Vetting Administration Office

Details

Reference number 387528

Salary £28,915 - £34,585 National: £28,915 - £30,845 London: £32,555 - £34,585 A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Job grade Executive Officer

Contract type Fixed term Loan

Length of employment 12 months

Business area DESNZ - Integrated Corporate Services

Type of role Operational Delivery

Working pattern Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Number of jobs available 1

Contents

Location

About the job

Benefits

Things you need to know

Apply and further information

Location

Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London, Salford

About the job

Job summary The Integrated Corporate Services (ICS) is a new shared corporate service, launched in July 2023. It provides corporate services (HR, Finance, Digital, Commercial, Security and Estates) across the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT). Our team of just over 300 professionals will be leading the way in how these functions will be delivered in the future. Our ambition is to be the leading provider of integrated corporate services for government and set the standard for quality, efficiency, and innovation in our field. We offer great working benefits including a world-class pension, flexible working options and a career where your learning and development is taken seriously. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below. 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 D&I Strategy. Find Out More You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/desnz-careers/

Job description

Are you interested in joining a high-performing team of security professionals? If you are ready to challenge yourself and become a member of a specialist security team, then we have a great opportunity for you! This role is within the Personnel Security team within the department security unit (DSU). Our unit is responsible for all aspects of the physical, information, IT and personnel security, as well as resilience. The DSU sits within the Integrated Corporate Services function (ICS), providing shared services to the two new departments: the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). The role within the Personnel team, run by a Grade 6 Security Adviser for Physical and Personnel Security, will be mainly focused on vetting administration, including sponsoring, assessing and confirming clearances. You will be a part of the Government Security Profession. There are a wide variety of roles, specialisms and career paths for Government Security Professionals who work throughout the Civil Service helping to protect the UK Government and our citizens both at home and overseas.

The team has a positive, welcoming, and inclusive culture, and we are looking for pro-active and engaged team members to join us and help to deliver a high-quality security service to DESNZ and DSIT directorates and partner organisation.

Person specification

• Coordinate the business case processes for all new vetting applications and renewal requests.
• Initiate security clearance applications with vetting applicants.
• Receive security clearance correspondence from UKSV and disseminate to applicants and line managers.
• Facilitate the on-boarding process for new joiners by verifying clearance status, coordinating clearance transfers, or initiating new vetting applications.
• Initiate transfers of existing security clearances for new joiners with UKSV.
• Coordinate the completion of Change of Circumstances forms between clearance holders and UKSV.
• Maintain vetting trackers to appropriately supervise vetting requests.
• Manage the Vetting Enquiries shared inbox, including access permissions.
• Manage the teams SharePoint site holdings.
• Identify service issues and trends and raise to line manager and seniors as required.
• Develop and maintain up to date desk instructions for the vetting officer role.

Skills and experience

We would love to hear from you if you have a genuine interest in security and improving departmental security culture. Our ideal candidate will: -

(Essential)

• Have a flexible, team player attitude, encouraging collaborative team and cross-department working
• Be an excellent communicator with a customer-focused approach, able to lead, and work within, a small team
• Be able to build effective relationships, engage and negotiate with key stakeholders and staff at all levels of seniority
• Have an analytical approach, a strong eye for detail and the ability to identify areas for improvement and suggest solutions

Security Check Information Successful candidates must pass disclosure and barring security checks. If successful, you must also hold or be willing and able to obtain security clearance to SC level. You do not need to already hold SC to apply. We will sponsor you through the process but any offer will be conditional until SC is obtained. Individuals applying for security clearance should usually have been continuously resident in the UK for the following periods immediately before the clearance is launched: SC - 5 years If you have spent more than six months resident outside the UK within these timeframes then you are still encouraged to apply. Eligibility for security clearances will be assessed on a case by case basis but in some instances, it may not be possible to take forward applications from those who do not meet residency requirements. Security experience and knowledge of vetting or supporting a vetting service would be useful, but not crucial, as we can offer the training you need. If you have not worked in a vetting role before but have strong administrative, organisational and other transferrable skills, you should still apply. This position aligns with the Screening Associate role under the Government Security Profession Career Framework, with elements of the Corporate Enabling Support function. We encourage you to learn more about the Government Security Profession to discover the range of exciting opportunities that are available within this critical function of Government if you decide to join us.

Behaviours

Well assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions

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

• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,915, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £8,376 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.

Office attendance

The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.

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.

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Judgement Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 02/02/2025. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and one 250 word behaviour statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to explain what attracts you to a role in security?

Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behaviour statement - Managing a Quality Service.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behaviour questions.

Sift and interview dates

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DESNZ Candidate Guidance. A DESNZ Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.

We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the Contact point for applicants section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DESNZ does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

DESNZ cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DESNZ holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicants details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Feedback

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 security check (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

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)
• 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)

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 Commissions 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 the Civil 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. The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window). 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 : Ben Coombs Email : ben.coombs@ics.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email : desnzresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance desnzresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/