Deputy Security Officer

Job summary

ICS

The Integrated Corporate Services (ICS) is a shared corporate service. It provides corporate services (HR, Finance, Digital, Commercial, Security and Estates) across the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT).

Our team of over 400 professionals will be leading the way in how these functions will be delivered in the future. Our ambition is to be the leading provider of integrated corporate services for government and set the standard for quality, efficiency, and innovation in our field.

We offer great working benefits including a world-class pension, flexible working options and a career where your learning and development is taken seriously. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.

Find Out More

You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/desnz-careers/

Job description

Are you interested in joining a high-performing team of security professionals? This is an excellent opportunity for an organised, flexible and motivated individual to develop specialist security knowledge and contribute to a critical service across government.

You will join the ICS Department Security Unit (DSU), a friendly and diverse team with expertise across cyber, information, business continuity, personnel and physical security. The DSU manages and regulates access to sensitive material and plays a key role in supporting secure government operations.

This is an important and influential role requiring strong organisational skills, sound judgement and the ability to deliver a professional service to users. You will become a valued member of the Government Security Profession and will be encouraged to explore the wider security environment a part of your ongoing development.

Alongside your role, there will be an opportunity to undertake the Level 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship, which will develop your administrative services, developing you to become an effective
member of the team and wider Department. A detailed overview of what knowledge, skills and behaviours apprentices can expect to develop can be found at:

https://skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeship-standards/st0070-v1-0

Person specification

Key Responsibilities

This role supports the secure administration and control of the ICS service, helping DESNZ and DSIT staff access sensitive material and facilities promptly, reliably, and securely. You will deliver an efficient, high-quality service to users and act as a key point of contact for related matters.

The key responsibilities of this role are to:

• Manage the secure administration, storage and control of DESNZ and DSIT secure facilities and sensitive material, protecting assets through robust access controls and ensuring facilities and equipment are maintained.
• Build effective working relationships with government authorities, analyse information, establish resilience processes and provide informed guidance.
  
• Manage a busy meeting room booking system, balancing multiple requests and prioritising Ministerial meetings.
  
• Deliver high-quality inductions and professional training to users at all levels, including Director Generals and Ministers.
• Support informational management compliance across DESNZ and DSIT by overseeing the use of security documentation and associated actions.
• Investigate and issue low-level breach notifications to DESNZ and DSIT staff in line with policy.
  
• Manage a busy, administration focused workload with regular customer interaction, including handling frequent and repeat queries, while proactively improving ways of working.

Essential Criteria

We are keen to hear from candidates with a genuine interest in security, including those with transferable skills from other sectors or disciplines.

The ideal candidate will:

• Bring a positive, enthusiastic approach and enjoy working in a small team.
  
• Communicate clearly, take a proactive and customer-focused approached and respond confidently to last-minute requests.
  
• Stay organised, manage competing priorities and balance inbox work with prompt support for in-person customer needs.
  
• Use an analytical approach to make sound decisions, resolve issues and identify improvements.

This role requires Developed Vetting (DV) clearance, so candidates must be willing to complete the DV process.

In order to meet the nationality requirement for access to sensitive material this post is open to UK nationals only. As the post holder will have access to sensitive information, there are limitations on traveling to a small number of countries, and we will undertake security checks as part of the recruitment process.
Applications from candidates with close connections to certain countries may take considerably longer to process or in some cases result in a withdrawal of an offer of employment. Further details will be provided at the conditional offer stage.

This is primarily an office-based role with the opportunity to work remotely for one day per week. We would also need you to reside within a 1.5-hour travel distance to the London office for the provision of emergency assistance as required when on call.

About the Apprenticeship:

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to undertake the Level 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship. The apprenticeship will typically take around 18 months to complete. The Business Administrator Apprenticeship will focus on developing individuals' administrative services, whilst encouraging the apprentice to support and engage with wider parts of the team and wider organisation.

A detailed overview of what knowledge, skills and behaviours
apprentices can expect to develop can be found at: https://skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeship-standards/st0070-v1-0

Apprenticeship & role eligibility requirements:

As there is an opportunity to undertake an apprenticeship, there are additional eligibility requirements to consider before applying. To undertake the apprenticeship, the candidate will need to be:

• Living in England
  
• Not in full-time education
• Have achieved or be willing to work towards as part of the apprenticeship Level 2 Maths and English or equivalent
• Not hold a higher qualification in a similar area as the apprenticeship (for example, a Master's Degree in Business Administration). If you hold qualifications at Level 3 or higher, please check your qualification with the vacancy holder.
  

Due to the nature of the clearance needed for the role, this role is only suitable for individuals aged 18 or over.

Desirable Criteria

• Work collaboratively across teams and departments, supporting others' development where appropriate.
  
• Build effective relationships, engaging and negotiating with key stakeholders and staff at all levels.
  
• Promote strong staff engagement and demonstrate high standards of security behaviour, with the ability to develop and follow security processes and policies.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Changing and Improving

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,835, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £10,091 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.

Office attendance

The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.

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.

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test and a Civil Service Numerical Test' If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 8th October 2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Online Test Maintence

You will be directed to the Talogy - True Talent – Scheduled Maintenance Window Webpage for online tests during an outage.

Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between 4pm and Midnight on Sunday 27th September 2026. You will be unable to access tests during this period.

If you are in the middle of a test when the maintenance begins, your progress will be paused. You will be able to resume your test from where you left off via your application centre once the downtime has ended. Please note that you will not be able to launch any new tests while the system is offline.

Applications will be sifted on behavioural statements and personal statement.

Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behaviour statement - Managing a Quality Service, only.

The interview will consist of behaviour and strength-based questions.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DESNZ Candidate Guidance. A DESNZ Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.

We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Candidates who meet the minimum benchmark may be placed on a Reserve List for consideration for similar roles, including those at a lower grade. Candidates who narrowly miss the benchmark and are not placed on the Reserve List may still be considered for an offer in a similar role at a lower grade.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

DESNZ does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

DESNZ cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DESNZ holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Who can start an Apprenticeship?

To start an apprenticeship, you’ll need to be:

• 16 or over
• living in England
• not in full-time education

You can apply for an apprenticeship while you’re still at school but you’ll need to be 16 or over by the end of the summer holidays to start the apprenticeship. Please note if successful you must be 16 or over to undergo the relevant security checks.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Sophie Milburn
• Email : sophie.milburn@ics.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : desnzresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance DESNZrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints

Attachments

DESNZ TCs v1.2 Opens in new window (doc, 174kB)