Deputy STRAPSO

Job summary

The Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) is the UK government’s centre of excellence for maritime security. Its mission is to increase awareness and understanding of maritime security threats and enable cross-government coordination to deliver a whole-system response to mitigate them.

JMSC is a multi-agency, fused military-civil organisation with staff drawn from a host of agencies including Border Force, the Royal Navy, Counter Terrorism Policing, National Crime Agency, HM Revenue and Customs, Home Office Intelligence, the Maritime Management Organisation and HM Coast Guard. It’s responsible for ensuring the UK maintains its understanding of the maritime domain and develops the cross-government coordination frameworks to respond to threats to security, law and order, trade and commerce, and the marine environment.

JMSC offers government departments and agencies a central point of UK maritime expertise and understanding to assist policy and decision making. The JMSC works internationally - with states and with key international organisations - to support information sharing, relationship development and capacity building efforts.

These functions are supported by the JMSC Strategy team, which includes workforce planning, programme management, financial planning and controls, and policy development.

Job description

The Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) Strategy and Policy (Strat Pol) team form the core enabling function within the JMSC, providing critical services to the Operational elements of the organisation. JMSC Strat Pol is formed of three distinct sub teams:

• Policy and Business Resilience (P&BR)
• Security and Data Compliance (S&DC)
• Project Management Office and Finance (PMO&F)

The Deputy STRAPSO is part of the Security and Data Compliance team and will work to the JMSC STRAPSO. You will be responsible for researching security incidents, managing the JMSC SharePoint and supporting the STRAPSO with the above secret systems access.

Responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to:

• Supporting the JMSC STRAPSO in undertaking the STRAPSO and CRYPTO (cryptology) custodian role for the JMSC, including maintaining the necessary accreditation through training.
• Supporting the JMSC STRAPSO by taking responsibility for the receipt and return of cryptographic material in accordance with the Security Policy Framework and Guidance.
• Undertaking regular security audit reports and monitoring system use, investigating and reporting any security breaches or abnormal activity to the JMSC STRAPSO.
• Supporting the wider JMSC Strategy Team in delivering its enabling functions, including support to the knowledge, information and assurance frameworks as well as occasional other duties.
• Undertaking the role ROSA local Information Manager, Trainer and Account Manager roles for the JMSC, supporting effective use of the cross-Government communication system.

Please Note: You will be required to hold DV clearance before starting in the role.

Person specification

Essential criteria

Candidates are expected to demonstrate and/or have experience of the following:

• Sound judgement and decision making, utilising all available information.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders (operational, strategic, internal and external), influence compliance and promote a positive, just culture.
• Experience of building and managing relationships with key stakeholders across organisational boundaries, working collaboratively with internal teams and external partners/stakeholders to achieve shared outcomes.
• Self-motivated, highly organised, efficient, and able to manage many competing priorities in a calm and appropriate manner.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and deliver routine assurance activities.
• Act ethically and with integrity, being able to take difficult decisions when they are needed, always doing the right thing, being impartial and honest.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of relevant government security systems.
• An understanding of cross-Government maritime security work.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing

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

• Working Together

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.

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, Ability and Experience.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

As part of the application process, you will first be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information.

After submission of this first stage, you will be invited to complete the followingCivil Service VERBAL test.

Online Test – by 18 SEPTEMBER 2026

If you successfully pass the VERBAL test, you will be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). If you fail to complete the online test or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.

Guidance for the Civil Service test(s) will be available when you are invited to take the test(s). The online tests are accessed via the Civil Service Careers website.

You cannot complete the tests on a mobile phone or tablet.

Following successful completion of your test, you will then be asked to complete the full application form.

1. Application – by 18 SEPTEMBER 2026

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• Personal Statement (maximum 1000 words).
• Evidence of the Behaviour WORKING TOGETHER (maximum of 250 words per Behaviour).

The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.

For guidance and information on how to construct your application (Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

2. Sift – 21 SEPTEMBER 2026
The sift will be held on the Personal Statement, Behaviour WORKING TOGETHER, as listed in the advert.

An initial sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift that will consist of all the remaining elements submitted Lead Behaviour WORKING TOGETHER.

Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the initial sift will not have their remaining submitted elements scored and will only receive a sift score for that assessed at the initial sift.

3. Interview – 08 OCTOBER 2026

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be Behaviour based questions.

The interview will take place online via Teams.

For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.

Problems during the application process

If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference 477968, at least two working days before the vacancy closes.

Further information can be found on our on our website.

Do not create or attempt to submit another application, online test or use a different Civil Service Jobs account to proceed as this would be in violation of the candidate declaration.

Location preference

You will only be able to select a single location preference so please ensure this is a location that you are prepared to travel to. If you are offered a role at your preferred location and you decline, your application will be withdrawn.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.

The behaviours, have been ranked in order of importance to enable us to differentiate between candidates with tied interview scores.

Standards

All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Integrity Check

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, you will also be subject to an additional Integrity Check, as part of the pre-employment process, to determine your suitability to work for Border Force or Immigration Enforcement. For further information on what this involves, please visit our website.

Additional Security Checks

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks carried out will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.

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.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs

• Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional

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

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.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 : HORCCampaignTeam-BFBSCandPSG@homeoffice.gov.uk
• Email : HORCCampaignTeam-BFBSCandPSG@homeoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles. and you wish to make a complaint, then contact the Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)Candidate_Information_v17_April_2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 207kB)