About the job

Job summary

This advert is being run in accordance with the Civil Service Success Profiles methodology. 

The unique opportunities offered within are varied, challenging and exciting and support Navy Command’s role to generate and operate forces for today and to ensure we are ready for tomorrow by developing and delivering the Navy of the future. Navy Command provides an open, flexible and supportive work environment and Civil Servants and Armed Forces personnel work together in a wealth of interesting and challenging jobs in various disciplines.

The job is based in His Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport, on the waterfront of Plymouth, Devon and is a site of national, strategic importance. The Royal Navy Distribution Authority (RNDA), Alternate Custodian is a challenging and rewarding role that supports the Naval Base Commander (NBC) with the assurance that HMNB Devonport is compliant with the requirements of MOD security policy.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Act as the Alternate Custodian Officer to RNDA Plymouth Cryptographic Custodian, as required, so that a system is maintained for the receipt, safe custody, accounting, issue, and destruction of cryptographic material in accordance with Joint Service Publication (JSP) Policy 
• Receive, record, and provide secure stowage for ABOVE SECRET material for units and sub-account holders until collection. Act as a point of contact for all Above SECRET matters in the unit and other local sub accounts advise and educate users in maintaining the security of the material.
• Act as Alternate Custodian Officer (CRYPTO Accountant) and share responsibility for the management of the COMSEC account in accordance with JSP Policy
• To have joint responsibility for Cryptographic Assurance Standards, Personnel and Physical Security of the RNDA in accordance with JSP Policy.
• Conducting Annual Assurance Inspections covering all aspects of account compliance, six-monthly muster and monthly checks and audits of sub-accounts and holders as required for the sub-accounts and holders under the RNDA Plymouth area of responsibility. (Note any cryptographic incidents could potentially have a catastrophic impact to military capability)
• Managing the receipt, registration, and distribution of cryptographic material for NBC(D) accounts, ensuring that units are informed when material received via the Defence Courier Service (DCS) is held in storage.
• Ensuring the protection and destruction at Secret and Top-Secret levels of Cryptographic material for RNDA Plymouth, its sub-accounts and holders is carried out in accordance with national policy.
• Provide professional cryptographic advice and assistance to RNDA sub-accounts and holders, ships, submarines, RFA and local customers based or visiting Devonport.

To line manage 1 x AO RNDA Assistant to meet their welfare, development, and reporting needs.

Person specification

The successful candidate will be willing to attend role-specific training courses held at other Defence establishes within the UK which will necessitate short periods of detached duty.

Previous experience of working in an area where meticulous record keeping is highly desirable.

The successful candidate will demonstrate teamwork, with the ability to multi-task and work to defined or fast-moving deadlines in support of the RNDA's outputs.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,300, Ministry of Defence contributes £7,641 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, Experience and Technical skills.

At the sift stage candidates will be assessed against the following:

Your CV detailing how you meet the criteria and should include the following details:

• Job history.
• Relevant qualification details.
• Relevant previous skills and experience.

Candidates will also be required to provide a statement of suitability – maximum 250 words. 

Success Profiles Behaviour example – Managing a Quality Service - maximum 250 words.

Candidates successful at the sift stage will be invited to an interview where the following Behavioural Competencies will be assessed:

• Making effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture

In addition, you will be assessed against the Defence Security Profession Competency Framework in Interview:  

• Security Fundamentals (Physical & Operational)

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 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.