Personnel Security Vetting Audit Officer (Risk and Capabilities Unit – Directorate of Security) (Ref: 17819)

Job summary

These positions are based Nationally.

Job description

This role sits within the Risk and Capabilities Unit (RaCU) in the Directorate of Security, not the Operational and Systems Assurance Group (OSAG) in the Strategy, Planning and Performance Directorate as detailed in the job description. Any reference to:

• OSAG should be replaced with RaCU
• prisons includes Probation Service also
• Governors includes Heads of Probation Delivery Units.

The Security Vetting Audit Officer role forms part of a newly established Security Vetting Audit Team. The team’s purpose is to provide assurance and drive improvement in security vetting practices across HM Prison and Probation Service, ensuring compliance with national policies, standards and procedures.

The postholder will work under the direction of the Security Vetting Audit Manager and will be responsible for planning and delivering audits of vetting practices, producing clear and evidence‑based findings, and supporting sites to improve practice where required. The role will require a high level of professionalism, integrity and independence, as well as strong organisational and communication skills.

This is a national role, involving regular travel across the HMPPS estate, including periods away from home, and engagement with stakeholders at local, regional and national level. As a new function, the role offers significant opportunity to contribute to the development of the audit framework, methodology and approach.

To achieve a high standard of support and delivery the role requires key skills, knowledge and experience.

Skills (Essential)

• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication abilities, with a confident presentation style and the capacity to engage a diverse range of audiences, including senior management and external stakeholders.
• Organisational Skills: Strong organisational skills, with proven ability to plan, organise, and prioritise multiple concurrent tasks, manage competing priorities, and maintain meticulous attention to detail.
• Analytical Skills: Ability to analyse information, make sound judgements and reach evidence‑based conclusions and effectively present complex information clearly.
• Stakeholder Management Skills: Able to confidently engage constructively and professionally with stakeholders at all levels.

Experience (Essential)

• Experience of producing high‑quality written work for a professional audience.
• Experience of working independently and managing competing priorities.

Desirable

• An understanding of the criminal justice system, particularly prisons or probation.
• Experience in audit, assurance, compliance, inspection or quality improvement (not essential).

Security Clearance

All Risk and Capabilities Unit employees must hold SC level security clearance. For SC clearance you must have the UK footprint of 5 years. More information can be found about the vetting and clearance levels before completing your application.

Presentation, the question will be passed on after sift stage to be passed on to successful applicant.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,151, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £10,472 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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 security check (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 : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0345 241 5358

Recruitment team

• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/17819?entityId=17819