Security Officer

Job summary

In this role, your calm, friendly presence will be invaluable. Each day, you’ll greet people from all walks of life, including government officials and colleagues from our partner agencies, and guide them through any security processes they need to know. As the first person they meet at GCHQ, you’ll make a great first impression while completing the necessary checks and staying alert to anything unusual.

You’ll be joining a team that’s as supportive as it is experienced. As you learn from your colleagues and develop your skills, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to grow.

Job description

As one of our Security Officers, you’ll be the first point of contact for visitors and staff entering our buildings. Working in a close-knit, supportive team, you’ll anticipate and reduce security risks, making sure our building and everyone in it stays safe.

In our Security Control Room, you and your colleagues will oversee access to the building, carry out physical searches, patrol the grounds, and monitor CCTV. Whether you’re responding to an alarm, giving first aid, or helping a visitor understand security procedures, you’ll always follow our policies carefully and keep clear, accurate incident logs.

Person specification

You’re motivated, proactive, and quick to spot problems before they emerge. Your strong situational awareness means you’re confident in responding to changing situations and making sound decisions under pressure. Along with your friendly manner and people skills, you’re also someone who communicates clearly and enjoys working with others.

You might be coming from a customer-facing role, just starting your career, or simply looking for a fresh challenge. Whatever your background, you’ll bring a can-do attitude and a desire to contribute to vital work.

To apply, you’ll need:

• customer service experience, as you’ll interact daily with visitors, colleagues and partner agencies

• an English Language GCSE at grade C/4 or above, or equivalent experience, which has developed your written and verbal communication skills

• basic IT and Microsoft Office skills to support your incident logging

• the ability to reliably commute for your assigned shift times

You don’t need a high level of fitness for this role, but there are some physical aspects to be aware of. You’ll need to be comfortable operating heavy doors, using stairs or lifts, and carrying out physical search and screening duties, which may include lifting or moving bags and equipment. Foot patrols will take you indoor and outdoors, sometimes over uneven ground and in all weather conditions.

This is a role where you’ll grow and develop over time. You’ll be expected to remain within the security team for five years, but during that period, you can apply for a promotion or explore other roles within the team, subject to readiness and your line manager’s endorsement.

Benefits

You’ll receive a starting salary of either £30,101 or £35,246 (depending on the role), including shift allowances and other benefits including:

• 25 days’ annual leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days’ public and privilege holidays

• opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme

• interest-free season ticket loan (travel and parking)

• excellent pension scheme

• cycle to work scheme

• facilities such as a gym, restaurant, and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
• paid parental and adoption leave.

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

GCHQ are proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Disability Confident scheme. This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain, and develop disabled people. Being Disability Confident, we aim to offer a person-to-person interview to any candidate who self-identifies as disabled and meets the essential criteria for the role. This is our ‘Offer of Interview’ (OOI):

Our recruitment process is fair, transparent and based on merit. Here’s a brief overview of each stage, in order:

1. eligibility sift – You’ll be asked a series of questions so we can determine your eligibility to apply. If you meet the criteria, you’ll be directed to the next stage automatically.

1. application Form and Situational Judgement Test – You’ll be asked a series of Situational Judgement Test (SJT) questions, as well as questions relating to this vacancy.

1. application sift – looking at your motivation for the role, as well as your answers to the application form questions and the results of your SJT.

1. virtual Interview – If you successfully pass the sift, you’ll be offered a virtual interview.

Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 to 9 months to process including vetting, so we advise you continue any current employment until you have received your final job offer.

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

Security

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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.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 : careers@recruitmentteam.org.uk.
• Email : careers@recruitmentteam.org.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : careers@recruitmentteam.org.uk