Operations Manager - RAF Mildenhall

Location

RAF Mildenhall, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 8NF

About the job

Job summary

Do you want a career where you can make a real difference? Join the Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS) to protect Defence from threats such as crime, terrorism, espionage, and sabotage by providing the highest quality of security services through professionalism, excellence, and trust.

We are looking for a Security Area Operations Manager to join our Gold Standard Security Service and play a crucial role to the business requiring resilience, alertness, and organisational skills. Due to the nature of the role and its high-profile locations, it is essential that our Security Operations Manager has a strong work ethic, great teamwork, customer service, communication, and management skills. We are looking for individuals who are willing to go above and beyond to support and manage security operations across the Defence estate. If you can demonstrate this from past or current experiences, we want to hear from you and see this detailed in your CV.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS) provides high quality security services at over 170 MOD sites across the United Kingdom. The MGS has guarded the Defence Estate for over 30 years including high profile locations such as MOD Main Building in London, Whitehall and His Majesty’s Naval Bases at Portsmouth, Devonport, and the Clyde. We provide access control, military working dogs, control room operations and other security services. We play a vital role supporting the Defence Mission and work to protect the Defence estate and personnel from crime, terrorism, espionage, and sabotage threats.

The MGS has over 2,700 employees. MGS Security Officers are often the first point of contact for employees, visitors and contractors on sites and we pride ourselves on our professional, customer-focused culture. Behind our operational workforce is a range of head office roles which support our security professionals to develop and execute the organisations strategy, managing its budget and resources, leading, and developing our staff, maintaining relationships with stakeholders, monitoring and evaluating our performance and identifying new opportunities.

All are working towards our Vision to be recognised as an outstanding provider of security services and our five Values underpinning this Vision include:

• Integrity – Always do the right thing. Respect yourself and others. Treat people fairly.
• Vigilance and Preparedness – Keep careful watch for risks and incidents. Be ready to act.
• Professionalism – Know the job thoroughly. Seek continuous improvement. Maintain high standards.
• Helpfulness - Always be ready to assist people. Leave a lasting positive impression.
• Teamwork – Working with colleagues who are collaborative, respectful, open and trustworthy, who are passionate about excellence and protecting Defence.

The Operations Manager’s (OMs) main responsibility is to ensure that our security service is running smoothly to allow our operational employees to protect defence and be prepared for security incidents. As an Operational Manager you will manage Security Officer Supervisors ensuring they are supported to undertake the tasks to a high standard.

The key duties are as follows:

• Oversee and manage the daily operations of the security team at units, ensuring the correct use of physical and tactical resources to maintain operational preparedness for security incidents in line with local Joint Business Agreements/General Statement of Security Requirements (GSSORs).
• Lead physical security operations and set governance structures to appropriately meet the risk appetite to protect assets and people at sites.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships by liaising with unit customers and Heads of Establishments (HOEs) on a regular basis, ensuring excellent service delivery through pro-active problem solving and agreed prioritisation of tasks.
• Ensure all posts and tasks are risk assessed and all relevant policy and legislation is followed.
• Provide Head Office with data returns when requested regarding staffing levels, personal case work and audits, recording achievements of tasks, overtime, and other operational data.
• Collaborate with other security providers at the unit to provide a high-quality security service.
• Ensure National Security Inspectorate (NSI) compliance at all units within your Area of Responsibility (AOR), auditing paperwork, processes and amending or updating local documents when required.
• Review working patterns/rosters, Joint Business Agreements / General Statement of Security Requirement (GSSOR’s) and Assignment Instructions on an annual basis.
• Consult with Trade Unions on local changes.
• Act as a role model and actively encourage a positive and inclusive working environment.
• Carry out all MGS/MOD/Management Training including Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) to ensure effective understanding and management of Health and Safety within you Area of Responsibility (AOR).
• Option to be On-Call Duty Manager

All new starters will participate in a mandatory two-week residential Foundation Course, followed by on-the-job training. Additionally, we offer an annual programme of mandatory online training, along with a dedicated Workforce Development Team to support you with your training needs.

There are plenty of opportunities for development, access to funded professional qualifications and specialist training. We are a growing organisation with opportunities to progress your security careers and if you align with our Values, we’d love to hear from you!

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• A background, qualification or interest in the delivery of site security and/or can demonstrate experience in delivering customer service

Licences

Full UK Driving license required as travel between sites is necessary, and no suitable public transport.

Working Hours

• Full time, 37hrs per week (excluding unpaid meal break) Monday to Friday. Flexible Working Scheme available.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,740, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,905 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD:

https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Apply and further information

To apply, please visit our website using the apply button provided.

Closing date is 24/08/2026.

Application sifting is scheduled to take place on week commencing 31/08/26.

Interviews are due to take place via Microsoft Teams and will be conducted week commencing 14/09/26.

Please note that these dates may be subject to change due to operational requirements.

We want to offer opportunities to all who are successful at interview for our roles, but this isn’t always possible, so we do hold candidates on an active reserve list for 12 months. It is also possible that we may offer similar lower graded role/s to reserve candidates or, if no reserves are appointed, candidates that meet the lower grade criteria in merit order.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact:

• Name: MGS RH
• Email: MGS-RH@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email: DBSCivPers-ResourcingTeam3@mod.gov.uk

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £30,740.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Enhanced maternity leave
• Enhanced paternity leave
• Paid volunteer time

Work Location: In person