The University of Sheffield
Assistant Security Controller
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The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities, and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits and join us to become part of something special.
Overview
This versatile role serves as a critical position within the security function at the AMRC, providing high-level operational support to ensure organisational integrity and regulatory adherence. As an Assistant Security Controller, you will act as a versatile facilitator, bridging the gap between security protocols and daily business functions. You will play a vital role in the project lifecycle by assisting with the formal sign-off of internal security documentation, ensuring all initiatives meet internal risk benchmarks and compliance standards. Additionally, you will serve as the primary coordinator for clearance enquiries, guiding personnel through vetting and background checks while maintaining discretion.
Beyond internal governance, you will act as a centralised information hub for general security enquiries, providing guidance on policy and best practice to all stakeholders. You will also bolster the department’s professional standing by supporting gaining accreditation, ensuring alignment with global industry standards and professional development. Finally, you will provide essential logistical support during internal investigations, assisting with data gathering, evidence documentation, and report preparation. The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented, proactive professional capable of handling sensitive information with the highest level of integrity and composure.
Main Duties And Responsibilities
- Deploy a detailed understanding and act as a point of contact and source of expertise for AMRC project security aims, objectives, and operational working practices.
- Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with key personnel throughout the organisation, represent the operations activities and attend formal meetings on behalf of the project security function.
- Undertake security investigations and analysis, highlighting and prioritising issues for resolution. Support complex investigations alongside the Security Controller.
- Oversee the effective maintenance, security, and accessibility of project security data and documentation, ensuring relevant systems, reports, and registries are updated and compliant.
- Provide information in support of project security management, communicating with staff and sending information and detailed instruction for staff bulletins and policies.
- Provide specialist advice and deal with queries of a detailed nature regarding project security, recommending alternative courses of action to resolve customer requirements, where needed.
- Propose and support implementation of improvements to project security systems and working methods, leading the operational delivery of procedural changes to ensure alignment with University policy.
- Assist project teams with security documentation.
- Manage the operational delivery of the personnel vetting process, ensuring adherence to protocols and acting as the primary point of referral for vetting cases.
- Handled project security enquiries and queries, escalated to the Security Controller where required.
- Contribute to a regular program of security audits and compliance spot checks across project data and documentation, analysing results to identify risks and implementing necessary corrective actions.
- Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.
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Person Specification
Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.
Criteria
Essential
- Experience of maintaining accurate and detailed records in an electronic database with consideration of handling the data in a sensitive and confidential way.
- Experience of using Microsoft Office packages including Word, Excel, and Access.
- Proven ability to consider the facts available and solve problems with an appreciation of the short and long-term implications.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to assess and organise resources, and plan and progress work activities.
- Ability to recognise when collaboration is required and seek appropriate colleagues to provide support to a task or decision-making process.
- Ability to adapt own skills to new circumstances and use initiative to contribute to team and organisational activities.
- Driven to complete tasks, including long-term projects, to a good standard with little or no supervision. To prioritise own workload and to seek support when necessary.
- Experience of developing and maintaining effective working relationships in a complex environment.
- 5 GCSE passes at grade C or above including Maths and English (or equivalent experience).
- Ability to maintain a database holding secure data.
Desirable
- Previous experience in a similar project security role
Further Information
Grade
6
Salary
£32,080 - £36,636
Work arrangement
Full Time
Line manager
Security Controller
Direct reports
None
Right to work in the UK
If you do not currently hold the right to work in the UK, you can find more information here to help determine your visa eligibility. Additional guidance is also available on the UK Visa & Immigration website.
Our website
For informal enquiries about this job contact Sophie Gimeno-Guillen, Security Controller: on s.a.gimeno-guillen@amrc.co.uk
Next steps in the recruitment process
This will consist of an interview. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage in the weeks following the closing date. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact Sophie Gimeno-Guillen, s.a.gimeno-guillen@amrc.co.uk
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Our vision and strategic plan
We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision.
What We Offer
- A minimum of 38 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
- Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
- Generous pension scheme.
- A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
- A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
- Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
- A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; Professional Services Shared Skills Framework
- A range of generous family-friendly policies:
- Paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
- Access to menopause support in the workplace
- Paid time off and support for fertility treatment
- And more
More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits.
We are a Disability Confident Leader. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.
Security Vetting
Please be aware that there is a requirement for the successful applicant to undertake a Government baseline personnel security standard (BPSS) and Security Check Clearance (SC) as a condition of employment. Please note you must be able to work in the UK without restrictions in accordance with UK National Law and be prepared to successfully undertake an appropriate level of UK National Security Vetting according to UK Government National Security Vetting criteria
A BPSS check contains a basic DBS check. More details on the checks can be found on the Government website: gov.uk/criminal-record-checks-apply-role.
Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield. We recognise the value of steady employment in the rehabilitation process and examine each case in its own right. More information can be found on our Information for candidates page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/candidates.
Closing Date: 01/10/2026
We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches, and insights it can lead to richer, more creative, and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs, and ways of living for everyone.
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