Security Lead / Deputy Head of Establishment

Job summary

Behind every mission and operation, the Ministry of Defence relies on expert functions to drive our mission forward. From HR, Finance, Legal to Security, Procurement, and Communications, our teams enable Defence to deliver today and be ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

▶ Watch to find out more about what we do.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

In this role, you’ll be joining a small, high-performing team in a new position as STRAPSO, working alongside the Head of Establishment (HOE), overseeing all aspects of security, to ensure compliance with defence strategic intent, policy and delivery of mandated outcomes.

You’ll work to the direction of the Corporate STRAPSO, to ensure appropriate security processes procedures and assurance are in place, to maintain accreditation or gain accreditation of facilities.

STRAP is a regime that regulates access to sensitive intelligence material which requires more protective handling than is afforded by the standard arrangements for government assets.

Working alongside the HOE, you’ll assume some HOE assurance duties (including deputising when required), ensuring sites are maintained to a suitable state and conduct audits/security reviews, across all the sites within the service delivery wrap, and technical audits. You’ll have significant influence over the setting up, and delivery of, new facilities and will work with organisations across Defence to ensure compliance. While you have clearly defined responsibilities, the developing nature of this role provides scope for learning, with a growing portfolio of STRAP facilities.

This job role is not suitable for hybrid working, where an employee works part of the week in office and part of the week from home. It is expected that working from home will be on occasion, determined primarily by business need and other relevant circumstances. If you are successful, this will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, unless visiting part of an oversees audit/assurance review.

Please note that this position is open to sole UK Nationals only.

Responsibilities

• Ensuring STRAP facilities meet STRAP guidelines, local orders are produced and adhered to, whilst controlling the arrangements for the receipt and dispatch of STRAP material (including that in IT systems).
• Responsibility for the administration of a range of STRAP processes on site.
• Assuring and overseeing the work of the contractor’s STRAPSOs, to the authority standards, with respect to the passing of clearances, site access and security procedures and processes.
• Provide advice on STRAP and security matters to all personal delivering the service and visitors.
• Work alongside the HOE to assure the maintenance of facilities to the required standard, holding to account where there are issues.
• Conduct assurance audits and site visits across the delivery estate.

Person specification

Please ensure that your application demonstrates the essential criteria below:

We would expect to see experience of working in a security role within a secure environment, demonstrable knowledge of the security processes, procedures and governance processes or experience in a Head of Establishment/facilities management role.

You’ll also need:

• Ability to collaborate with stakeholders, providing direction and challenging when required.
• Understanding of appropriate security processes, procedures and to maintain accreditation or gain accreditation of facilities.
• Great communication skills, able to identify problems and clearly communicate to both technical and non-technical teams.

If not held already, opportunity may be provided to gain the following when in post:

• STRAPSO qualification

Licences required

• Full UK driving licence.

Additional information

Dependent on the business need, there may be a requirement to travel to meetings within the UK or oversees.

If not already held, successful candidates will be required to undergo DV clearance. We will also undertake additional security checks as part of the recruitment process.

Please note, this position is open to sole UK nationals only.

Licences

Full UK driving licence

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

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).

Our benefits include:

• Learning and development tailored to your role with a dedicated minimum of 5 days per year
• 25 days paid annual leave rising (by 1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of five years’ service
• Ability to roll up to 10 days annual leave per year
• In addition to eight public holidays per year, you will also receive leave for HM The King’s birthday
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• Parental and Adoption Leave
• Discounts on a range of services within and external to the civil service – Defence Discount Service, Civil Service societies for Sports and Leisure, Healthcare, Insurance, Motoring, Company discounts with Virgin, Vodafone, and Microsoft Office.
• In year rewards and ‘thank you’ schemes such as vouchers and gift cards
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Please see Benefits Leaflet for more detail

Equality and Diversity

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. It’s vital that our workforce reflects the diversity of both our audience and the wider society in the UK, so we’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and we actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds and communities. We also recognise the importance of a good work life balance, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including part-time and job shares for all our roles. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process if this is something you want to explore.

Defence operates an organisation model in which every individual belongs to a Government Profession. The successful applicant will be posted into one of the defined Government Professions on Standard Terms of Reference for the grade. Defence Digital reserves the right to move individuals between roles, within their allocated profession, to meet the needs of the business and in support of agile resourcing.

Defence is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way it conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts are/will be 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 transformation programme, Defence 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 personnel and Trade Unions.

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 and Experience.

To apply, please complete the CV template provided on the CS Jobs dashboard. The sift will be conducted on your CV, assessed against your relevant skills, knowledge and experience for the role and on your personal statement.

It is essential that all applicants provide a personal statement (max. 1250 words), which will be assessed against your responses to the questions listed below. Each one will be scored and make up part of your overall score to assess your suitability to be invited to interview:

1. Describe your working experience in a security or HOE role and how you improved the security culture or site environment. Include any of the key changes you made to achieve this effect.

2. Provide an example of when you have had to challenge where standards were not adhered to in the workplace. Please ensure you cover actions taken to recover the issue and how you were able to communicate effectively to ensure stakeholders were kept onside.

Interviews

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

Behaviours

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating & Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Experience

• You will be asked questions about your relevant Security or HOE and assurance experience.

Further information:

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.

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.

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 : Defence Digital Talent Acquisition Team
• Email : ukstratcomdd-hr-talentacqdel@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

DD Candidate Pack 2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 2123kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1563kB)Terms and Conditions of Service 1 Opens in new window (docx, 24kB)Candidate Information updated_ Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)