Army Defensive Cyber Security Operations

Job summary

Step into the future of warfare with the Digital Security & Intelligence Directorate, where data drive decisions and digital dominance define victory. We lead Strategic data management, intelligence, and cutting-edge technology, to deliver the tools that give the Army a decisive edge on the modern battlefield.

As part of our mixed military and civil service team, you will be at the forefront to the Army's efforts to secure the Army's Digital network, safeguarding data, and ensuring information integrity in a rapidly evolving digital battlespace. Working with state of the art tools, including AI, advanced analytics, and next gen tech, helping the Army out think, outmanoeuvre, and outpace its adversaries.

In the Digital Security & Intelligence Directorate, you will turn that vision into reality. From strengthening cyber resilience to driving digital transformation on the frontlines, your expertise will shape the Army's future. Collaborating with a diverse network of experts, deploying innovative strategies to maintain the Army's dominance in an increasingly contested information environment.

This is more than just a job - it's your chance to redefine digital defence, push the boundaries of innovation, and directly contribute to the Army's operational effectiveness.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

This role works within the inclusive and innovative Cyber & security Team, led by a Senior Civil Servant it has a diverse and highly capable workforce. An exciting job role exist in the Cyber Security Team as the Defensive Security Operation Leads. This is an excellent opportunity for professional development and career progression, both in technical delivery and management perspectives.

You will be responsible for formulating, cohering and executing the Army's response to a cyber event impacting the Army's Digital Enterprise, in conjunction with other stakeholders on behalf of the Army's Principal Security Advisor and Senior Risk Owner/Chief Information Security Officer. This will involve reviewing and developing existing response plans, based on lessons identified, testing them in tabletop exercises and wargames, and when an operation response is required to an incident, take the lead for the Army response, typically looking across the organisation up to Senior Leadership and into Defence.

Secure behaviours play an integral role in protecting both the UK, and our Armed Force, against external and internal threats. In this role you will also become a member of the Government Security Profession, and there are further opportunities for continued professional development.

If you are a strong communicator able to engage with stakeholders across government, work efficiently and at pace, across multiple IT systems and security classifications, we need you. Appropriate training course will be provided to ensure the you have the skills and knowledge required to perform in this role.

We are looking for a talented and motivated individual, able to lead a team and where necessary operate individually to ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability of Army operated data systems. You must be comfortable engaging with wider Defence, Government, and industry, occasional travel within the UK will be required but this will rarely demand overnight stays.

Role Responsibilities:

• Lead the Army's operation response to cyber events that affects the Army Digital Enterprise. Including the direction and co-ordination of response by system managers and owners.
• Lead the engagement to support all stakeholders engaged in the Army's supply and contract chain, in the event of a cyber event.
• Develop and cohere Army Incident response plans based on emerging threats, organisational changes and the lesson identified from previous events and operations.
• Deliver tabletop exercises, workshops and wargames to test response plans and inform the Army Senior Leadership Team.
• Coordinate the Army's Cyber intelligence requirements and leas on the dissemination of cyber threat intelligence to ensure stakeholders are threat informed.
• Line management Of Military Defensive Cyber Security Post.

Person specification

Essential Skills Required:

• Relevant work experience in Cyber and Network Security Operations
• Comfortable engaging with wider Defence, Government, and industry.
• Ability to work with diverse internal and external stakeholders and build strong relationships
• Highly organised and able to deal with multiple requests/priorities with competing deadlines
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to display a positive and professional attitude.
• Good judgement and strong interpersonal skills are required
• Ability to work under pressure.

Desirable Skills:

• Experience of working in Security, Risk Management, Cyber
• Experience of performance management and lessons analysis
• A formal relevant certification, but not limited to the CISM, CISSP, Degree, HND, HNC, or extensive relevant work experience
• Membership of one or more recognised Professional Security Body
• Have previous experience working in a security environment
• Previous experience working in a military environment
• Understanding of the National Institute of Security and Technology (NIST) Framework
• Experience in Cyber Incident Management

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.

Other benefits for Army civil servants include:

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Highly competitive Pension contribution of 28.97%
• Personal and professional development of skills
• Alternative working patterns for many roles
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle
• Enhanced parental and adoption leave
• 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
• Learning and Development

We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking a modern apprenticeship as part of your role.

A modern apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through the schemes available you will gain a professional qualification, practical experience, and the broader skills required to develop in your current role and pave the way for your future career.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

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 Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

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.

At application stage you will be assessed against the following:

• Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history.
• Behaviour - Communicating & Influencing
• Behaviour - Making Effective Decisions

Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted based on the evidence you provide in support of Making Effective Decisions.

Your CV and Communicating & Influencing will only be reviewed if you are successful at this initial sift.

At interview stage you will be assessed against the following:

• Experience - Question based on your CV
• Behaviour - Communicating & Influencing
• Behaviour - Delivering at Pace
• Behaviour - Making Effective Decisions
• Behaviour - Managing a Quality Service

Application sifting will be scheduled to take place within 7 days of the application closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed and will be held in person. We endeavour to keep to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs.

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: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to 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. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It 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.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

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

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.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 : James Gardiner
• Email : James.Gardiner653@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

20220810-EVP-ArmyTLB Opens in new window (pdf, 3851kB)Candidates Information pack Opens in new window (docx, 33kB)Defence Civil Servant Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Resourcing Info Notice Opens in new window (docx, 237kB)