Deputy Security Adviser

Job summary

About the Government Legal Department

At Government Legal Department we have a vital, single-minded purpose: to help the Government govern well within the rule of law. This is complemented by our exciting vision to be an outstanding legal organisation, committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism and a brilliant place to work where we can all thrive and fulfill our potential.

Our work touches almost every aspect of public life. We are the largest provider of legal services across government, working on high profile matters.

Our respected professionals are involved in everything from regulation and litigation to advice on drafting legislation. They provide expertise to the full range of government departments. We are at the heart of delivering the government’s priorities and our success depends on our people.

GLD is a non-ministerial government department headed by the Treasury Solicitor, our Permanent Secretary, and employs nearly 4000 people, including nearly 3000 legal professionals. We have offices nationwide, in Bristol, Leeds, inner and outer London and Manchester. Our lawyers can also be located within other departments and overseas.

GLD also depends on a range of cross-functional professionals to provide our corporate services. There are nearly 1000 colleagues playing an essential part in helping GLD to achieve its purpose and truly deliver much more than law.

This is an exciting time to join GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service.

To find out more about what we do you can view our introductory film. On our website you can hear from team members, find out how to apply and learn about the benefits of working for GLD. You can also read more about the future vision for GLD in our GLD Strategy 2024 – 2027.

Job description

About the Finance Operations and Digital Directorate

Finance Operations and Digital Directorate provide a range of services in support of GLD. The teams within our Directorate are wide-ranging and include all aspects of Finance (planning, procurement, and financial management), ICT and Operations (Security, business resilience, health & safety, records management & facilities management, future accommodation, ways of working and data protection). Whilst the work we do is varied, we share a common aim, to provide the support necessary to enable GLD to be the best in the business. In the Finance Operations and Digital Directorate, we get things done and will always aim to provide a professional and efficient service.

From managing day to day services to delivering key projects, the Operations Division is a key component that enables GLD to fulfil its wider role in providing legal advice to Government. You will be joining a division rich in diversity and specialist skills, whose wide-ranging portfolio includes Accommodation, Business Continuity & Resilience, Data, Information Protection to Security and Ways of Working. Some of our key achievements in recent months have included the delivery of GLD’s long term accommodation strategy by expanding outside of London and moving into state-of the-art facilities across the regions, working to create and adopt the first ever Sustainability Strategy as part of the “Greening Government” commitments, to working alongside Cabinet Office in adapting security frameworks amidst emerging conflicts and threats.

Our colleagues are the core of what we do and who we are. We offer several training packages and development plans in order to equip our staff with both specialist and transferable skills that will enrich their careers, whether within GLD or the wider Civil Service. We hope that you consider submitting an application.

The Role

The role of the Deputy Security Adviser is to support the Security Adviser for the Law Officers Departments to ensure departmental security requirements are being met and provide ongoing monitoring of services delivered by external providers, such as the Protective Security Centre.

The post holder will be expected to:

• Provide operational leadership to the Protective Security Team, creating an inclusive and effective team that is set up to meet the needs of GLD.
• Develop and implement a protective security risk management programme at GLD.
• Further develop and deliver a Security Education and Awareness programme, fostering a successful security culture within GLD.
• Investigate serious security incidents, making sound decisions and recommendations, alongside implementing lessons learned.
• Management of National Security Vetting activities for GLD and, as appropriate, third-party legal counsel. Acting as an intelligent customer in the department’s relationship with its vetting providers, PSC and UKSV.
• Overall management of GLD’s high security areas. Acting as liaison with third party agencies to ensure that all areas, users and associated systems maintain their accreditation.
• Provide ad hoc advice, briefings and updates to senior colleagues.
• Build and maintain a network of security partners across government, national technical authorities and within industry, with a goal to share best practice.
• Maintain an in-depth knowledge of the Cabinet Office physical and personnel minimum security standards to ensure that the department remains compliant with those standards.

Person specification

Behaviours

Below are details of the Success Profiles that make up this role. Demonstrating all the behaviours listed below is essential at either application or interview. You can read more about Success Profiles and how they are used as an assessment method before completing your application.

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

• Seeing the big picture
• Leadership
• Working Together
• Managing a quality service

Experience

Essential – must be demonstrated at application and interview

• Show practitioner level skills in relation to personnel and physical security and risk management.
• Show working level skills in relation to protective security and threat understanding.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, able to clearly articulate recommendations in briefings, papers, and presentations.

Technical Skills

Essential – must be demonstrated at application and interview

• Show practitioner level skills in relation to protective security in government
• Show working level skills in relation to risk understanding and mitigation
• Have an awareness of the local threat environment and the ability to inform and provide context for wider activities

Qualifications – Essential Criteria

• Membership of Security Institute or recognised security institution or body.
• Relevant Government security qualifications or accreditations e.g. NPSA courses.

Security Clearance Level

If successful for this post you must hold, or be willing and able to obtain, SC level security clearance. You cannot start your position until you hold this clearance level.

