About the job

Job summary

As part of a high performing team within the COBR Unit and National Situation Centre, you will monitor real time events and information feeds, initiating and supporting the first response to crises and events impacting UK interests. You will provide 24/7 shift cover providing an effective, efficient, consistent, quality service to key customers.

This is a unique opportunity to play a crucial role at the centre of government. As one of a team delivering this function, you will play a part in developing the Watchkeeper role; the team is also responsible for enhancing our cross-National Security (NS) crisis processes, training and exercising capabilities.

So you will be committed to leading change, working collaboratively across NS helping to ensure that the role continues to evolve making the most of digital, ICT and other innovations.

Watchkeepers are in a good position to contribute to broader thinking on the role of crisis and risk policy work, so there is an opportunity to develop your strategic thinking and understanding of organisational development.

Job description

The COBR Unit Watchkeeping Team is the first point of contact for out of hours support for the activation of crisis response arrangements and other mechanisms in response to breaking news and urgent new developments.

Number 10 and senior officials across the Cabinet Office (CO) will rely on your insight to help keep them informed and updated in a timely way allowing them to make the right decisions at the right time. This work can be demanding, and will require you to cooperate closely with a wide range of stakeholders building trusting relationships.

In a crisis, the Watchkeeper will provide the initial liaison, information gathering and logistical response until COBR or policy teams can be mobilised. You and the team will have the capability and flexibility to adapt to the full spectrum of crises; assess the significance of events and whether or not to alert the lead policy units’ duty officers - subsequently assisting in triggering the appropriate response.

Outside of crises, you will produce a range of written reporting, sometimes in large volumes, requiring accurate, brief and concise drafting skills. 

Overall, this job offers an excellent combination of initiative, service delivery and policy work covering the full range of the NSS’s operations. Working at the centre of the Cabinet Office and you will gain a unique insight into the Government’s crisis response framework, as well as the opportunity to acquire new skills and understanding.

The job involves shift working and qualifies for both Shift Disturbance Allowance and unsociable hours payments. All team members will rotate through day and night shifts, and weekdays/weekends, in order to provide full cover and allow training, development and broader engagement.

Person specification

A key requirement for this role is good judgement: deciding how to handle sensitive issues. You will be expected to make judgements on difficult/sensitive cases, with a keen awareness of any wider implications (political/media/etc). Excellent customer focus (with a range of internal and external customers/stakeholders), good communications skills and the desire to deliver a lasting impact is essential. Experience of policy, crisis management and or intelligence analysis/operational work is desirable.

Business-As-Usual (BAU) includes but is not necessarily limited to:

Cross-government alerting to events via email or telecommunications
Production of a daily global situation report
Time-limited ad hoc or tailored research tasks

There are two main features to Watchkeeper research activity: verification to ensure that information is reliable and correct; and the development of workflows based on expertise in the use of sources and open source tools, and building or transferring knowledge from training, benchmarking and best practice.

This post is designated ‘reserved’ and is only available to UK Nationals. Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance will be required as a condition of taking up the post. Candidates will need to have DV security clearance or be prepared to undergo the necessary process to obtain it.

Essential Criteria

You will have an interest in and deep situational awareness of matters of national security across the globe and how they effect the UK. You will be experienced in dealing with large amounts of information at pace and assimilating them into accurate, concise and brief summaries in a timely and confident matter. You will be able to brief confidently in support of decision-making at the highest levels. You will write with clarity and be familiar with open sources and open source collection techniques.

Desirable Criteria

You will be used to shift work and working unsociable hours. You will know how to exploit the strengths of a team while exercising your own judgement and taking initiatives. You will be able to develop creative solutions to research and monitoring taskings.

Making judgements on difficult/sensitive issues
Keen awareness of any wider implications (political/media/etc)
Excellent customer focus (with a range of internal and external customers/stakeholders)
Exemplary communications skills, verbal and written
Crisis management
Intelligence analysis or operational intelligence
Application of open source intelligence collection and verification techniques

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,250, Cabinet Office contributes £13,425 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Application process
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the Statement of Suitability. This should include references to your experience, interests, current skills-set and future career ambitions. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sift and Interview dates are TBC.

Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview. 

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put 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 cabinetofficerecruitment.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.

Further information
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'contact point for applicants' section.

Please note that this role requires DV clearance, which would normally need 10 years' UK residency in the past 10 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting 

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to Cabinet Office 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

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

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.

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

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

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.

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.