CSOC HQ Security Assurance

Job summary

Cyber & Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) generates and operates specialist capabilities, ready to fight across all domains to make the UK secure at home and strong abroad.

Always on, we are across every UK operation, delivering the capabilities you don’t usually see—or those you can’t.

From cyber warriors and medics to intelligence analysts, special forces, educators, and Defence attachés, our collective expertise delivers the warfighting edge Defence needs to deter threats and secure the nation today, and prepare for tomorrow.

CSOC unites Defence’s cyber and specialist capabilities under a single, military command alongside the Royal Navy, British Army, and the Royal Air Force - acting as the UK’s fourth Military Command. For more information, please see here.

CSOC 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.

CSOC 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. It has a unique structure, with a Headquarters working above, and with, a number of subordinate organisations, including Permanent Joint Headquarters, Defence Intelligence, and MOD A Block. CSOC 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 security issues/ risks and highlight non-compliance and vulnerabilities to enable the effective management of risk.

Protective Security specialists employed on CSOC Assurance Teams provide direct support to commanders, through the completion of security surveys, inspections and the provision of specialist security advice in support of CSOC 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 CSOC HEO Security Assurance Team Operator will direct report 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 is Northwood HQ but TACOS are such that role holders will work from home addresses prior to and post remote tasks, but are not designated as home-working. The role requires a significant amount of UK and some overseas travel with remote stays away up to circa 4 weeks in duration on larger tasks. On overseas tasks this will include being away at weekends as return weekend travel is often not feasible and is not funded. 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:

Delivery of the Assurance functional output. You will deliver of a range of security assurance activity supporting PSyA, Command/ Corporate STRAPSOs and Heads of Establishment at varying levels of complexity including:

CNI Surveys

STRAP Protective Security Surveys

STRAP Protective Security Inspections

SAP Assurance

Protective Security Assurance Visits

Bespoke Assurance Tasks as required

You will 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.

Work with all relevant stakeholders to identify, develop and recommend proportionate and cost effective mitigation's to reduce risk. Deliver follow-up activity to support mitigation strategies and monitor/ upwardly report on progress.

Engage with the PSyA Assurance coordinator to programme efficient and focused activity in-line with Command priorities.

Manage personal travel, accommodation, and expense arrangements in line with the relevant travel and subsistence policies.

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.

Handle, store and dispose of classified documents/ IT equipment in accordance with MoD Policy. Ensure compliance with all WfH behaviours across all platforms provided.

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

JSP 503; The Defence Manual of Resilience

Person specification

The Assurance Team HEO 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.

The Assurance Team HEO will:

• Be flexible, self-motivating and a team player.
• Personal circumstances will enable undertaking protracted stays away from home in the UK & overseas bases.
• Have enthusiasm for security.
• Be able to work with autonomy, initiative, accurately and calmly in a fast-paced environment
• Be suitably qualified and experienced to execute all assurance tasks required in the role.

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.

Licences

Full UK DVLC

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Protective Security - Practitioner Level
• Applied Physical Security - Practitioner Level
• Risk Understanding and Mitigation - Practitioner Level

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,720, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,927 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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 employer contribution of 28.97%

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, Experience and Technical skills.

All applicants must provide a CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

All applicants must provide a statement of suitability of no more than 250 words. This statement should describe how they meet the requirements of the role.

Sifting will take place using the CV and personal statement only.

If selected for interview you will be assessed against the following Civil Service Success Profile Behaviours and Government Security Profession Skills:

Behaviours:

• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

Technical Skills:

• Protective Security - Practitioner Level
• Applied Physical Security - Practitioner Level
• Risk Understanding and Mitigation - Practitioner Level

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 : John Lane
• Email : John.lane641@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

Government Security Profession Career Framework Opens in new window (pdf, 18kB)EXTERNAL PACK Opens in new window (pdf, 16kB)CSOC Candidate Pack 2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 1777kB)Document in 26-06 Defence Internal Brief notice for inclusion of all adverts and issued alongside Posting Notices_O Opens in new window (docx, 25kB)