Head of Physical and Personnel Security

Government Recruitment Service; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension 28.97%

25 days leave + bank holidays

Flexible working

Job summary

Government Recruitment Service in Nottingham seeks a Head of Physical and Personnel Security to lead protective security across physical security, personnel security, vetting and resilience capabilities. You will advise senior leaders and governance bodies on risk-based protective security models to protect people, assets and information.

The role requires translating central government policy into organisational practice, supporting standards assurance and fostering a security-minded culture

Responsibilities

• Act as deputy to the Head of Cyber Security on protective security matters, representing DVSA at senior governance forums and providing expert advice on significant security risks and incidents.
• Lead DVSA’s personnel security and vetting capability, ensuring end-to-end processes and proportionate decision making.
• Lead development and implementation of protective security strategy and controls across physical security, personnel security, vetting and resilience capabilities.
• Manage relationships with DfT, UKSV, Cabinet Office and other departments to support policy implementation and professional practice.
• Provide leadership for physical security, incident management and resilience—risk-informed and proportionate to DVSA’s operating environment.
• Oversee resilience and recovery arrangements and drive continuous security improvements across DVSA.
• Provide visible leadership across physical and personnel security disciplines as the senior specialist point of authority.
• Great line management and empowerment of line managers to deliver strong outcomes for the public.

Job description

Head of Physical and Personnel Security

Company: Government Recruitment Service

Salary: £59,816 to £59,816 a year

Hours: Full-time

Location: Nottingham

Job type: Permanent

Posting date: 19 Oct 2026

Closing date: 8 Nov 2026

The Head of Physical and Personnel Security is the senior specialist lead for physical and personnel security within DVSA, responsible for leading the development, implementation and assurance of protective security arrangements across physical security, personnel security, vetting and related resilience capabilities.

Operating across DVSA and with wider government security partners, the role provides expert advice to senior leaders and relevant governance forums, supporting a proportionate, risk-based protective security model that enables DVSA to protect its people, assets, information and services in a complex and evolving threat environment.

The post holder will translate central government policy and Government Security Profession expectations into effective organisational practice, support assurance against relevant government standards, and contribute to a strong, professional and security-minded culture across DVSA.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here


• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday


• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency - Department for Transport Careers

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Act as deputy to the Head of Cyber Security on protective security matters, representing DVSA at senior governance forums and providing expert advice to Executive Team members and Directors on significant security risks and incidents.


• Act as DVSA’s senior specialist lead for physical and personnel security, leading the development and implementation of protective security strategy and controls across physical security, personnel security, vetting and resilience capabilities.


• Lead DVSA’s personnel security and vetting capability, ensuring effective end-to-end processes, proportionate decision making and alignment with organisational risk appetite.


• Manage effective working relationships with DfT, UKSV, Cabinet Office, Government Security Function and other departments to support policy implementation, operational improvement and professional practice.


• Provide expert leadership for physical security, incident management and resilience, ensuring arrangements are threat-informed, risk-based and proportionate to DVSA’s operating environment.


• Oversee development and implementation of resilience and recovery arrangements.


• Drive continuous improvement and foster a security-minded culture across DVSA.


• Provide strong, visible and expert leadership across physical and personnel security disciplines, acting as the senior specialist point of authority within the role’s defined remit.

Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills they need. We aim to empower line managers to create teams where people can flourish and deliver excellent outcomes for the public.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident: Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.

For further information on the role, please read the attached role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.