Army - Special Access Programme Security Officer

The Army employs around 7,000 MOD Civil Servants across 300 locations. It is a diverse workforce involved in supporting the Army deliver its core outputs across a
variety of functions and professions. It covers a vast range of roles from Commercial professionals, financiers and psychologists to storekeepers, project and programme managers and kennel assistants.
The Army Headquarters is part of the Ministry of Defence and the top level headquarters in the British Army. The Army Special Access Programme Security Officer (SAPSO) position sits inside the Army Headquarters Futures Directorate, a fast-paced and exciting place to work.
In Army Futures, our role is to help the British Army win. We do this by ensuring the Army keeps pace with social, political, technological and environmental changes and the speed at which our adversaries adapt. We then operate as an engine for research, innovation, analysis and experimentation to determine how the Army must be structured, trained and equipped in the future.
The Army Special Access Programme Security Officer (SAPSO) is a key part of the small Army Special Capabilities (SPECAP) team, inside the Futures Directorate. The SPECAP team is dedicated to protecting, developing and enabling the Army to employ, the most sensitive and often highest technology military capabilities.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week., The Army Special Access Programme (SAP) Security Officer (SAPSO) is an exciting role that combines security management with military capability, science and high technology to enable the Army to win in battle. It sits in the Army SPECAP team which is responsible for protecting and developing the Army’s most sensitive and novel military capabilities.
The role is specifically responsible for corporate SAP security governance right across the Army and also for the day-to-day management of SAP security within Army Headquarters and Andover Station. It also has a range of security and Information Communication Technology (ICT) system management roles which are essential to allow the Army to employ very sensitive operational capabilities and to fully exploit Science and Technology (S&T) held in SAPs.
Due to the nature of the information the post holder will be required to handle, this is a Reserved Post open only to sole UK Nationals and work must normally be done at Army HQ (although there may be occasional opportunities to work from home or flexibly with the agreement of the line manager).
Please be aware that due to the nature of this role this position is not suitable for hybrid working, part-time or job share. Owing to the classification of the work, you will be required to spend 95% of your working time in the office, We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Communicating and Influencing, This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Candidates will be required to provide a CV including details of job history and previous skills and experience.
Candidates will be required to provide a 1000 word statement of suitability demonstrating the knowledge and experience as within the Person Specification and guidance within the statement of suitability.
When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.
At sift and interview, you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles Behaviours:
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Communicating and Influencing
You will be asked to provide an example from your life where you have demonstrated the behaviour in the way it is described in the document linked above. Your examples can be from your work, academic or personal life.
It is recommended that you use the “STAR” format for your examples and make sure that your examples clearly showcase the behaviours according to the Level 3 descriptions in the “Success Profiles, Civil Service Behaviours” document linked above. The “STAR” format (Situation, Task, Action and Result) and how to use it is explained here: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/interview-advice/the-star-method
We aim to sift applications in November 2024. Once the sift is complete, applicants will be told whether they have been successful or not and successful applicants will be invited to attend an interview.
We aim to conduct interviews face-to-face at Army Headquarters, Andover, in November 2024. A minimum of five full working days’ notice will be provided for interviews. We will endeavour to stick to these dates, but they are subject to change around business needs.
Depending on the country, close foreign connections may prevent a candidate from satisfactorily achieving DV clearance (if in doubt, please ask at interview).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.
Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
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 developed vetting (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.

+ Experience of working in a national security context,
+ Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office,
+ Excellent written communication skills.
+ Experience of handling and/or management of Above Secret material
Desirable
+ Experience of handling and management of personal security clearances,
+ Previous experience as a STRAP Security Officer (STRAPSO), Personal Vetting Records Officer (PVRO) or in a similar role (either inside a government department or in industry) would be ideal,
+ Physical security infrastructure assessment experience and familiarity with Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) regulations, the Surreptitious Threat Mitigation Process (STaMP) and/or the Classified Material Assessment Tool (CMAT), etc.,
+ Developed Vetting security clearance.

Alongside your salary of £43,080, Ministry of Defence contributes £12,480 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
As a civil servant working alongside the Army, you will be part of a forward-looking organisation with inclusive workplace policies, excellent career prospects and a job that makes a difference. The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.
+ Learning and development tailored to your role
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
+ A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
+ 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
+ Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a
+ productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
+ Free onsite parking
+ Access to on site gym
+ Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
+ 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
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.
Please Note: 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.