UK Ministry of Defence
Army - SJC - Ministry of Defence Guard Service - Operations Manager - Lichfield
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DMS Whittington Barracks, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS14 9PY
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 an Operations Manager to join our Gold Standard security service and provide a crucial role to the business requiring resilience, vigilance, and alertness. Due to the high profile and strategic locations of the sites we guard, it is essential our Operations Manager have a strong work ethic, great teamwork, customer service and communication skills and must be willing to go above and beyond to support security operations across the Defence estate. If you can demonstrate this from past or current experiences, we want to hear from you.
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 organisation's 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.
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!
For more information about MGS, please look on YouTube using the links below:
- Working for the Ministry of Defence Guard Service - https://youtu.be/UrLfy2MZXpg
Person Specification
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.
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Key Duties:
- 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 proactive 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 your 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.
Essential Criteria
- A background, or interest in the delivery of site security and/or can demonstrate experience in delivering customer service.
- Driving license mandatory as site visits will be required.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Managing a Quality Service
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Leadership
- Managing a Quality Service
Salary and 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 (opens in a new window).
We enable our people to work at the right place, with the right people, at the right time. We believe that if we look after our people, they will be passionate about delivering great things for our customers.
The MOD Discover My Benefits Page Lists The Full Set Of Benefits. Some Of The Many Benefits You Will Receive Include:
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- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
- A generous annual leave allowance.
- Ability to roll over up to 10 days annual leave (Pro-rated to your contracted hours) per year.
- Minimum of 15 Days Special Leave in a rolling 12-month period for volunteer military or emergency service reserve commitments.
- Special Paid Leave for volunteering up to 6 days a year.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
- Employee Assistance Programme to support your wellbeing.
- Most sites have good travel links with free car parking; many also have other facilities such as a Sports & Social Club, Gym and Cafeterias and Shops.
- Entitlement to apply for a Blue Light and Defence Discount Cards
Learning & Development
- Professional and Personal Development of skills.
- Access to thousands of training courses through Civil Service Learning and Defence Learning Environment.
- Ability to obtain industry recognised qualifications supported by MGS.
- Free MGS Security Uniform
- Work, where you will learn key life skills in emergency first aid
Working Arrangements
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.
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.
Recruitment Process
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history and previous skills and experience.
At sift, Candidates will be assessed against their CV and the following:
Behaviours:
- Leadership
- Managing a Quality Service
At interview you will be assessed against the following:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
Application sifting is scheduled to take place on End of August beginning of September.
Interviews are due to take place via Microsoft Teams and will be conducted week commencing 14/09/2026. (subject to change)
We want to offer opportunities to all who are successful at interview for our roles, but this isn’t always possible, so we 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.
Please note the above dates are subject to change.
Selection Process Details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
**Candidates will be required to provide CV details
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