Pathfinder Security Officer

Job summary

The Pathfinder Security Officer (PSyO) is a vital post that supports the safe and secure delivery of operations by ensuring compliance with statutory, regulatory and procedural security requirements. The post holder will provide expert advice and leadership across physical, personnel, document and information security matters, helping to maintain an accredited and secure working environment in which intelligence business can be conducted with internal and external partners.

This role is advertised at 37 hours per week (unless part time).

Job description

You will lead and coordinate security activity across Pathfinder, ensuring that appropriate controls, policies and procedures are in place and operating effectively. The role requires a strong technical understanding of a wide range of security disciplines, together with the judgement to adapt established approaches to unusual or complex situations. You will champion security awareness, influence positive behaviours, and help develop a strong security culture across the site. The role also includes a significant STRAP function, with responsibility for maintaining accurate records, overseeing compliance, and acting as a focal point for STRAP-related matters.

Main Responsibilities:

• Lead on Pathfinder security arrangements to ensure compliance with JSP 440 and wider security policy.
• Oversee protective, personnel, document and information security activity across the site.
• Provide leadership and oversight of guarding and security monitoring arrangements, including contractor interfaces.
• Maintain and review Pathfinder Security Orders to ensure they remain current and effective.
• Promote security awareness, education and behavioural change across the workforce.
• Act as the Pathfinder lead STRAP Security Officer, maintaining records, returns and audit trails in line with policy.
• Coordinate inductions, pre-induction checks, de-inductions and access controls for STRAP material.
• Investigate and report security incidents, while supporting resilience and continuity activity where required.
• Represent the organisation at meetings, contribute to new initiatives, and identify opportunities to improve security processes.
• Line manage and mentor staff as required by the role, while supporting wider team development.

In Defence Intelligence (DI) our people solve problems, create understanding and give perspective to the diverse and complex Defence threats and challenges in a rapidly changing world. Together our civilians and military personnel inform decision making in Defence, manage complex finance programmes and develop new technology.

In DI we believe your unique experiences, view and understanding of the world could provide a vital perspective and contribution to our work. We recognise that great minds do not think alike and are striving to increase our diversity representation at all levels. As an equal opportunities employer we hire, train and promote people based on merit and inspire to create an inclusive workplace free of discrimination. We also offer flexible working arrangements such as flexi-time, job share and compressed hours.

All jobs advertised in DI are subject to fair and open competition.

Person specification

The ideal candidate for the Pathfinder Security Officer role will have strong experience in high-security environments and applying security policy in practice. They will be a confident communicator, able to influence stakeholders, manage risk and competing priorities, and handle sensitive information with accuracy and discretion. Highly organised and resilient, they will deliver against demanding workloads, drive improvements, and use relevant IT systems effectively. Experience in a STRAP environment, line management, or related qualifications would be advantageous.

Essential criteria:

• Strong experience of working in a high-security environment and applying security policy in practice.
• Ability to lead, influence and build effective working relationships across a wide stakeholder network.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the confidence to brief, advise and challenge appropriately.
• Sound judgement and strong decision-making skills, particularly when dealing with risk, incidents and competing priorities.
• Proven ability to organise, prioritise and deliver against demanding workloads and deadlines.
• Experience of maintaining accurate records, managing sensitive information and handling matters with discretion.
• A proactive and resilient approach, with the ability to identify issues and drive improvements.
• Proficiency in IT systems related to vetting and security management, including good knowledge in using Microsoft Office.

Desirable criteria:

• Line management experience.
• Previous experience working specifically within a STRAP environment.
• Formal qualifications or training in business administration, security management, vetting, or risk assessment.

Due to the nature of this role, hybrid working is not suitable; therefore, 100% office attendance is required.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

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

• Personnel Security Adviser. Role level – Principal.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 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).