• You must be willing to obtain DV security clearance once in post. This role will require the post holder to be inducted onto the STRAP regime. STRAP is a regime that regulates access to sensitive intelligence material which requires more protective handling than is afforded by the standard arrangements for government assets. To be eligible to apply for STRAP, applicants must hold Full UK Nationality or A dual/multi-nationality, subject to one part being British and the other part to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Clearance also typically requires a 10-year, verifiable UK-based footprint, where individuals have not been out of the UK for more than 6 months. More information can be found about the vetting and clearance levelsbefore completing your application. Please note, this is a reserved post.

Sponsorship and Visas

There is the possibility that GLD can provide sponsorship for skilled workers, as long as they meet the eligibility criteria set down under current immigration legislation. GLD does not guarantee sponsorshipwill be provided or that an applicant will be successful in gaining a skilled worker visa. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that they meet the criteria for sponsorship. They also have the responsibility to notify the Resourcing Team that they require Sponsorship at the start of the onboarding process into GLD. This applies to existing civil servants as well as external candidates.

Qualifications

Relevant Government security qualifications or accreditations e.g. NPSA courses.

Memberships

Membership of Security Institute or recognised security institution or body

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,263, Government Legal Department contributes £16,589 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%

Learning and Development

Benefits of working for the Civil Service

Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead, and you’ll benefit from regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a Civil Service employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits.

Learning and Development at GLD

GLD has a comprehensive learning and development offer for all employees.

We offer a programme of in-person/hybrid and virtual sessions providing learning on profession-specific, soft skills, technical skills, and different topics. We also support colleagues through a range of different professional qualifications.

Cross-Functional Professional

We support all Professions with building their careers and capability aligning with the wider Civil Service offerings for each Profession.

There are also talent and development opportunities offered throughout the year these include:

Senior Leaders and Future Leaders Schemes – cross Civil Service accelerated development schemes.

Beyond Boundaries – cross government development programme designed to help participants develop the knowledge, skills and networks required to build a satisfying and effective career in the Civil Service.

Mentoring and Coaching – we encourage all colleagues to share their knowledge, capability, and experience.

Apprenticeships - We have a range of apprenticeships on offer across all professions with the opportunity for all employees to explore a profession specific apprenticeship to support their development in role.

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, Strengths and Experience.

The Recruitment Process

Application

To apply for this post you will need to complete the online application on Civil Service Jobs. The deadline for this application is Monday 16th March 2026 at 12:00 Midday.

In your application you will be assessed on, the following:

1. An online CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years, as part of the online application form. This will be used to assess Experience.The CV will be scored.
2. A personal statement of no more than 1000 words demonstrating how you meet the person specification essential criteria for Technical Skills and Experience.
3. Please provide individual statements for the following behaviours listed below in no more than 250 words:

• Seeing the big picture (Lead Behaviour)
• Leadership

Application Errors

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, please contact us via: activecampaigns@governmentlegal.gov.uk Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]’.

Selection Process

We will conduct a pre-sift on eligibility. This pre-sift will be conducted on nationality and residency for UK footprint requirements for DV and STRAP clearance and Reserved Posts as per Person Specification requirements on page 7 of the candidate pack. Candidates will be asked questions on their application form regarding nationality and residency for UK footprint. A full check on eligibility will be taken at a later stage. Applicants who do not meet the eligibility and nationally requirements for this role will be rejected at pre-sift. If applicants meet the eligibility and national requirements, they will progress to the sift stage.

After the closing date, the appointing panel shall assess candidates’ suitability for the role based on evidence provided in their application against the behaviours, experience and technical skills outlined in the person specification.

Please note, if a high number of applications are received, we will sift on the Lead Behaviour Seeing the big picture and CV alone.

In the eventuality that there are a high number of applicants successful at sift, GLD may operate a longlist, whereby applicants who have been shortlisted and met the minimum pass mark but are not selected for interview will have their application placed on hold. After the initial interview round candidates on the longlist may be offered an interview, should there still be posts available.

Interview

If you are invited to interview, you will be assessed on your performance in the criteria listed in the Person Specification and strength-based questions. These criteria are:

• Seeing the big picture (Lead Behaviour)
• Leadership
• Working Together
• Managing a quality service

Your interview will take place online.

Offer

The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which decisions are expected to be made, and all shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter.

All communications regarding your application will be made through Civil Service Jobs.

All candidates will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible after the interview. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

We appoint in strict order of merit. If you meet the minimum criteria for this position but are not successful for a post, you will be placed on the reserve list. We may contact you to see if you are interested in a post at the same, or a lower grade, in GLD should one arise.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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 : Alexandra Brown
• Email : alexandra.brown@governmentlegal.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : activecampaigns@governmentlegal.gov.uk

Further information

You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application hasn’t been treated in accordance with these Principles and wish to make a complaint, please contact recruitment_feedback@governmentlegal.gov.uk in the first instance. Please title your email as follows: Job Reference Number – Job Title – Recruitment Complaint. Complaints must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the incident or the decision which has caused the complaint. To fully engage with the issues raised GLD require that you submit evidence of your complaint.

Attachments

G7 Deputy Security Adviser Opens in new window (pdf, 644kB)