Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

We are recruiting for a Head of Personnel Security and Vetting (G7) here at DfT Corporate Security to be part of our warm and collaborative Digital, Information and Security Group, where you will be responsible for delivering on personnel security and vetting across all functions throughout the Department for Transport Group (DfT).

Job description

Government Security is undergoing a step-change, and it’s an exciting time to be a part of it. As part of HMG’s Security community, you will be delivering and improving how we manage internal security and risk in a complex and changing environment. The role is also part of the wider Government Security Profession; a community with a mandate to establish transformation, including vetting and responsibility for an entirely new security model.

The role will require engagement internally and externally with the wider DfT family, transport sector organisations, Cabinet Office, United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) and other government departments to influence policy, understand the latest advice and guidance and translate central policy initiatives into successful implementation for DfT. The role will also require direct engagement with staff and candidates for vetting.

If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and you’d like to join our team, please read on and apply!

Person specification

We are seeking to recruit people from a diverse group of backgrounds to make sure we have a wide range of skills to strengthen our security capability across government. We value the fact that our different backgrounds, cultures, genders, experiences, and ways of working produce a more effective team. Each one of us has a part to play in helping government to keep the United Kingdom secure.

The successful candidate will be an established self-starter with the ability to work under pressure and respond effectively to tight deadlines, with excellent written and oral communication skills. If you are passionate about security and want the challenge of keeping a key government department secure, then this job is for you. We can offer the training you need to support your development and are prepared to consider both level transfers and appointments on promotion for the right candidates (for Civil Service applicants).

Duties and responsibilities

Reporting to the Senior Security Advisor (SSA), Head of Corporate Security, you will:

• Lead and enable the delivery of personnel security and vetting on behalf of the SSA across DfT, its Executive Agencies and Industry
• Support the SSA with requirements capturing, commissioning, and monitoring of personnel security and vetting services provided by shared service providers
• Manage the vetting budget, providing updates and forecasts and other MI/data as required
• Influence and manage relationships with senior colleagues (including DGs, Directors, policy leads and specialists) and colleagues to ensure they recognise the importance of personnel security and accept recommended controls and procedures, contributing to improving the security culture within the DfT
• Collaborate closely with the Security Transformation Lead on requirements capturing and impact assessing for government security transformation and vetting modernisation
• Work with a range of stakeholders including at senior levels both internally and externally with the Cabinet Office, and other government departments to influence policy, support decision making, understand the threat landscape and translate and implement central policy initiatives that are proportionate with departmental risk appetite
• Implement changes resulting from the HMG led Vetting Transformation Programme:
• You will play a critical role in operationalising the Vetting Transformation Programme’s new vetting levels and other elements of the wider Vetting Modernisation Portfolio’s deliverables, for DfT Group
• Build a network of security contacts across government, collaborating with staff to ensure organisational personnel security needs are met and that projects and services consider personnel security from the outset
• Possess the ability to head up delivery of excellent customer service both to vetting applicants and vacancy holders
• Understand externally mandated standards (e.g., Government Functional Standard GovS 007: Security) and effectively translate these into policy, communicate, and implement as appropriate
• Effectively and confidently engage and influence across all levels of the organisation, whilst projecting credibility and self-assurance
• Exhibit strong leadership and extensive change management skills
• Own and enable adoption and implementation of effective security risk management and appropriate risk mitigations, reducing personnel security risks to an acceptable level
• Have overall responsibility for efficient and timely delivery of national security vetting delivery and end-to-end running of the overall vetting systems:- This will include responsibility for the accurate and timely processing of a range of business critical activities such as good quality decisions for appeals and recommendations on granting, refusing and withdrawing such clearances, case conferences with UKSV and/or DfT HR, working sensitively and proactively with stakeholders
• Head up and develop a small team (with direct line management of two SEOs); specifically, to provide an operational vetting service to the DfT Group and transport security industry.

This is not an exclusive or exhaustive list, the post holder will be required to perform any additional duties reasonably expected of them within the scope of the grade and within the limits of their skill, competence, and training. Additionally, since this is a new role, there may be some alterations to your duties and responsibilities during this time so you will need to be adaptable and flexible.

Due to the operational and sensitive nature of this security role, this position is available on a full-time only basis. DfT promotes flexible working wherever possible and we will endeavour to support your personal circumstances if you do require flexibility in your working pattern, but please be aware that this post will require the candidate to work full time hours spread across Mon-Fri per week due to business needs. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits.

This includes:

• A generous annual leave entitlement
• Attractive pension options with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Flexible working
• Good career development opportunities
• A variety of career paths
• Inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.