Senior Security Incident Manager - Army

Job summary

The British Army is one of the most highly regarded and aspires to be the best equipped in the world. It is imperative that we drive forward at pace an ambitious agenda of modernisation and transformation to remain competitive as the world evolves, and ensure we are ready to meet the UK’s security and Defence needs. At the same time, the global threat picture is ever changing and is becoming even more challenging given our adversaries’ intent and capabilities. It is therefore essential that the Army’s capability, technology, information and people remain protected from our adversaries, and this role is key to achieving this.

Step into the future of warfare with the Directorate Digital, Security & Intelligence, where data drives decisions and digital dominance defines victory. We lead in strategic data management, intelligence, counter intelligence, security, resilience and cutting-edge technology, delivering and protecting the tools that give the Army a decisive edge on the modern battlefield.

Do you want to work in the exciting growth area of Army cyber and security, in support of Defence and national security? Through this role, you will have the opportunity to develop a broader understanding of the threats facing the Army across the physical, cyber, technical and personnel domains, and associated mitigations. You will also become a member of the Government Security Profession and, in time, be eligible for corporate membership of the Security Institute, both of which will present you with further opportunities for continued professional development. This is more than a job – it’s your chance to shape security in the Army, making it fit to face the future threat landscape.

Please note: This post is based in Andover, but requires regular travel to Corsham, with the opportunity to work from there on a weekly basis. The branch is reviewing and overhauling its information management practises and ways of working; you will be expected to engage with these efforts, fully adopting changes and making suggestions for further improvement. Regular, pre-planned travel is required. Travel is by MOD vehicles or public transport; there is no requirement to own or have access to a car.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

This exciting opportunity, which sits in the Principal Security Advisor's (PSyA) team, co-ordinates the responses to security incidents and manages security risks. The security of the Army’s assets is vital to achieve its operational and business objectives. Lapses of security can lead to loss of reputation, loss of operational effectiveness and, ultimately, loss of life. The Army Warning, Advice and Reporting Point (WARP) is the single authority for the recording, onward reporting, management, and investigation of all types of security incidents within the Army (Personnel, Physical, Information and Cyber). It acts as the front door into the PSyA team for requests for security advice and is responsible for the dissemination of security and threat messaging to the wider Army.

You will be contributing to the on-going improvement of the Army’s security culture and, as a result, will be provided with the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills and engage with a broad range of staff at all levels of the Army and the wider Ministry of Defence. This role provides an excellent opportunity to gain a wider insight into both the Civil Service and the Armed Forces, and to facilitate personal development, both within and outside the team.

This role includes participation in a 24/7 out‑of‑hours Duty Officer rota. Once fully competent (normally after a minimum of 6 months in post), the post holder will work one week on call, currently one week in every 12. The frequency and duration of on‑call duties may change in line with business needs. During duty periods, the Duty Officer must be able to return to work within one hour, with reliable access to both OFFICIAL and SECRET systems during silent hours. Access does not need to be in Andover, provided it can be reached within the required timeframe. An on‑call allowance is paid for carrying the duty phone, with overtime and night allowance payable for out‑of‑hours incidents.

Key responsibilities:

• Team management – You will be responsible for the management and co-ordination of the day-to-day work of Army WARP, overseeing and line managing 6 case managers based in Andover and Corsham. You will also be responsible for any recruitment activity for those roles, with support from the Army WARP lead.
• Policy and process - Develop and maintain a working knowledge of Army and Defence security policy to support your roles and responsibilities, including helping to develop and maintain the Army WARP Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Help the Army WARP Lead in the development and documenting internal processes, including for the Army WARP Duty Officer.
• Case management - Oversee the triage of incoming security incident reports, onward reporting to relevant stakeholders, and directing relevant parties to take containment and investigatory actions. Responsible for the direct management of, and response to, complex, sensitive or high-profile security incidents, including proving support to Counter Intelligence investigations. You will ensure all policy and legislative requirements are adhered to in relation to the reporting and management of security incidents. Provide guidance on, and oversight of, requests for system logs and digital forensic analysis.
• Security products – Oversee the recording, hosting and dissemination of Defence and Army security products, and the regular updating of distribution lists. You will be required to draft Army security products when appropriate, and to provide advice and guidance to other authors.
• Data – Ensure the accuracy of security incident data, carrying out assurance activity, directing remediation, and providing support as required. You will provide subject matter expert support to training, education and awareness materials, Army and Defence intervention activities and Army Security Culture improvement activities. Produce written and verbal briefs up to Ministerial level, as appropriate. You will be required to gather accurate statistical data in relation to security incident reporting, and support the preparation of responses to Subject Access Requests (SARs), Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, Ministerial Questions (MQs), Parliamentary Questions (PQs) etc. in relation to security incidents, staffing them in accordance with relevant processes. You will be responsible for the overall management of the Army WARP group mailbox, ensuring the team triage, action and file emails in a timely fashion.
• Meetings and relationships - To represent Army WARP at relevant internal and external meetings, in support, or in lieu, of the Army WARP Lead, as required, including presenting educational material in relation to the work of Army WARP. You will also be responsible for building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with other parts of the Army and the MOD.
• Deputise for the Army WARP lead, when appropriate.

Person specification

The role involves working in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, handling a variety of multi-faceted tasks and dealing with conflicting priorities, whilst upholding confidentiality and working across security classifications.

Essential skills required:

• Enthusiastic, self-motivated, flexible and adaptable to changing requirements.
• Ability to deal with sensitive matters and uphold the ‘need to know’ principle at all times.
• Be confident working across the O365 suite of applications.
• The ability to work and make decisions autonomously.
• The ability to understand and interpret multiple data sources.
• Previous experience of managing a team and driving performance.

Desirable skills:

• Previous experience in a security related role or of security related responsibilities.
• Previous experience working in a military environment.
• Previous experience of writing for senior staff.
• Education, training or experience in a cyber related subject / area.
• Training and the chance to build relevant experience are part of the job, but require a self-starting approach, an enquiring mind, and the desire to learn.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,720, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,927 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.

Other benefits for Army civil servants include:

- 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
- Highly competitive pension scheme
- Personal and professional development of skills
- Alternative working patterns for many roles
- Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
- Enhanced parental and adoption leave
- 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
- Learning and Development

We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking a modern apprenticeship as part of your role.

A modern apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through the schemes available you will gain a professional qualification, practical experience, and the broader skills required to develop in your current role and pave the way for your future career.

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.

At application stage you will be assessed against the following:

• CV (including full employment history and details of skills and experience relevant to this post)
• Behaviours
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Seeing the Bigger Picture

Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted based on the evidence you provide in support of Making Effective Decisions.

Your CV and Seeing the Bigger Picture evidence will only be reviewed if you are successful at this initial sift.

At interview stage you will be assessed against the following:

• Behaviours
  • Communicating & Influencing
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Working Together

Application sifting will be scheduled to take place within 7 days of the application closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed and will be held in person. We endeavour to keep to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to 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 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 : Sarah Hannam
• Email : Sarah.Hannam886@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

Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)EXTERNAL PACK Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)20240307-ArmyTLBEVP Opens in new window (pdf, 3932kB)Document in 26-06 Defence Internal Brief notice for inclusion of all adverts and issued alongside Posting Notices_O Opens in new window (docx, 25kB)