Head of Security Vetting (Operations)

Job summary

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department, we operate on a scale that is almost unmatched anywhere in Europe and most people in Britain come into contact with us at some point in their lives.

The DWP Vetting Team, part of the Personnel Security and Insider Threat Monitoring Team, provide the National Security Vetting (NSV) service for all staff and contractors whose roles attract NSV in DWP.

Job description

The Head of Vetting (Operations) role sits within the Personnel Security and Insider Threat Monitoring Team. This Grade 7 post will lead the Department’s National Security Vetting Team. Ensuring that a robust vetting service is provided to DWP. This is an exciting time to work on this team as we are looking to enhance the vetting services delivered within DWP.

The role will require strong stakeholder management and the ability to negotiate with partners such as the Cabinet Office and UKSV (our vetting service provider).

Part of the role involves decision making on the most sensitive vetting cases, including high profile individuals. This requires a high level of personal authority and acumen in handling often very sensitive appeals and personnel discussions with individuals.

The Grade 7 will line manage 2 SEO’s and countersign for 4 HEOs. The team structure is currently being reviewed as we look to develop more effective and efficient vetting services across DWP.

The post holder will be expected to engage and influence at a senior level both internally and across partner organisations.

The post holder will also work with the Grade 6 and 7 Personnel Security and Insider Threat Monitoring leads on a number of other aspects of personnel security, such as maintaining and enhancing plans, processes and policies for managing the insider threat, supporting leak investigations, providing Ministerial Security advice and guidance, providing travel abroad advice to our staff and partners.

Person specification

Lead the delivery of a high-quality vetting service

• Provide visible leadership for the DWP Vetting Team, ensuring delivery of high-quality, customer-focused vetting services that support departmental priorities.
• Drive continuous improvement in operational performance, quality assurance, and service standards across pre-employment screening and review activity.
• Develop and implement measures to improve timeliness, consistency and quality whilst maintaining compliance with government personnel security policies.
• Use management information, quality data and risk indicators to identify trends, address performance issues and improve outcomes.
• Act as the senior owner for information handling within the vetting service, ensuring compliance with GDPR, Data Protection legislation and relevant Government Security policies.

Reduce risk through effective personnel security decision-making

• Maintain oversight of vetting decisions, ensuring risks are identified, assessed and managed appropriately.
• Provide expert advice and guidance on personnel security matters, applying sound judgement to complex or sensitive cases.
• Make and support difficult decisions where security concerns are identified, balancing organisational risk, policy requirements and operational need.
• Ensure robust governance, assurance and escalation processes are in place to protect the Department from insider and personnel security risks.

Strengthen personnel security and national security vetting capability

• Act as a subject matter expert in personnel security, vetting policy and national security vetting processes.
• Ensure the delivery of vetting activity aligns with Government Security Group policy, UKSV requirements and departmental standards.
• Promote a culture of security awareness, professionalism and continuous learning across the team.
• Lead the development of policy, guidance and best practice to improve consistency and decision quality.

Deliver an enabling service through partnership working

• Work closely with Recruitment, HR, Investigations, Digital and Security colleagues to ensure vetting supports effective workforce planning and recruitment outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to simplify processes, improve user experience and reduce delays in onboarding whilst maintaining appropriate security controls.
• Champion the use of technology, automation and digital solutions to improve service delivery, efficiency and transparency.
• Build effective relationships with stakeholders and suppliers to ensure vetting services remain responsive to departmental needs.
• Provide assurance to senior stakeholders on the effectiveness of personnel security controls, ensuring readiness for internal and external audits and the timely implementation of recommendations.

Lead people and organisational improvement

1. Create a high-performing, inclusive and professional team environment focused on quality, accountability and customer service.
2. Develop capability within the team, ensuring colleagues have the skills and confidence to manage complex casework and emerging security challenges.
3. Drive a culture of innovation, continuous improvement and evidence-based decision making.
4. Work closely with insider risk colleagues to improve DWP personnel security maturity.

