About the job

Job summary

The Government Security Function (GSF) oversees the delivery of protective security across Government. Our Mission is to enable Government to protect citizens and provide vital public services by understanding and managing security risks. We set the strategy and standards for Government Security, monitor departmental security performance, manage pan-government security incidents, support the delivery of key security capabilities and lead the Government Security Profession.

The Government Security Group (GSG) is the centre of the Security Function, based within the Cabinet Office. Within GSG, the Policy Directorate is responsible for setting cross-government security standards, developing discrete strategies, new security policy development, the provision of expert advice to departments and senior officials, the management of international security relationships and the response to high-impact and/or cross-government incidents.

The way the Government handles security is changing, to ensure that we provide world-class protection and security in an ever-evolving threat environment. We are committed to delivering  improving, and transforming security practices and standards across Government. This is therefore an exciting opportunity for an ambitious individual to join a thriving part of Government and deliver on long lasting improvements. You will be focussing on Government’s most sensitive information, and working to enhance the highest levels of protection from the most serious threats to the security of Government. 

Job description

Responsibilities

You will sit within the Government Security Group’s Physical and Personnel Security Policy Team, working with a range of security and policy stakeholders across government. You will support the team, working to improve security policy across a number of areas. The list of responsibilities below is not exhaustive but gives an indication of tasks:

• Become a subject matter expert in your field and act as a point of contact within the Cabinet Office for your specific policy areas.
• Provide creative policy ideas for mitigating the security risks. 
• Report regularly to senior officials and Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and the Government Chief Security Officer on your specific policy areas.
• Respond to Parliamentary and private-sector queries in relation to your policy area.
• Develop knowledge, experience and gather evidence on aspects of security.
• Deploy excellent judgement and be capable of developing strong working relationships with stakeholders internal and external to the Government.
• Coordinate with departments and security agencies to identify and mitigate security risks, developing and leading on setting up and maintaining working groups if required.
• Manage a range of demanding stakeholders and delivery partners both within GSG, across government and the intelligence community; resolving differences in views and requirements from stakeholders with competing needs.
• Line management of 1-2 HEOs. 
• Lead on specific policy areas, such as vetting, personnel security policy or insider risk mitigation, and take responsibility for delivering improvements, changes and brand new policies.
• Prepare high-quality submissions and written and oral briefings for Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and the Government Chief Security Officer.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Ability and eagerness to learn and adapt to new information and policy areas quickly.
• Ability and resilience to work quickly on demanding and high-profile projects.
• Be proactive, a self-starter who is driven and ambitious with a commitment to deliver.
• Excellent judgement and the ability to form strong relationships in order to improve policy and work collaboratively across Government.
• The capacity and capability to apply good judgement and respond to complex, dynamic situations.
• Strong communication skills (both written and oral), personal resilience and the ability to deliver at pace on competing priorities in a challenging and complex policy area. 

Desirable Criteria:

• Proven experience of implementing policies / projects across boundaries and through multidisciplinary teams to deliver successful outcomes.
• Passion and enthusiasm for driving forward positive change - individuals who are able to think dynamically and with a ‘can do’ attitude for changing the status quo. 
• Experience of working in government security and/or national security particularly in a policy role.

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 £40,850, Cabinet Office contributes £11,029 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.

Application process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, a 500-word personal statement as well as separate 250-word statements for each of the listed behaviours. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Selection process details

Behaviours will be assessed at both the sift and interview. Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using just the personal statement and the lead behaviour - communicating and influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – w/c 10th June 2024
Expected interview date/s – w/c 24th June 2024
Interview location - Virtual 

Reasonable adjustments

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

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.

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 /Disclosure Scotland 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 National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

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.

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 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

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.