About the job

Job summary

Working within a small, specialised team, the IT Security Manager is the site lead and focal point for all IT Security concerns at the Defence Academy, ensuring that IT systems operate securely under the principles of Secure by Design, and in compliance with policies and processes.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Strategic Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts within Strategic Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities.  Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

Job description

• Act as Defence Academy Security Assurance Co-ordinator (SAC) and focal point for all Defence Academy IT security concerns, ensuring that IT systems undergo continual improvement against the Secure by Design framework - this will include drafting, updating, and maintaining all security documentation and artifacts including Risk Management and process documentation, Security Operating Procedures (SyOPs), and ensuring that IT systems are operated in compliance with policies and processes. It will require the post holder to complete and update Defence Assurance Risk Tool (DART) entries for all systems requiring accreditation.
• Conduct IT security risk assessments, recording and managing risks using risk management tools, escalating to risk owners for decisions as required.
• Lead the Defence Academy IT Security Working Group (SWG)
• As the site lead and SME for IT Security, respond to all incidents, requests and queries relating to ICS security that arise.
• During periods of exceptionally high alert status or site-closedown periods (e.g. public holidays), the IT Security Manager may be required to be contactable out of hours.
• Maintain continual professional development and stay up to date with the industry.
• Deliver education and awareness programmes to personnel.

Person specification

This role would suit someone with prior experience working in IT/Cyber Security, particularly within Defence.  Familiarity with the NIST Cyber Security Framework is desirable, along with a good overall level of IT skills.  Experience in delivering briefings and education to personnel at all levels would be advantageous.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,290, Ministry of Defence contributes £9,528 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

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

This recruitment process will consist of two parts:

1. A written application containing your experience (a CV and a Statement of Suitability (Personal Statement)) and 3 Behaviours drawn from the Civil Service Success Profiles.

2. If your written application is successful, you will be invited to a face-to-face interview where you will be tested against 6 Behaviours (the 3 from your application, plus 3 more at interview).

At sift, you will be assessed on these behaviours:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

At interview, you will be assessed on these behaviours:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

If a large number of applications are received, they will be assessed initially against the Leadership behaviour and your CV and Statement of Suitability (Personal Statement). You will then be assessed against the other criteria if you have met the minimum scores.

Behaviours are assessed individually with a 500-word statement. The application form will indicate which behaviour is being assessed. We are looking for evidence using the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) methodology.

It is highly recommended you focus by providing one example for each behaviour. We would also advise you to use examples that best meet the criteria, even if they are a few years old, using the STAR methodology.

• Situation: Briefly describe the background of the situation in which you found yourself.
• Task: What you were required to do/chose to do.
• Action: What actions you undertook to achieve the tasks. Make sure to use “I”, not “we” to explain how your actions led to results.
• Result: Use facts and evidence to demonstrate the results that your actions produced. Explain whether it was a successful outcome, and if not, what you learned from the experience.

6. Please make sure you have consulted the HM Government ‘Success Profiles - Civil Service Behaviours’ document (available on Gov.uk) to ensure you have understood the relevant Behaviours for the appropriate grade.

7. Your experience will be assessed individually through your CV and a 500 word Statement of Suitability (Personal Statement). 

PLEASE NOTE:

Sift & Interview:

Sift to take place within 2 weeks of Advert closing

Interviews likely to take place within 2 weeks of Sift

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of attendance in the workplace (your permanent duty station which is based on business assessment of where the work is best done) and working from home as a personal choice (if the role is suitable for this).  If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

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 into 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.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and 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.

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. 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.