Dstl
Senior Specialist Security Advisor – Enhanced Hazard Materials (EHM)
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Dstl Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JQ
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location; Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner’s premises for 60% of your working time. Where business needs allow, and with the agreement of your line manager, there may be the option for a combination of workplace and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement.
Job Summary
We are seeking a Security Advisor to provide specialist security assurance for the management and control of regulated chemical, biological and other sensitive materials. Working across the organisation, you will ensure compliance with internal controls and regulatory requirements that support our licence to operate.
The role involves engaging with senior stakeholders, regulators and external partners to deliver a consistent, proportionate approach to security assurance, while providing expert advice on the security of controlled drugs and other designated materials. You will play a key role in governance and assurance activities, helping to safeguard critical assets, maintain regulatory compliance and support the organisation's operational objectives.
Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.
Job Description
In this role, you will be responsible for providing specialist security assurance for sensitive and regulated materials, ensuring that they are managed securely and in accordance with relevant policies, regulatory requirements and internal controls. You will lead the delivery of security assurance activities across the organisation, helping to maintain compliance and support the organisation's licence to operate.
Working across a range of business areas, you will plan and conduct security audits and assurance reviews covering all aspects of the lifecycle of controlled materials. This will include assessing controls relating to acquisition, storage, access management, transportation, risk management, incident handling and disposal, while identifying opportunities for improvement and supporting the implementation of best practice.
You will work closely with senior leaders, operational teams, regulators and external partners to provide expert advice on security requirements and emerging risks. The role will involve monitoring and reporting on security risks, supporting governance activities and ensuring that appropriate security measures are in place to protect critical assets, infrastructure and facilities.
For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below.
Person specification
We are looking for a security professional with a degree in Chemistry, Biological Sciences, or a related discipline, together with experience gained in a security, assurance, compliance or technical role within the defence, security or industrial sectors.
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You will have a strong understanding of security risk management within regulated or high-consequence environments and be able to demonstrate experience of influencing stakeholders across organisational boundaries to achieve effective security outcomes. You should be confident interpreting legislation and policy and translating requirements into practical processes and assurance activities.
More for information on the essential criteria for the job, please see the job profile attached below.
Qualifications
Chemistry/Biological sciences degree or equivalent
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Changing and Improving
- Seeing the Big Picture
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Making Effective Decisions
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Experience in a security or related technical role across the Defence, security or Industry employment spectrum.
- Knowledge of UK and International legislation relating to EHM
Salary and Benefits
Alongside your salary of £62,261, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £18,037 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).
Dstl’s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes:
- Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution (find out more here). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme. Option to join Vivup Benefits Payment scheme
- Flexible working: Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only).
- Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.
- Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum.
- Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid
- Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning.
- Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
Important Information
Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats.
For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.
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This role will require Developed Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.
Individuals within DSTL who hold dual nationality and currently hold the required clearance level may apply. If found suitable for the role further security discussions will need to take place before a formal offer can be made.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
We want you to have your best chance of success in our recruitment process, so If at any stage of the application process you would like help or assistance please contact the Dstl Recruitment Team dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk and we will do all we can to support you.
If you are a current Dstl employee you must ensure your line manager is aware of your application and the potential situation regarding release dates.
The sift will take place from the 10th November and successful candidates will be invited to an interview at Dstl Porton Down on the 26th November.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (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.
Nationality requirements
Open to UK nationals only.
This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
Name: Dstl Recruitment Team
Email: dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk
Recruitment team
Email: dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk
Further information
Should you wish to raise a formal complaint about the Dstl recruitment process you should email dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk stating the nature of the issue. We will respond within 5 working days.
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