Job Title: Security Officer
Location: near Portsmouth, Hampshire
Salary: £46,767, which includes shift, overtime, and location pay allowances totalling £20,768.
Flexible Working: Full-time, averaging 48 hours per week over a 5-week cycle, including weekends, nights, and bank holidays. Due to the nature of the role, hybrid working will not be possible. However, part-time and job-share options, in line with current shift times, will be considered, subject to business needs.
We’re an established residential training facility that hosts a wide range of activities for various Government departments. Our facility is dedicated to providing valuable training and development programmes, ensuring participants gain essential skills and knowledge in a supportive and professional environment.
The Role
Joining our team as a Security Officer means being part of an inclusive and friendly group focused on keeping our buildings secure. You’ll be the first point of contact for visitors, interacting with a wide range of people and providing a warm, yet professional service that makes everyone feel welcome. At the same time, you’ll ensure that strict security protocols are always followed to keep our people and mission-critical work safe.
What will that look like day to day? Well, alongside meeting and greeting visitors, you’ll conduct searches, oversee access to the building, and monitor CCTV. You’ll be speaking to everyone, from members of the public through to government delegates. So, your communication and customer service skills will be key as you give visitors a reassuring welcome and talk them through any security protocols they need to be aware of.
When you join, we’ll provide comprehensive training on everything you need to know: how to respond to alarms, administer first aid, and accurately log accidents, as well as our security policies. And, after completing your training, you’ll be surrounded by a truly supportive team, from all walks of life, who you can call on when you need advice. As you grow into your role, you’ll have opportunities to take on additional security responsibilities outside of the building, such as participating in close protection assignments and managing security events.
Due to the nature of the role, flexibility in shift patterns isn’t always possible. However, we’re committed to working with you to make sure you’re able to maintain a good work-life balance, considering any responsibilities outside of work as much as possible.
About You
Previous experience in a security role isn’t required, but it’s certainly welcomed. What you will need is a background in customer service or any people-facing role. You’ll be the first person our visitors interact with, so we’re looking for someone with a remarkable ability to connect with others and an enthusiasm for creating positive customer experiences. You’ll also need to be adaptable, detail-oriented, and comfortable following policies and procedures.
Strong verbal and written communication skills are essential, along with a GCSE in English Language at grade C/4 (or equivalent). Additionally, you’ll need to be confident using Microsoft Word and Excel. A good level of physical fitness is also necessary. You may need to ascend multiple floors in a building on foot, operate physical security equipment, or respond quickly to immediate hazards or threats. While not essential, having a full UK driving license (manual) is desirable. There may be driving duties, and a driving license will make it easier to get to and from the location.
Training and Development
You’ll receive comprehensive training and ongoing support from your line manager from day one. Even if you don’t have prior security experience, we’ll soon get you up to speed with our thorough onboarding process, ensuring you have the tools and knowledge to excel in your role. We’re committed to your professional growth and success, so we’ll also provide you with additional training to meet Security Industry Authority (SIA) standards. This will not only equip you with valuable skills but also open up long-term career opportunities within our organisation.
Rewards and Benefits
You’ll receive a starting salary of £46,767 plus other benefits including:
* 25 days annual leave, automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service.
* Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme.
* Interest-free season ticket loan.
* Excellent pension scheme.
* Cycle to work scheme.
* Facilities such as a gym, restaurant, and on-site coffee lounge.
* Paid parental and adoption leave.
Equal Opportunities
Diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking, and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are underrepresented in our workforce, such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities, and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.
We’re Disability Confident
We’re proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Disability Confident scheme. This scheme aims to encourage employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain, and develop disabled people. As a Disability Confident employer, we aim to offer a fair and proportionate number of person-to-person interviews to any candidate who self-identifies as disabled and meets the essential criteria for the role. This is our ‘Offer of Interview’ (OOI). To secure an interview for this vacancy, the essential criteria to be assessed before application sift are:
* Minimum of grade C/4 in GCSE English Language.
* You’ll be required to meet the minimum pass mark on questions about your motivation for the role.
Please note: There is a wide range of extra support available throughout the recruitment process to enable you to do your best.
Eligibility
This role is for a government organisation which requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). The requirement for security clearance means you’ll need to be British and to have lived in the UK for at least seven of the last 10 years, but we do assess each case individually. There are some common exceptions, like studying abroad, living overseas with parents, or serving with HM Forces. We’ll just need references for the time you lived abroad.