About the job

Job summary

The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) are an independent constabulary reporting to the Secretary of State. Their primary role is the armed policing of defence and other critical national infrastructure including nuclear sites.  

The MDP consists of around 2500 officers and almost 300 civilian support staff. MDP HQ is based at RAF Wyton, near Huntingdon.

The Vetting department is a small team within the Professional Standards Department. It is responsible for the Police Vetting of all new recruits, transferees and existing officers and civilians.  

This is an opportunity for someone who wants to play a vital part in upholding ethical policing standards, at a time when reassuring the public about the suitability of police personnel has never been more important.

As a Vetting Officer, you will be working within a highly confidential environment in close collaboration with other staff and policing agencies. You will be responsible for managing your own vetting cases, from case creation through to completion. 

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

In accordance with the College of Policing Vetting APP you will be responsible for completing vetting checks on all recruits and serving Police Officers, highlighting any concerns to the Vetting Supervisor. 

Use the force vetting application (Gatekeeper) to manage new and existing vetting cases. Gathering the required information/intelligence to make an informed assessment and reach a proportionate decision for granting, declining or withdrawing police vetting.

Liaise with other Police Forces, Military organisations and other relevant agencies to gather the required information/intelligence to make an informed assessment.

Interrogate the Police National Computer, Police National Database, Police Professional Standards databases, Anti-Corruption Unit databases, Credit Reference Agency and open source/social media platforms and other related intelligence and information sources.

Ensure effective case management of vetting files, undertaking all tasks required to progress cases to conclusion, meeting performance standards dictated by the Force Vetting Manager.

Provide information, advice and guidance to vetting applicants regarding completion of the process and in accordance with the APP.

Ensure that Vetting Reviews and Aftercare requirements are completed in accordance with APP.

Provide advice, guidance and support to less experienced Vetting Case Officers and to other internal departments as required.

Ensure confidentiality of information in accordance with the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation. Report data breaches as soon as you become aware of one occurring.

Other duties relevant to the role as reasonably directed by Head of PSD or the Vetting Supervisor.  

Person specification

• Ability to analyse, assimilate and record information; interpret and apply legislation/policy; and make informed recommendations and decisions.
• Good communication skills (verbal, aural and written).
• Ability to record relevant information accurately using departmental IT systems.
• Ability to demonstrate and maintain the highest standards of integrity and confidentiality.
• Proven ability to manage high workloads in accordance with strict deadlines.
• Experience with vetting databases would be desirable but not essential as full training will be provided. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £24,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £6,490 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.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include: job history, qualification details, skills and previous experience.

At application Candidates will be required to provide a Statement of Suitability with a maximum limit of 750 words.

At Application Candidates will be assessed against the following Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing 
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

Once we reach the closing date, the team will then conduct a 'paper' sift using a panel of two - a member of the PSD team and an independent member for fairness and equality.

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

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.