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General Information

Salary
£36,151 - £37,887
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
Manchester
Region
Greater Manchester
Closing Date
24-Jul-2025
Business Unit
Security Group
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
HEO
Number of jobs available
10
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
7605

Descriptions & requirements

Job description
Overview of the job    

The Personnel Security Vetting team are part of Risk and Capabilities Unit in the Directorate of Security. Located in Newport, Wales and Manchester, the team is responsible for evaluative decisions on the suitability of all applicants applying to join the Ministry of Justice and HMPPS Agency who are subject to security vetting. The team contribute to the management of corporate risk on behalf of the organisation, working closely with the Head of Personnel Security Vetting , as well as offering the opportunity to build relationships with individuals and agencies across the criminal justice landscape.

The role will contribute to the acceptance or refusal of vetting on over 6,000 applications in the central Ministry and over 22,000 cases per annum in HMPPS.

The post holder provides verbal and written advice to senior and recruitment managers in the central Ministry, as well as providing information which contributes to submissions, appeals and PQs.

The job role involves close, regular liaison and discussion with recruiting managers and Shared Services vetting teams to ensure any risk to HMPPS is effectively managed. It also involves partnership working with a number of internal and external stakeholders including the police and other criminal justice agencies.

This post will be based in Newport or Manchester within one of our vetting hubs. On occasion there may be a requirement to travel for a location other than your base location for full team/unit events.

Summary    

The Security Vetting Officer works as a member of the Personnel Security Vetting team. This team is responsible for making evaluative decisions in a range of substantial work areas on the suitability of applicants to work within the Ministry of Justice and HMPPS; it contributes to the management of corporate risk in compliance with agreed policy and procedures.

To ensure all applicants are evaluated on a consistent basis and providing cover for colleagues to ensure business continuity in their absence, making decisions in consultation with the Head of Team where necessary.

Review and respond to appeals from applicants refused vetting for HMPPS and Ministry of Justice appointments within agreed timescales.

Undertake sampling checks on vetting applications ensuring checks are accurately submitted to third party organisations.

To maintain, review and update the record of staff dismissed and workers excluded held on the HMPPS Exclusion List as required in a timely manner.

Contribute to the overall operation of the Personnel Security Vetting team, the post holder will establish and develop stakeholder partnerships, ensuring the organisation applies best practice in security vetting in the most cost effective manner.

Contribute to the analysis of data on vetting applicants and decisions, identifying trends and patterns which may require revision and change to existing protocols or deliver procedural improvements.

Ensure that all applicants are evaluated in compliance with agreed policy and procedural guidelines, consulting with the Head of Team in more complex cases with wider policy, legal or procedural implications.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties    

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

•    Ensure the quality and consistency of decision making, retaining an evidentiary audit trail and knowledge bank for future referral for both the Ministry of Justice and HMPPS.
•    Operate within the Ministry of Justice SLA constraints and turnaround work to contribute to those timeframes being met.
•    Consider the applications presented via the Oleeo platform and make balanced decisions on their eligibility and suitability to progress to a panel review.
•    Direct follow up work for clarification purposes with Shared Services Vetting teams as appropriate.
•    Provide fair, consistent and defensible decisions on the suitability of applicants, maintaining the security and credibility of the service.
•    Work collaboratively and liaise regularly with a number of key stakeholders including Disclosure Scotland, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), Corporate Security Branch, National Security team in Shared Services, recruiting managers and HRBPs.
•    Applications under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS) should be progressed taking into account relevant policy and codes of practice.
•    Consider any appeals/representations against a vetting decision whether from an applicant or third party, providing written notification of outcomes in a timely manner ensuring an appropriate audit trail.
•    Monitor the storage of critical data and customer information to support decision making and conduct regular reviews to ensure it is stored accurately, confidentially and responsibly.
•    End-to-end management of the Digital Vetting process within the Digital Investigation unit.
•    The composition of evidence into formal and detailed reports to enable informed decisions around an individual’s suitability for HMPPS employment.
•    Work closely liaising with Disclosure Scotland to ensure the efficient and accurate delivery of PNC reports. Ensure the integrity of data through quality checks, updating a local database of all cases where inaccuracies have been revealed in order that appropriate remedial action is taken.
•    Ensure Disclosure Scotland comply with agreed service level agreement (SLA) raising any issues on quality or consistency of service with the contract manager via the Head of the Approvals Team.
•    Ensure data is handled in line with the provisions of the Data Protection Act (DPA).
•    This post is part of an adaptable resource and the post holder may be flexibly deployed in response to Ministry priorities.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.

Behaviours    

•    Changing and Improving
•    Making Effective Decision Making
•    Working Together
•    Managing a Quality Service

Experience    

On the job training will be provided with any additional training deemed appropriate to the role.

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Benefits

Annual Leave

-The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.

Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays

-You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment

Pension

-The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Work Life Balance

HM Prison & Probation Service  (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ

Season Ticket Advance

-After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work

Childcare Vouchers

For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers

Training

HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes

-There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts

-All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles

Eligibility

-All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post

-All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS

-All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
  • 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information
MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 7605

Please contact PSCVettingEnquiries@justice.gov.uk, amy.cox1@justice.gov.uk allan.cooke2@justice.gov.uk for any further queries

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Changing and Improving
Making Effective Decisions
Managing a Quality Service
Working Together
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
Statement of Suitability
Evidence of Experience
Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
To Be Confirmed
Behaviours
Changing and Improving
Making Effective Decisions
Managing a Quality Service
Working Together
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Level of security checks required
Security Clearance (SC)