About the job

Job summary

In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.

DHSC Security is a small, specialist team which provides support and advice to the department on security matters and ensuring alignment with Government Security standards, adapting to support current and future requirements. This is a great opportunity to join a major government department where you will play an important role in delivering personnel security and be a member of the Government Security Profession which offers opportunities to develop your career.

Job description

You will be expected to work collaboratively within DHSC and across government to understand threats and mitigation solutions, map currently levels of security culture and awareness, develop, build, and deploy campaigns to improve security culture and positively change behaviours.

You will also support sensitive personnel security investigations and other key functions within the department to ensure that these are conducted securely.

You will work closely with your manager to ensure agreed security measures are implemented and will monitor key deliverables to help map assurance.

Responsibilities 

• You will be comfortable engaging with and influencing stakeholders at all grades, and able to robustly challenge security behaviours or actions where necessary.
• You will be the lead on Security, Education and Awareness (SEA) within DHSC as the single point of contact for cross-government SEA programs, and look to employ these programs within DHSC.
• You will develop, maintain, and improve functions to map, assess and improve the maturity of the security culture within DHSC.
• You will support other teams within the security and resilience sphere by assisting with any parallel awareness campaigns.
• You will look to support the Head of Personnel Security in developing security champions roles within DHSC and ensuring the continuous improvement of this function.
• You will provide support and resilience to the personnel security team on any security investigations.
• You will continue to upskill and develop your security knowledge using materials and access from recognised specialists such as the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) and UK Government Security. You will also seek to improve yourself using membership to the Security Institute.
• We can offer training to support your development, and (for Civil Service applicants) are prepared to consider both level transfers and appointments on promotion for the right candidates.
• This role requires participation in an out-of-hours duty roster and additional pay is provided for this.

Person specification

Key Skills and Experience required for the role

• Evidence of dealing with complex matters, competing demands, opposed views or stances, and bringing successful outcomes to these.
• Effective communication and influence at all levels both internally and externally. The ability to obtain buy-in and explain complex matters in an engaging way.
• Developing effective partnerships working with internal and external stakeholders – delivering projects, products or results collaboratively. Building trust and effective partnerships across skills and disciplines.
• Evidence of supporting diversity and inclusion.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,025, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £10,806 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.

Applications will be sifted on CV, Statement of Suitability and Behaviours.

Please use your CV to set out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role. These can be found in the ‘key skills and experience required for the role’ section of the advert. 

Please use your Statement of Suitability to (in no more than 500 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert. 

Please complete a statement on the specified Behaviour (250 word max).

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

An initial sift based on the lead Behaviour Communicating and Influencing may be held if a large number of applications are received. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours.

Sift and Interview dates

Sift date: expected W/C 29/01/2024

Interview date: expected W/C 19/02/2024

Interview location: By video. Further details will be released to candidates who are successful at sift. 

The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores. 

Further Information

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here and to find out more information on how to apply visit the Civil Service Careers Website here 

Applicants who are appointable but were not successful in appointment to this vacancy, may be held on a reserve list for up to 12 months, and contacted if similar vacancies become available. 

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Please note that applicants will require SC clearance. For SC clearance, candidates must have been a resident in the UK for the past 5 years.

Any move to DHSC 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

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 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.

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.

This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Reasonable Adjustment

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 dhscrecruitment.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.

Terms and Conditions

Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful. 

New Entrants to the Civil Service

New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:

• Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
• Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Probation: 6 month probation period

Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion

All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above). 

Existing DHSC staff, appointed on either level transfer or promotion

If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

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.