Deputy Head of Establishment

UK Ministry of Defence; Harrogate; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service Pension

25 days annual leave rising to 30

Learning and development

Defence Discounts

Job summary

UK Ministry of Defence is seeking a STRAPSO to oversee security across a network of facilities and to ensure compliance with defence policy and accreditation requirements.

You will work alongside the Head of Establishment, manage STRAP processes, and supervise contractor STRAPSOs to maintain proper clearances and site security. The role focuses on protecting sensitive material and ensuring robust security controls.

Qualifications

• Experience in a security role within a secure environment and governance processes.
• Ability to collaborate with stakeholders, provide direction and challenge where required.
• Clear communication to technical and non-technical teams.

Responsibilities

• Ensure STRAP facilities meet STRAP guidelines and local orders are produced and adhered to, including receipt and dispatch of STRAP material in IT systems.
• Administer a range of STRAP processes on site.
• Assure and oversee the work of the contractor’s STRAPSOs to authority standards, including clearances, site access and security procedures.
• Provide advice on STRAP and security matters to all personnel and visitors.
• Work with the HOE to maintain facilities to required standards and hold issues to account.
• Conduct assurance audits and site visits across the delivery estate.

Job description

Behind every mission and operation, the Ministry of Defence relies on expert functions to drive our mission forward. From HR, Finance, and Legal to Security, Procurement, and Communications, our teams enable Defence to deliver today and be ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

Watch to find out more about what we do.

About the role:

In this role, you’ll be joining a small, high-performing team in a new position as STRAPSO, working alongside the Head of Establishment (HOE), overseeing all aspects of security, to ensure compliance with defence strategic intent, policy and delivery of mandated outcomes.

You’ll work to the direction of the Corporate STRAPSO, to ensure appropriate security processes procedures and assurance are in place, to maintain accreditation or gain accreditation of facilities.

STRAP is a regime that regulates access to sensitive intelligence material which requires more protective handling than is afforded by the standard arrangements for government assets.

Working alongside the HOE, you’ll assume some HOE assurance duties (including deputising when required), ensuring sites are maintained to a suitable state and conduct audits/security reviews, across all the sites within the service delivery wrap, and technical audits. You’ll have significant influence over the setting up, and delivery of, new facilities and will work with organisations across Defence to ensure compliance. While you have clearly defined responsibilities, the developing nature of this role provides scope for learning, with a growing portfolio of STRAP facilities.

What you'll be doing:

• Ensuring STRAP facilities meet STRAP guidelines, local orders are produced and adhered to, whilst controlling the arrangements for the receipt and dispatch of STRAP material (including that in IT systems).
• Responsibility for the administration of a range of STRAP processes on site.
• Assuring and overseeing the work of the contractor’s STRAPSOs, to the authority standards, with respect to the passing of clearances, site access and security procedures and processes.
• Provide advice on STRAP and security matters to all personal delivering the service and visitors.
• Work alongside the HOE to assure the maintenance of facilities to the required standard, holding to account where there are issues.
• Conduct assurance audits and site visits across the delivery estate.

About you:

We would expect to see experience of working in a security role within a secure environment, demonstrable knowledge of the security processes, procedures and governance processes or experience in a Head of Establishment/facilities management role.

You’ll also need:

• Ability to collaborate with stakeholders, providing direction and challenging when required.
• Understanding of appropriate security processes, procedures and to maintain accreditation or gain accreditation of facilities.
• Great communication skills, able to identify problems and clearly communicate to both technical and non-technical teams.

What makes us great!:

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.

• Learning and development tailored to your role with a dedicated minimum of 5 days per year.
• 25 days paid annual leave rising (by 1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of five years’ service.
• Ability to roll up to 10 days annual leave per year.
• In addition to eight public holidays per year, you will also receive leave for HM The King’s birthday.
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
• Parental and Adoption Leave.
• Discounts on a range of services within and external to the civil service – Defence Discount Service, Civil Service societies for Sports and Leisure, Healthcare, Insurance, Motoring, Company discounts with Virgin, Vodafone, and Microsoft Office.
• In year rewards and ‘thank you’ schemes such as vouchers and gift cards
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Equality and Diversity

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. It’s vital that our workforce reflects the diversity of both our audience and the wider society in the UK, so we’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and we actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds and communities. We also recognise the importance of a good work life balance, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including part-time and job shares for all our roles. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process if this is something you want to explore.