Head of Security Services Group

Babcock; Wales; On-site; GBP 81,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking to recruit a Technical Authority for Above Secret Physical and Technical Security for the Ministry of Defence. The role focuses on leadership, stakeholder management, and the delivery of Defence capabilities, requiring experience in security and change initiatives. Besides a competitive salary, the role offers a robust package including a significant pension contribution and tailored development opportunities.

Benefits

Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension

Flexible working options

Tailored learning and development

Inclusive workplace culture

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in leading Security in Facilities Management.
• Proven record in influencing senior stakeholders.
• Exceptional leadership skills with operational delivery experience.
• Track record in change initiatives and identity-driven culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage up to 350 staff in the Security Services Group.
• Deliver strategic advice and authority capability across Defence.
• Provide governance framework and assurance for relationships.
• Drive innovation and adapt technology for current and future threats.

Skills

Stakeholder Management

Leadership

Systems Thinking

Business Improvement

Job description

About the job

You will lead the organisation through its senior management team to ensure the Security Services Group (SSG) delivers the role of Technical Authority for Above Secret Physical and Technical Security role on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD). You will lead and manage a bespoke Defence capability to ensure that SSG delivers the correct classification of security architecture operationally, commercially and financially to a demanding MOD and cross-Government client base and ensure it is ready to meet evolving Defence risks and opportunities through the best use of Technology and Innovation. Strong engagement across Defence at both SCS2, SCS3 and Ministerial level will be required. You will lead on reforming the organisation and developing “Futures” technology ensuring it has the capability to meet current and future threat.

A key part of the role will be to represent the MOD across a broad Government security Network at Director level. As Head of Specialism for Physical and Technical Security in the Above Secret environment, you will support Tri-Service security training at the appropriate level. You will provide assurance of SSG’s ongoing operations, ensuring they are fully briefed on the risks and opportunities in the sphere of SSG, specifically and related security issues across Defence and wider government.

The vacancy holder will be offering an online Q&A session on Wednesday 11th June between 16:30 – 17:00 to provide an overview of the role and welcome any questions you may have. Candidates can access the meeting by clicking here. Please note this is not part of the formal assessment process. If you have any issues accessing the session, please contact: [e-mail].

Job description

The current responsibilities of the role include:

1) Leadership & Management of Staff in the Security Services Group (SSG):

• Provide visible and effective leadership of an organisation of up to 325 staff with Developed Vetting, and turnover of circa £30M per annum. Eight G6 & G7 direct reports. You will be expected to grow the organisation up to 350.
• Provide direction and support to SSG’s wider senior leadership team to ensure SSG outputs are delivered safely, in accordance with Defence and cross-Government priorities and supported by robust corporate governance. These staff are geographically dispersed through the UK and overseas, providing a 24/7 response to a critical capability.
• Provide a well governed and assured through life training and education opportunity for all members of SSG and to support the workforce model, provide consistency of engineering standards and enhance the employment offer to SSG employees.

2) Deliver Technical Authority Capability and Strategic Advice across Defence, wider Government and UK Critical National Infrastructure

• Accountable for building strong and effective relationships with all stakeholders across the Government security environment at Head and Director level to ensure Defence’s owned Intruder Detection System (IDS) Sovereign capability is optimised in its delivery.
• Provide the Technical Authority focus for Above Secret, Secret Strap and Attractive to Criminals and Terrorist Organisations (ACTO) equipment across Defence.
• Deliver an effective and efficient Strategic Expert Advisor role within the Army to ensure the niche Defence Owned capability is optimised to meet strategic priorities cross-Government.

3) Technology and Innovation

• Provide key leadership and advice within the cross-Government security architecture with specific focus on the Above Secret, STRAP and ACTO areas within Defence.
• Development of a Futures SSG Research and Development team to enable Defence and PAG to have the right technology to meet current and future threat, which itself is linked across Government and Academia as required to retain SSG as Defence’s key in-house security capability.

4) Business Development

• Responsible for the Security Services Group’s business plan, identifying and assessing opportunities for the building capability within the business going forward and seeking to grow SSG appropriately both with its Defence offering and across other Government Departments, ensuring that it maintains its place as the key provider of services.

5) Government and Assurance

• Accountable for the establishment of an effective governance framework in the Security Services Group and Army and in relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Accountable for the development and implementation of a robust delivery assurance regime, in accordance with the Army and Ministry of Defence policies.

Person specification

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their experience and skills against the following essential criteria:

• Extensive experience in leading and implementing Security in a Facilities Management setting, with knowledge on technology development and delivery of programmes in large, complex organisations.
• Proven experience of senior stakeholder management in a political, pressured environment with evidence of how and when you have been able to influence senior stakeholders within a complex environment in addition to building and maintaining a strong network of collaborative relationships, especially at Board level.
• An exceptional leader with experience of embedding systems thinking, including compliance, audit and propriety whilst delivering operational outputs, at scale and pace.
• Experience leading business improvement and change initiatives whilst maintaining business as usual activities.
• Experience of leading a mixed disciplinary team with a proven record of building, motivating and inspiring teams, driving inclusion, improving capability and ensuring high performance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £81,000, Ministry of Defence contributes £23,465 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
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pensionwith an employer contribution of 28.97%