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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

Are you an experienced leader with a passion for operational excellence, governance and public protection? Do you thrive on driving standards, improving capability and ensuring organisations deliver consistently high-quality outcomes?

This is a unique opportunity to join a national regulator in a pivotal leadership role that sits at the heart of operational performance and continuous improvement.

As Head of Operational Assurance, Standards and Capabilities, you will play a critical role in shaping how inspections, investigations and enforcement activities are delivered across the UK. Reporting directly to the Deputy Director, you will provide strategic leadership across quality assurance, professional standards, operational governance, capability development and organisational performance.

Leading a diverse portfolio of specialist teams, you will ensure that operational activity is delivered consistently, lawfully and effectively. From overseeing quality assurance frameworks and professional training programmes to strengthening governance arrangements and supporting the use of investigatory powers, your work will directly contribute to protecting the public and raising standards across the private security industry.

This is a role with real breadth and influence. You will act as a trusted adviser to senior leaders, oversee strategic reporting and performance frameworks, lead stakeholder engagement activity, and help shape directorate-wide priorities. Working closely with government departments, law enforcement agencies, industry bodies and regulatory partners, you will ensure operational delivery remains aligned to national priorities and emerging risks.

We are looking for an accomplished leader with experience operating in complex regulatory, enforcement, assurance or investigatory environments. You will bring expertise in operational standards, governance, audit or quality assurance, alongside the ability to influence at senior levels and drive organisational improvement. Experience working with investigatory powers, professional capability frameworks or performance management systems would be highly advantageous.

You will also be a visible and inspiring leader, capable of motivating geographically dispersed teams, developing professional capability and creating a culture of accountability, learning and continuous improvement.

In return, you will join an organisation with a clear public purpose and a commitment to excellence. You will have the opportunity to influence national policy delivery, shape operational standards across a complex regulatory landscape and make a lasting contribution to public protection.

This is a remote-based national role requiring regular travel across the UK, including attendance at offices in Canary Wharf and Manchester.

If you are ready to lead with influence, drive high standards and help shape the future of operational assurance and capability, we would love to hear from you.

Person specification

Essential

• Experience of working at senior level, project management, demonstrating the ability to plan, prioritise, and achieve high quality results in the context of external and internal constraints such as budget, time, or resources. With the ability to act on behalf of the Director demonstrating the highest level of integrity, leadership, personal resilience, and teamwork, with an ability to see issues from different perspectives and consider pragmatic solutions.

• Experience overseeing operational standards, audit or professional assurance frameworks.

• Experience operating within or alongside investigatory powers governance regimes.

• Demonstrable ability to align operational delivery with national policy priorities.

• Excellent internal/external stakeholder management and influencing skills that support the influencing and negotiating with senior key contacts at senior strategic and operational levels and the ability to deliver changes in individual and organisational compliance behaviour.

• Experience of managing a departmental budget ensuring that multiple departments are fiscally responsible, and efficiency savings can be maximised. With experience of procurement exercises and processes.

• Excellent understanding of the intelligence and investigatory processes, to drive and maintain standards and provide through the application of a quality monitoring framework and the application and understanding of the College of Policing PIP and IPP learning modules.
• Strong leadership and people management skills including performance management, the ability to lead, manage and motivate teams to perform, and gain the respect and confidence of colleagues at all levels.

Desirable

• Knowledge of Private Security Industry Act (2001) and other relevant legislation (CPIA, Fraud Act, PACE, NIM, PIP etc.).

• Audit and/or assessment experience.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex information, in a variety of media and the ability to build rapport with internal and external stakeholders.

• Ability to write detailed reports/updates on existing workstream projects or update on key strategic issues on behalf of the Directorate

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £67,001, Security Industry Authority contributes £19,410 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).

• 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%.

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 5th August 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 6th August.

Interviews will be held on 18th August.

Interviews will be held in person at our London office.

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.

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 /Disclosure Scotland/Access NI 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.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk

National Security vetting

Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Due to business requirements, this role is only available full-time.

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 : sia.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : SIA.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

Head of Operational Assurance Standards and Capabilities JD Opens in new window (pdf, 189kB)2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)