NCSC Cryptographic Ordering, Production, Distribution and Customer Relationship Management Ref. 3876

MI5; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Civil Service pension

Cycle to work

Job summary

GCHQ in Cheltenham offers an exciting entry role within UKKPA, part of the NCSC, aimed at learning and growing in a secure, government environment. You will develop, produce cryptographic materials and manage customer orders while receiving guided on-the-job training and support from an experienced team.

This role emphasizes skill-building in production systems, with progression opportunities across Government and industry.

Qualifications

• Attention to detail in a secure environment.
• Analytical approach and problem-solving skills.
• Confident communication with customers and colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Generate and produce materials using computer-based production systems.
• Prepare and package physical products for dispatch; distribute electronic products.
• Manage customer accounts, orders and queries via electronic order management.

Skills

Attention to detail

Analytical thinking

Communication

Education

GCSE Maths and English

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Cheltenham

Job description

About us

GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage.

At GCHQ you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ, is the UK Government’s lead authority on cyber security. The organisation is at the heart of the Government’s cyber security strategy and aims to make the UK the safest place to live and work online.

The role

We have an exciting opportunity for you to join the United Kingdom Key Production Authority (UKKPA), part of the National Cyber Security Centre. As part of UKKPA, you’ll help produce the technology that enables our customers to keep their information secure.

Our mission is unique, so we understand that you may not have come across work like UKKPA’s before. You don’t need to join us with extensive experience or specialist knowledge. We’re looking for someone who is keen to learn, develop new skills and grow their knowledge as part of the role. This could be the start of a rewarding career with NCSC and GCHQ.

We offer a structured training and development programme, combining on-the-job learning with support from an experienced team to help you build your skills and knowledge. You’ll have guidance and support throughout, helping you grow in confidence as you develop in the role.

UKKPA provides a crucial service across Government and industry, supplying a wide range of customers with essential cryptographic key material. As part of the team, you’ll help make sure our customers have the equipment and materials they need to keep their information secure. This will include generating and producing materials using our computer-based production systems.

You’ll also prepare and package physical products for dispatch, distribute electronic products and maintain product records. There’s a customer-focused side to the role too, as you’ll manage customer accounts, orders and queries through an electronic order management system.

There’s plenty of variety in the role, combining these core responsibilities with opportunities to contribute to major modernisation projects and support the transition from traditional physical products to electronic formats.

About you

You’ll bring enthusiasm for working as part of a varied team, be comfortable using IT-based production systems within a secure environment and have a keen eye for detail, taking pride in delivering high-quality products to our customers. An analytical approach and effective problem-solving skills are important, along with the ability to communicate confidently with customers and a good working knowledge of MS office.

Good literacy and numeracy skills are also important, demonstrated by GCSE Maths and English at Grade 4/C or above, or equivalent experience that shows you can work at this level.

As the working day can be varied, you’ll need to be flexible, work well with others and be willing to get involved in a range of tasks when needed. You’ll be comfortable with routine tasks, while also being keen to learn new skills and take on more complex work as your experience grows.

You may have recently left education or be looking to take your career in a new direction. Whatever your starting point, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to develop your skills, with support and guidance along the way.

GCHQ Competencies

As part of the selection process, the NCSC will assess you using competencies aligned with those used across the UK Intelligence Community. These are closely based on the Civil Service Behaviours, so if you’re familiar with those, you’re already on the right track.

• Driving Innovation and Change (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Changing and Improving)
• Communicating and Influencing (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Communicating and Influencing)
• Working Collaboratively (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Working Together)
• Delivering Outcomes (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Delivering at Pace)
• Providing Customer Value (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Managing a Quality Service)

Further information on Civil Service Behaviours

Training and development

At NCSC and GCHQ, we are proud of our inclusive and supportive working environment which is designed to encourage open minds and attitudes. As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we are committed to helping you fulfil your potential. With comprehensive training and development opportunities tailored to your needs and the requirements of your work, we will enable you to flourish in your role and perform to the very best of your abilities.

Rewards and benefits

You’ll receive a starting salary of £28,758, which includes a concessionary payment of £2,758.

Other benefits include:

• 25 days’ annual leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days of public and privilege holidays
• opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
• an interest-free season ticket loan
• a cycle to work scheme
• facilities such as a subsidised gym, restaurant, and on-site coffee bars; availability varies by location
• paid parental and adoption leave
• an excellent pension scheme - Civil Service pension

Equal opportunities

At GCHQ, diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce, such as women, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website

Disability Confident

GCHQ is proud to have achieved Leader status within the Department for Work and Pensions’ Disability Confident scheme. This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people. As a Disability Confident Leader, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who best meet the essential minimum criteria for this position, will be offered an interview, if it is practical for us to do so. This is known as the Offer of an Interview.

To secure an interview for this role, candidates must meet the minimum criteria, which will be assessed at CV sift stage:

1. You'll be required to reach the minimum pass mark for the online Situational Judgement Test (SJT), which assesses criteria important for all roles in our organisation
2. Demonstrate enthusiasm for working in a diverse team, utilising IT-based production systems in a secure environment
3. Demonstrate good literacy and numeracy skills, e.g., GCSE Math’s and English at Grade 4 or above, or equivalent experience that shows you can perform at this level

There is a wide range of extra support available throughout the recruitment process to enable you to do your best. Please see our website for information on reasonable adjustments we can offer.

Before you apply

To work at NCSC, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. You can read our full eligibility criteria here.

This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It’s something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. You can find out more about the vetting process here.

Please note we have a strict drugs policy, so once you start your application, you can’t take any recreational drugs and you’ll need to declare your previous drug use at the relevant stage.

Before you apply, we recommend setting up a separate email address for your contact with us, to ensure your personal and application correspondence remain separate. Try to avoid having identifying features in your email address, such as your first or surname or date of birth. This is good practice and will help you manage your application with us more securely.

The role is based in Cheltenham, so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application, as we do not offer relocation costs.

We offer reasonable reimbursement of travel costs for candidates attending in-person appointments during the recruitment and vetting process. Full details will be provided with your interview or assessment invitation.

Reimbursement is discretionary and will only be made in line with the Candidate Expenses Policy, as amended from time to time. Candidates must book their own travel, using the most economical option, and provide original hard copy receipts for reimbursement.

Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application. Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.

The closing date for this role is: 2nd November 2026 at 23:55

Right to close statement

Please be aware that we reserve the right to close applications once a certain number have been received. Please submit your application as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

If you have a disability (as defined under the Equality Act 2010) and need additional time to complete your application, please submit your initial application and then contact us using the email address provided as soon as possible. Please use the subject line “Reasonable Adjustments Extension” and briefly outline the support you require.