We offer a range of excellent benefits including but not limited to the following:

• All successful candidates will be eligible to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• Leave entitlement – 25-day annual leave allowance per year increasing by 1 day per year (maximum 30 days per year). In addition, 8 statutory Bank Holidays and 1 privilege day per year.
• Complementing our generous annual leave allowance, we also have a flexible working scheme.
• Additional working pattern options – we have a strong culture of flexible working and encourage all employees to have a healthy work/life balance. We offer a wide range of potential working patterns, including part time, job share and compressed hours. These need to be balanced with business needs so they will vary from job to job. If you would like to know more, please speak to the Recruiting Line Manager.
• Professional Development – We are committed to your continued professional and personal development with learning as one of our core values.
• Health and Wellbeing – for a small fee we offer the staff the use of the exceptional site gymnasium facilities.
• We also offer an excellent range of family-friendly benefits, for example, enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
• Special Paid Leave to volunteer up to 6 days a year
• RAF Wyton has free car parking; and other facilities such as a Sports & Social Club, Gym and onsite shop.

Discover My Benefits
Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD.

https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

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.

Applicants should apply for this role online, via the website.

Assessment at sift and interview will be based on meeting any defined skill/qualification requirements along with a Success Profile element assessment, as detailed in the job advert. The Success Profile elements to be assessed will be outlined within the job advert. The Civil Service Success Profile Framework is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles

At sift, applicants will be assessed on their experience through the submission of a CV and a 500-word Personal Statement.

Experience:

Personal Statement

All applicants will need to provide a personal statement, of no more than 500 words, including evidence of the essential and desirable criteria requested within the job advert.

When completing your personal statement, please read and understand the requirements described in the Person Specification section thoroughly, as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against.

Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. You may choose to address each criteria separately or have examples that cover and evidence several criteria. Please ensure you evidence the requirements and what you have done that relates to the requirements. You don’t have to explain the whole process, focus on what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why, what you can do and the technical and behavioural skills you have that correspond to the requirements, and life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role.

CV

A CV will be required for this position; this cannot be uploaded to the advert. You will submit using the CV template provided on the CS Jobs dashboard in part two of your application, detailing job history, previous experience, and skills.

Applicants should clearly demonstrate experience related to security risk management, managing a secure environment, or relevant transferable skills from non-security roles. This experience should be explicitly linked to specific roles or periods of employment, ensuring it is easy to assess against the requirements of the role.

At interview, applicants will be sifted against the following Civil Service Behaviours and Technical skill.

Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills:

Personnel Security Adviser. Role level – Principal.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be helpful in generating ideas, improving writing style, and increasing efficiency. However, it is essential that any content submitted as part of a job application is truthful, accurate, and a genuine reflection of the applicant’s qualifications and experiences. Any use of AI should be supplementary to your own knowledge and abilities. Ultimately, the application should demonstrate your unique skills and suitability for the role. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.

We would generally expect Behaviour examples to follow the STAR structure and encourage candidates to use this throughout their application.

Application/Interview Scoring System

We adopt a scoring system of 1-7 for Behaviours, Technical skills, and Experience.

7- The evidence provided wholly exceeds expectation at this level

6 – Substantial positive evidence; includes some evidence of exceeding expectations at this level

5 – Substantial positive evidence of the competency or behaviour

4 – Adequate positive evidence and any negative evidence would not cause concern

3 – Moderate positive evidence but some negative evidence demonstrated

2 – Limited positive evidence and/or mainly negative evidence demonstrated

1 – No positive evidence and/or substantial negative evidence demonstrated

The sift should take place within two weeks of the job closing and candidates will be informed of the results, at all stages, via the website. Interview dates are to be confirmed.

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

If the successful candidate does not hold the necessary clearances, they will be made a provisional job offer and asked to undergo our vetting procedures. Once the relevant clearances have been obtained a formal job offer will be made and start dates can be discussed. Should the candidate fail to obtain the relevant clearances the provisional job offer will be rescinded. It should be noted that this process can take several months.

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.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into 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.

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.’

Cyber and Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to design the way in which the new Military Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, posts within CSOC are/or may become subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

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 : NCGI Recruitment Team
• Email : ukstratcom-di-ncgi-recruitment@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

20250905-NCGI Candidate Information Pack - NCGI STN Opens in new window (pdf, 570kB)Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)