Essential Criteria:

• Significant experience of leading and improving National security vetting service delivery.
• Knowledge of insider risk principles and the contribution National Security Vetting makes to wider personnel security and insider risk management outcomes.
• Strong understanding of personnel security, pre-employment screening and/or national security vetting processes and associated risks.
• Experience of leading and developing teams to assess, analyse and interpret complex information, applying sound judgement to make proportionate, risk-based decisions
• Ability to analyse complex information and make sound, evidence-based decisions, including in high-risk or sensitive cases.
• Experience of working collaboratively with HR, recruitment, digital and security stakeholders to improve end-to-end services.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate teams, manage change and drive continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the credibility to influence at senior levels.

Desirable

• Experience of working in an investigative environment, analysing and challenging information.
• Experience of delivering process improvement and transformation initiatives, using technology and automation to improve operational effectiveness and customer experience.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving

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

• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,946, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £16,786 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).

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.
• DWP Employee Benefits: Discover what we offer

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.

Stage 1 – Application and Sift

As part of the application process, you will be required to submit:

• A completed application form, including your employment history, education, professional qualifications and relevant achievements.
• A personal statement (maximum 750 words) demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria.
• A 250-word behaviour example on Managing a Quality Service.
• The sift panel will assess your application against the essential criteria, using the information provided in your employment history and personal statement.

Should a high volume of applications be received, a long sift may be applied. In this instance, applications will first be assessed against the Managing a Quality Service behaviour. Candidates who do not achieve the required pass mark will not progress further. Candidates who meet the pass mark will then have their full application, including their employment history and personal statement, assessed against the essential criteria.

A NOTE ON ANONYMISATION

Due to DWP’s use of anonymised recruitment practices it is not possible for applicants to upload/attach a CV; any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form. Please ensure you provide sufficient information to enable the sift panel to make an informed judgement about your suitability for this role.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please include all other information that you would customarily provide when presenting a CV/Personal statement, as the sift panel use this information to assess your application.

DWP operates an anonymised recruitment process. When entering information relating to your employment history you will be asked to remove any personal details that could be used to identify you. This relates to name and contact details which might usually appear on your CV/Personal statement. Failure to do so will result in your application being withdrawn.

Stage 2 – In person Interview:

The interview will be conducted in person at one of DWPs Hub locations.

Please note that DWP will not reimburse any travel, accommodation or subsistence costs incurred in attending interview. Candidates are responsible for any costs associated with their participation in the recruitment process.

The Interview will cover three areas:

1.Presentation

Prepare a 10 minute presentation with supporting visual aid on the topic:

What should an effective National Security Vetting and Personnel Security service look like in a modern organisation, and how would you lead DWP towards that vision?

Please cover:

• The role vetting plays within the wider personnel security and insider risk framework.
  
  
• Your vision for an effective and enabling vetting service.

• Opportunities for innovation, technology and automation to improve service delivery, quality, efficiency and risk management.

• How you would measure success.
  
  
• The key challenges and barriers you would anticipate and how you would overcome them.
  
  
• How you would bring colleagues and stakeholders with you on the journey.

As part of this presentation, candidates will be assessed against the essential criteria and the Changing and Improving behaviour.

2.Behaviours

Two behaviour questions covering:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decision

3.Strength based questions

A series of strength-based questions designed to explore what you enjoy doing, how you naturally approach situations and where you are most likely to perform at your best.

Sift and Interview Information:

Applications will be sifted at regular intervals from the date the posts are advertised, so please apply as soon as you can, do not wait until the end of the campaign. Where there is a large amount of applications a long sift will be completed on the behaviour managing a quality service.

Sift and Interview dates to be confirmed.

Further Information​

At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

• If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health).
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

Disability Confident Scheme

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Reasonable Adjustments

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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.

Integrity, plagiarism and Civil Service Principles

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles.

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.

Examples of plagiarism can include:

• Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own
• Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks

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

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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.

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

Important

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

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.

Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWP’s Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.

Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.

Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

Any move to DWP 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 the Childcare Choices Website.

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

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

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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 : Steve Woollett
• Email : Steve.Woollett@dwp.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: HR.BUSINESSASSURANCE@DWP.GOV.UK.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview Opens in new window (pdf, 635kB)_DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 17kB)