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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £55,457 - £61,003, London salary range is £58,471 - £66,044. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
24-Jul-2025
Business Unit
Security Group
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
SEO
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
7667

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Successful applicant will be expected to frequently travel to offices in Newport (Wales), Manchester and other locations around England. Ability to travel is essential.

Overview of the job    

Over the last couple of years HMPPS Personnel Security Vetting has successfully implemented several changes and developments in the field of Personnel Security and we are looking for a leader who can deliver with professionalism, expertise and enthusiasm.

The Security Vetting Delivery Lead has responsibility for a team of staff making security vetting decisions across HMPPS, and in some instances decisions across the wider MoJ. There is close, regular liaison and discussion required with several key stakeholders including the Shared Services vetting team, business units, and third sector providers.

The post holder will be required to continuously develop and motivate a team, with a strong emphasis on creating a culture where staff have autonomy for their personal and team objectives, ensuring alignment with HMPPS values, behaviours and strategic priorities.

The post holder will be required to have an understanding of personnel security culture with a focus on risk management and insider threat across custodial environments and the wider HMPPS estate.

This is a national post with responsibility for teams located in both Newport and Manchester. There is an expectation to travel to these sites frequently to provide effective face to face supervision to staff located at these sites.
both Newport and Manchester offices. 

This is a non-operational post.

Summary    

Responsible for managing the day-to-day delivery of the Personnel Security Vetting Team, the post holder will establish and develop stakeholder partnerships, ensuring the team applies best practice in security vetting in the most cost effective manner.
The post holder will act as a key stakeholder in the review and development of existing policy for cross functional subject areas providing succinct and insightful analysis.

Responsible for the oversight and quality assurance of decision making across the team, taking into account the differing risk profile for HMPPS and the central Ministry of Justice.
 
Analyse data on vetting applicants and decisions, identifying trends and patterns which may require revision and change to existing protocols or deliver procedural improvements.
Work closely with policy colleagues in the team to ensure that all applicants are evaluated in compliance with agreed policy and procedural guidelines, managing more complex cases with wider policy, legal or procedural implications.

Provide oversight of any appeals from applicants refused vetting for HMPPS and Ministry of Justice appointments within agreed timescales.

Management of the HMPPS Exclusions Register    the corporate memory of staff and workers either dismissed or excluded in line with the policy requirements. Act as the knowledge expert on the application of the exclusion policy and the associated Exclusions Register.

Responsibility for the management and practical application of the Standard Plus policy, which enables those likely to be rejected through normal vetting checks to be considered through the policy.

Accountable for managing a sizeable team of approximately 3 Band 7 Security Vetting Managers and 30 Band 5 Security
Vetting Officers.

Responsibilities,Activities and Duties    

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

  • Manage a team of staff responsible for assessing the suitability of applicants subjected to security vetting screening checks.
  • Planning, managing and monitoring vetting activities, managing competing demands and priorities to make informed deployment decisions and ensuring best use of available resources.
  • Setting, monitoring and assess KPIs for individual team members in alignment with wider objectives, taking corrective action as necessary.
  • Leading, motivating, developing and engaging vetting staff, protecting and promoting workforce wellbeing to uphold professional standards and enable a high performing team.
  • Providing information, advice and guidance on all vetting matters, to act as a point of contact within HMPPS. Providing management reports and collating data on vetting activities and decisions made to support management decision making.
  • Acting as a decision-maker for highly complex or contentious cases and any appeals and revocations or escalating as per guidance where appropriate.
  • Have a working knowledge of security policies and procedures and the ability to assimilate and apply knowledge quickly over a range of complex subject areas.Ensuring corporate standardisation is applied suitably and promising practice applied.
  • Working collaboratively with a range of key stakeholders both internally and from across criminal justice agencies. These relationships are crucial to the operation of the team.
  • Responsibility for implementing future change in a range of areas pertaining to the Vetting Reform Programme.
  • Embed a process of continuous improvement ensuring systems are updated to reflect the most recent learning. Learning will be taken from various sources such as reviews with CCU colleagues, high profile cases and recommendation in external reviews.
  • Develop a security vetting community with other government agencies ensuring recent relevant developments in the security vetting space are shared, considered and acted upon.

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.
Civil Service Success Profile Criteria

Behaviours    

  • Making Effective Decisions 
  • Leadership
  • Communicating and Influencing 
  • Working Together
  • Developing Self and Others
  • Managing a Quality Service

Experience    

Operational knowledge and a working understanding of prisons and probations services is desirable, but not essential. On the job training will be provided with additional training supported if 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.

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 7667

Please contact Matt.halligan@justice.gov.uk , amy.cox1@justice.gov.uk

 allan.cooke2@justice.gov.uk for any further quesries

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Leadership, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Communicating and Influencing
Developing Self and Others
Leadership
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
Statement of Suitability
Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
Demonstrate your experience of managing a large and diverse team and any experience working within a Government department.
Evidence of Experience
Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
To Be Confirmed
Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing
Developing Self and Others
Leadership
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)