Professional Standards Officer

Job summary

The SIA is the organisation responsible for the regulation of private security. It is an independent, arm’s length body (ALB) of the Home Office, reporting to the Home Secretary, under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. The SIA’s purpose Is protecting the public through effective regulation of the private security industry and working with partners to raise standards across the sector. Its regulatory remit covers the whole of the United Kingdom.

The SIA has two main duties: the compulsory licensing of individuals undertaking designated activities within the private security industry and the management of a voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme, which measures private security suppliers against independently assessed criteria.

SIA licensing covers security operatives who are in guarding, door supervision, close protection, cash and valuables in transit, and public space surveillance using CCTV, vehicle immobilisation (in Northern Ireland) and key holding. Licensing ensures that private security operatives are fit and proper persons who are properly trained and qualified to do their job.

Job description

This role will contribute to the delivery of the SIA’s statutory purpose to protect the public by ensuring that activity in all areas of the organisation are proactively and effectively protected from internal and external threats that may impact on the effectiveness of our regulatory responsibilities.

The post holder will report directly to the Professional Standards Manager (who reports to the Director – Inspections and Enforcement) and will deputise as appropriate with responsibilities across the entire Security Industry Authority. This role is held within the Inspections and Enforcement Directorate.

The role holder will support the Professional Standards Manager in proactively championing professional standards across the SIA. This will include influencing culture and raising awareness through projects and initiatives, alongside providing advice and guidance to colleagues at all levels in respect of integrity related matters. This will involve leading, developing and supporting effective governance including risk management to protect the work of the SIA, our staff, and our reputation from a range of threats including fraud, bribery, corruption and integrity related breaches of our policies and procedures.

The jobholder will be required to establish, develop, and maintain strong, positive working relationships with key stakeholders, including SIA Directors, Senior Leadership Team, and Managers. The Professional Standards Officer will liaise with other internal stakeholders within the SIA and staff from areas of UK law enforcement, courts, legal advisors, the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service and other Government departments and agencies, including but not limited to; Home Office, the devolved governments in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Person specification

Essential

• Hold or being willing to work towards achieving the Professionalising Investigative Practice 1 Qualification (PIP). An equivalent qualification will be accepted.

• Experience of undertaking complex, sensitive or high-risk criminal/civil non-compliance investigations with minimal direct supervision.

• Experience in conducting professional standards and/or integrity-related investigations or similar.

• Excellent communication skills and a proven ability to impart information both verbally and in writing at the appropriate level and in the proper format and present to a variety of audiences.

• Ability to exercise discretion in dealing with confidential or sensitive matters, work on their own initiative, be flexible and highly motivated.

• Experience of building and maintaining relationships with internal and external partners and industry stakeholders. Excellent stakeholder management skills and a proven record of delivery of outcomes to customers/partners, influencing and negotiating skills in order to achieve results of high quality. Excellent team working skills.

• Experience of working in an intelligence-led environment and of effectively gathering, recording and analysing information, with good IT skills.

• Experience in identifying and managing risk, both personal and organisational with a proven ability to suggest creative and tactical solutions to issues.

• Ability to draw up action plans in order to carry out effective and impactive compliance/enforcement/investigative activity, whilst being able to identify and manage competing priorities to meet challenging deadlines.

• Flexible attitude to working hours with the ability to adapt to change.

• An understanding and commitment to equal opportunity and diversity and an ability to recognise, welcome and promote individual diversity, both among staff and others.

Desirable

• Understanding and/or experience of the National Intelligence Model, with an interest in integrity related issues.

• Audit and/or assessment experience.

• Experience of home working or remote working.

Licences

drivers licence

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,101, Security Industry Authority contributes £9,299 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• A welcoming and innovative work environment.

• Continued support and development opportunities.

• Access to training for attainment of recognised qualifications.

• Flexible working arrangements.

• Annual leave entitlement will be 27.5 days, rising by one additional day for every two years of service up to a maximum of 32.5 days.

• A variety of discounts including Gymflex.

• Civil Service Pension Scheme – employee contribution between 4.60% and 7.35% and employer contribution between 26.60% and 30.30%.

Office attendance

Hybrid working may be available for this role.

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

Please note: SIA does not utilise success profiles at interview stage.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and 500-word personal statement. Further details around guidance for this is listed on the application form. If you fail to submit all aspects of the application before the deadline of 23:55 on 8th March 2026, your application will be withdrawn.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to outline why you believe you would be an ideal candidate for this role. Please highlight your relevant skills, experience and achievements that align with the essential job requirements.

To help us assess your suitability for the role, please complete the CV incorporated into the application form by providing as much information as possible about your previous work experience and achievements.

Should we receive a large number of applications, they will be sifted on personal statement only.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Interview details will be provided to successful candidates prior to their interview taking place.

Sift and Interview Process:

Sift will take place from 9th March 2026.

Interviews will be held between 31st March-2nd April 2026.

Interviews will be held on MS Teams.

Further Information

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

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

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Visa sponsorship

We do not sponsor individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visas.

If you are invited to an interview, you will be required to bring documentation for the purposes of establishing your identity.

You will need to meet the nationality requirements for this role and obtain the necessary security clearance to take it up.

For meaningful security checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time.

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 sia.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.

Criminal Record Check

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.

Feedback

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.

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

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 : SIA Recruitment Team
• Email : Recruitment@sia.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

Complaints should be submitted to recruitment@sia.gov.uk. If, after investigation by the SIA, the complainant remains dissatisfied, they may bring their complaint to the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

Professional Standards Officer Role Opens in new window (pdf, 167kB)2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)