DBS Job Description- Assurance Manager Opens in new window (pdf, 299kB)