About the job Job summary The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, the Army Top Level Budget (TLB) employs around 7,000 MOD Civil Servants located at over 300 locations. Ours is a diverse workforce, with roles ranging from trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff. There are many different functions and professions delivering key outputs for the Army. Within the Army TLB Information Directorate, the Cyber and Security pillar, headed up by 1 Senior Civil Servant Cyber Information Security Officer (CISO), has a diverse and highly capable workforce. An exciting job role exists in the Cyber and Security Team as the Security Operations and Response lead. Security operations and response in the MOD is about the ability of Defence to respond to incidents, conduct defensive cyber operations, counterintelligence (CI) and physical security. The Army approach is to anticipate, prepare for, respond, and adapt to sudden disruptive events, across, cyber physical and personnel, both malicious and non-malicious. Secure behaviours play an integral role in protecting both the UK, and our Armed Forces, against external and internal threats. Through this role, you will have the opportunity to develop a broader understanding of the security risks facing the Army across the physical, cyber and personnel domains. You will also become a member of the Government Security Profession, and there are further opportunities for continued professional development. This role works within the inclusive and innovative Cyber and Security team, part of the Information Directorate within Army Headquarters. The Army Headquarters provides forces to support operations around the globe and directs, develops and delivers the people, equipment, training and sustainment to ensure the Army is ready to fight and win wars on land. This post is an excellent opportunity for individuals looking to develop and progress their careers. We are looking for a talented and motivated individual to join us. If you are a strong communicator able to engage with stakeholders across the Armed Forces & Government, work efficiently and at pace, to and enable efficient data management across multiple IT systems and security classifications, we need you This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. Job description The Security Operations and Response Lead will work to the Army Chief Security Officer (CSO) and as part of the Cyber and Security Team at Army Headquarters. The job holder will be responsible for the command, management, functioning and outputs of the Security Operations and Response pillar, operating largely autonomously on a daily basis but in direct support of the CSO at Army Headquarters and with a close working relationship to the Armys Principal Security Advisor and other pillar heads. A hugely interesting and influential post, offering both variety and challenge at a time of considerable change on the security and cyber horizon, it provides plenty of opportunity for the right candidate, in conjunction with the Cyber and Security team, to develop and bring forward ideas and initiatives to help ensure continuous improvement in Army Security Operations and Response and the associated procedures across the cyber, physical and personnel domains. The post holder will be intimately involved with the work securing the Army against security and cyber threat by ensuring the standardisation of the approach to security and responses across all the Cyber and Security pillars and into wider Defence. They will manage, brief and report up to 4 level on any incidents or incident response activity as well conducting response planning exercises to senior Army management. They will also manage and develop policy and process internally as well as in conjunction with MOD, wider Defence and other government security authorities. The successful candidate must be comfortable engaging with wider Defence, Government, and industry on areas of security and security response. Occasional travel within the UK will be required but this will rarely demand overnight stays. The successful candidate will be required to: Work in support of the Army Chief Security Officer to deliver comprehensive support to security and response activity across the Army Oversee the review, updating and publishing of relevant Army Security Policies, ensuring all changes comply with legal and regulatory requirements Oversee all assurance and governance to Army Counter-intelligence Operations Provide specialist security advice and guidance to 2 Commands Manage and report on relevant risks and associated deliverables to 1 and 2 Boards and working groups Report at 4 level on relevant security incidents and response activity as required Engage across wider Defence and Government Departments to ensure compliance and coherence, with all policies and directives Oversee all security incident reporting, through Army Warning Advisory and Reporting Point (WARP) Co-ordinate and oversee operational responses to cyber events, impacting Army, whether part of its digital enterprise or on any part of the Army supply chain Cohere and circulate any lessons learned across Army and wider Defence Coordinate all security activities across the department and the wider security branch pillars Line management responsibilities Lead and develop the Security Operations and Response team Understand and cohere Threat Hunting and Threat Intelligence activity across cyber, personnel, Information and physical domains Person specification We are looking for a talented, motivated, and enthusiastic individual who is a team player and can lead a team but is equally comfortable working on their own to assure physical, personnel and information security and ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability of Army operated and managed systems and networks. The successful candidate will be able to handle the pressure of coordinating a wide range of activities and should be comfortable working within the service management profession, willing to challenge established norms and processes and be prepared to adapt to changing priorities. It is essential that you have effective written and verbal communication skills and display a positive and professional attitude. We are ideally looking for a person with a relevant qualification in Security, Counterintelligence and Information Assurance or relevant work experience. Essential skills: Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively and confidently with a broad range of people using a variety of styles (both written and verbal). Work independently, as well as part of a wider team Use research to gather stakeholder and audience insights from a variety of sources to inform plans Have keen attention to detail and proof-reading skills Be excellent at relationship-building and problem-solving Own, manage and oversee the regular updating of Counter-intelligence and Security products Be confident working across the O365 suite of applications Desirable Skills : Experience of working in Information Assurance Experience of incident response and management A formal relevant certification, but not limited to the CISM, CISSP, Degree, HND, HNC, or extensive relevant work experience Membership of one or more recognised Professional Security Body Have previous experience working in a security environment Previous experience working in a military environment Understanding of the National Institute of Security and Technology (NIST) Framework This is a Reserved post open to UK Nationals only due to the nature and classification of the information. If successful, you will be required to obtain Developed Vetting (DV) clearance to take up this post. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Leadership Making Effective Decisions Communicating and Influencing We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form: Leadership Making Effective Decisions Benefits Alongside your salary of 59,690, Ministry of Defence contributes 17,292 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance. Other benefits for Army civil servants include: 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years service Highly competitive pension scheme Personal and professional development of skills Alternative working patterns for many roles Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle. Enhanced parental and adoption leave 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities Learning and Development We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking a modern apprenticeship as part of your role. A modern apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through the schemes available you will gain a professional qualification, practical experience, and the broader skills required to develop in your current role and pave the way for your future career. The post does not offer relocation expenses. External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period. Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed. Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts. Any move to MOD 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/. The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments. MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights. 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. At application you will be asked to provide a CV including your career history, qualification details and previous skills and experience. This will also be tested at interview. You will also be asked to complete a personal statement of no more than 750 words providing evidence against the requirements listed in the person specification and job description. At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles Behaviours: Leadership Making Effective Decisions When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected. Applications will be sifted using all elements listed, but in the event of large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted on the CV and Experience Statement. In this instance the remaining elements will be tested at interview. At interview, you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles Behaviours Leadership Making Effective Decisions Communicating and Influencing Application sifting will be scheduled to take place within 7 days of the application closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed. These will be held in person at Army Headquarters Andover. We endeavour to stick to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs. 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-Resourcingteam3mod.gov.uk. As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to 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. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It 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 Open to UK nationals only. 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. Diversity and Inclusion The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window). Apply and further information This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Contact point for applicants Job contact : Name : Rachel Honnor Email : Rachel.Honnor504mod.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3mod.gov.uk Further information Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: infocsc.gov.uk.