HQ Armed Forces Recruiting – Security and Compliance Deputy Lead

Job summary

Want to be at the forefront of delivering secure and compliant digital services for Defence? Join Headquarters Armed Forces Recruiting and help drive the security and assurance activities that underpin a transformational new approach to Armed Forces recruitment.

As Security and Compliance Deputy Lead, you will play a pivotal role in embedding Secure by Design principles, overseeing security risk management, and ensuring adherence to Defence security policies and accreditation requirements. Working across organisational boundaries with Defence Digital, security authorities and industry partners, you will help protect critical systems, support informed risk-based decision making, and enable the successful delivery of a high-profile national programme. This is an exceptional opportunity to influence security strategy, support innovation, and contribute directly to Defence capability and national security.

Would you like to be involved in the start of an exciting new way to deliver recruitment of Armed Forces personnel, for the Royal Navy, Army, and the Royal Air Force?

Headquarters Armed Forces Recruiting (HQ AFR) will deliver integrated tri-service recruitment for the Armed Forces to build and maintain force levels able to meet Defence outputs. The Armed Forces Recruiting Service (AFRS) contract has recently been awarded to Team Serco and collaborative transition activity has now commenced.

A role in HQ AFR is a superb opportunity. You will be at the forefront of a significant change, shaping the future recruitment for all three Services into a tri-Service delivery from 2027 and into steady state. Senior staff across Defence are keeping a keen interest in AFRS, meaning it is high profile, collaborative and engaging environment. You will be working within a diverse team, including military personnel, civilians, and external providers, which provides opportunities for learning and networking. The role offers a real chance to develop skills and demonstrate capabilities, which will provide clear tangible evidence to support you to potentially fulfil your career progression ambitions in the future.

You'd be contributing to the Armed Forces' ability to attract and retain the best talent, ultimately supporting national security.

If you're looking for a challenging, rewarding, and transformative role, this could be a great fit for you.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week .

Due to the nature of the role, part time and job share arrangements may be considered, subject to the requirement that full-time hours are fully covered (or business needs are met).

Job description

The Security and Compliance Deputy Lead will be an essential member of the Digital & Data team, reporting directly to the Design Assurance Lead. This role is focused on ensuring the Authority's adherence to security policies and risk management frameworks, with an emphasis on Secure by Design, incident management and escalation of security incidents. The security and Compliance Lead is responsible for defining and overseeing the Authority's security approach, selecting risk assessment methodologies, and ensuring compliance with policy. This role will involve close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to manage risk effectively.

Key responsibilities:

• Management of programme's Secure by Design (SbD) activity; including liaison with COMD HQ AFR, CyDR Assessor, Network Operating Authority, and the Partner. Accountable for appropriate Security Risk Management processes.
• Responsible for defining the Authority's security approach, selection of risk assessment methods and identification of control frameworks; ensuring programme compliance with policy e.g. JSP440, JSP 453
• Lead for SbD and wider accreditation, ensuring Authority and the Partner adhere to policy.
• Collaborate with Design Assurance for Compliance and Risk matters, including maintenance of security risk registers, mitigations, assumptions, and dependencies.
• Represent the Authority at Partner security forums and Working Groups.
• Development and maintenance of Threat Assessments, ensuring the Authority and Partner understand and adhere to security responsibilities.
• Responsible for ensuring all activity meets JSP 453 accreditation, or assurance as stipulated by policy.
• Completion of SbD self-assessments and ensuring the Partner’s compliance to Authority processes, procedures and legalities (contract/schedules).
• Collaborate with the Partner and Authority to ensure engagement with SOC and SPOC in response to incident management.
• Authority lead for escalating and reporting security related incidents (inc. WARP). Responsible for ensuring technical risk raised by the Partner is elevated to Authority stakeholders.
• Be the Authority lead for security assurance of any and all AI enable changes, and any Penetration or Ethical Hacking activity, supporting Team Serco governance and change boards.
• Provide support to Information Technology Security and Risk resolution management.

Person specification

If you can deliver high-class service in a fast-paced environment, you are the type of person we are looking for!

We seek a proficient individual who can showcase their expertise and abilities in line with the following essential criteria:

• Building shared vision and values
• Promoting and facilitating change
• Ability to operate sensitively in a fast-paced environment
• Security assurance experience

In addition to the above, although not crucial, it is desirable to have experience in the following:

• Knowledge of MOD policies, governance, related ethics and strategy
• Experience in presenting data to inform decision making
• Experience working with and implementing SbD

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• DDaT - Communication - Practitioner
• DDaT – Designing Secure Systems - Working
• DDaT – Enabling & informing risk-based decisions - Working
• DDaT – Security Technology - Working
• DDaT – Understanding security implications of transformation - Working
• DDAT – Communication (Security architect) - Working

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

• DDaT - Communication - Practitioner
• DDaT – Designing Secure Systems - Working
• DDaT – Enabling & informing risk-based decisions - Working

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes

£13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• Professional and personal development of skills, enabling you to build a long-term career in your chosen area.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• 25 days annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service. In addition to 8 public holidays per year.
• Eligibility to be a member of the Defence Sports & Recreational Association (DSRA) via Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC).
• On-site gymnasium (for a small monthly fee for membership of the CSSC).
• Eligibility for use of Defence Discount Service .
• On-site nursery (MOD Abbey Wood, South).

Hybrid Working:

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

Please Note:

• 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.
• 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

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile elements that have been chosen for this campaign and includes technical skills ( Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework ). Each element will be scored accordingly, and the successful candidate will be appointed on merit.

Please ensure that at the application and interview stages of the campaign you review the Success Profiles Framework link for