About the job

Job summary

The Home Office has one of the most challenging and critical jobs in Whitehall: to keep Britain safe and secure. We operate at the heart of the Government's agenda, leading on immigration and passports, drugs policy, crime policy, counter-extremism and counter-terrorism and work to ensure visible, responsive and accountable policing in the UK. The challenges the Department faces are significant and can change rapidly in the global environment in which we operate, making this one of the most exciting and stimulating Government Departments in which to work.

Home Office Security Adviser Team sits within Home Office Security, which in turn forms part of a Corporate Enablers function. One of our main functions is the management of security incidents and security breaches across the department in line with the Government Functional Standard GovS 007: Security. This role contributes to the overall security of our staff, buildings, and information.

Job description

This role is key in ensuring security incidents and breaches are handled in line with policies and guidelines. You will respond to and investigate incidents, providing advice, and collaborating closely with colleagues across the department to deliver a quality service. The team operate within a fast-paced environment, responding in real time to live incidents, coordinating with other members of the team to ensure there is sufficient coverage throughout the working week. This will involve effective stakeholder engagement with site managers and OGD partners, alongside relevant security partners to ensure that IM investigation, action and review are timely and aligned.

You will work closely with colleagues in the Office of the Data Protection Officer, Home Office Security and Government Protective Security Centre to ensure risks are mitigated or escalated, lessons are learnt, and appropriate sanctions applied where necessary. Stakeholder engagement is also pivotal to the role to develop security awareness across the department and provide advice on wide range of security matters.

There is a requirement to provide support to the HO Security Adviser team. Full training will be provided.

Important information 

In line with HO Hybrid Working policy, this post can be based at any of the locations listed.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estates capacity, by Spring 2024. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details).

Full-Time working patterns

Due to the nature of the role, this post is available on a full-time basis only.

Person specification

• Management and investigation of security incidents.
• Management and investigation of security breaches and issuing of security breach notifications in a timely fashion.
• Maintaining accurate records relating to security incidents and security breaches.
• Producing accurate management information for a variety of stakeholders.
• Maintaining oversight of security policies to ensure these are accurately reflected in security breach notifications.
• Oversight of the Security Incident team inbox alongside the other team members.
• Providing security and information assurance advice and guidance on a wide range of security matters.
• Liaison with the Government Security Group.
• Closer working with the both the Policy and the Culture and Awareness teams within HOSAT.
• Liaison with Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC).
• Working closely with the Physical Security teams with regards lost passes, warrants and other Home Office assets.
• Liaison with the Physical Security Advisor team regards risks relevant to Home Office locations throughout the UK.
• Liaison with the Office for Data Protection Officer (ODPO) regarding Personal Data incidents.
• Taking part in presentations to teams in the wider Home Office.
• Involvement in the provision of management information.
• There is also a requirement to contribute to the Security Culture and Awareness Team engagement work. This will require raising security awareness across the Department, including assisting with face-to-face security briefings to Private Office and presentations across a variety of security topics linked to security policies.
• Ad hoc duties to support the wider Security Adviser team as the need arises. Note: This is not an exclusive or exhaustive list, and the post holder will be required to perform any additional duties reasonably expected of them within the scope of the grade and within the limits of their skill, competence, and training to provide resilience across the wider team.

Essential criteria 

• Highly motivated, dynamic, and proactive; able to work in a fast-paced environment, managing time and priorities effectively.
• Able to analyse and manage information, with the ability to express this to a range of stakeholders and audiences.
• Strategic thinker, problem solver and able to provide clear, accurate direction to stakeholders.
• The ability to establish effective ongoing relationships within a multi-stakeholder environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• General awareness of security risk management practices within HMG or general risk understanding and mitigation.
• Must hold or be willing to apply for SC clearance.

Desirable criteria 

• Previous experience of risk management, casework or investigations would be useful but not essential as training will be provided.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete: 

• A CV detailing job history/skills
• A Statement of Suitability (personal statement) (maximum 750 words)
• Provide evidence of the Behaviour 'Making Effective Decisions' (250 words maximum) 

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The Statement of Suitability should be aligned to demonstrate your skills and experience for the role and how you meet the Essential Criteria as detailed in the Job Description.

The sift will be held on the Behaviour 'Making Effective Decisions' and the Statement of Suitability (personal statement). The CV will not be scored.

However, if a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted on the lead Behaviour - Making Effective Decisions. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift.

Candidates shortlisted will be invited to an interview which will be Behaviour-based and strength-based questions. 

Sift and interview dates

The sift will commence from week beginning 12th February 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place from week commencing 26th February 2024.

Interviews will be carried out via video. Candidates will be required to have access to:

• A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
• Good internet connection
• Microsoft Teams

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

Further information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

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

A reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.  

PLEASE NOTE: Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying and generating of examples/answers from internet sources including Artificial Intelligence. If any is detected the application may be withdrawn from the process. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving civil servants. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

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.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home 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

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 HOrecruitment.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.

Feedback

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 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. 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.