Principal Security Skills and Behaviours SME

FCDO Services; Hanslope; On-site; GBP 56,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free shuttle bus between Milton Keynes

On-site gym

Nursery

Job summary

FCDO Services seeks a Principal Security Skills and Behaviours SME to lead development, implementation and maintenance of Technical Security skills for UK NACE. You will shape standards, frameworks and career pathways across government and industry.

Based at Hanslope Park with occasional travel to London and overseas sites, the role offers a permanent, full-time contract with a competitive salary and benefits package, including a location allowance and security clearance requirements.

Qualifications

• Recognised technical security professional with practical experience in Technical Surveillance Counter Measures.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, implementation and maintenance of Technical Security skills for UK NACE.
• Define skills frameworks, competency standards and workforce capability programmes.
• Engage with universities, industry and government partners to promote qualifications.

Skills

Technical security

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder influence

Curriculum development

University/industry engagement

Education

Degree advantageous

Job description

Principal Security Skills and Behaviours SME

Salary: £62,561 plus a location allowance of £1,750 and excellent benefits

Job Reference: 479012

Location: Based in Hanslope Park, Milton Keynes with occasional travel to London and overseas sites

Free shuttle bus available between central Milton Keynes and Hanslope Park

Contract type: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Closing date: Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 4th October 2026.

At FCDO Services we protect the UK’s interests at home and overseas. We design and construct secure government buildings and courier diplomatic packages worldwide, safeguard government tech and a whole lot more. Our work is as varied and vital as it gets, but we never lose sight of our people. Their skills, aspirations and growth mean as much as the global mission we’re on. In our world, it all matters.

Beyond our worldwide work in construction, logistics, and more, we're also home to the UK National Authority for Counter Eavesdropping (UK NACE). Working at the cutting edge of technology, the teams at UK NACE guard against technical espionage, provide policy advice to the government, investigate threats, and more – all to protect our nation's secrets. Now, you’ve got the opportunity to join them.

Keeping the nation’s secrets, secret

Working on one-of-a-kind projects

Vital to national security

It all matters

Use all your leadership skills as you help protect the UK from security threats

When you join our small and supportive team in this new role you’ll lead the development, implementation and maintenance of Technical Security skills for UK NACE. As one of the country’s three National Technical Authorities, we operate across-government, and along with our colleagues at the NCSC and NPSA, help to set the relevant approaches and standards. Working to define skills and behaviours, you’ll provide strategic leadership and expert advice to ensure practitioners and capabilities remain effective against evolving threats. We’ll also expect you to help shape the future direction of the technical security specialisation, collaborating with technical threats and operational teams to ensure skills frameworks remain effective, and to develop, enhance and promote UK NACE recommended technical security skills standards across government and industry.

Working closely with your colleagues, you'll translate technical standards into practical guidance, skills frameworks, and career development opportunities. By developing professional pathways aligned with our technical security needs, you'll help ensure the profession has the skills and capabilities required to meet current and future demands. With this in mind, you’ll build relationships with universities, academic institutions and industry to enhance opportunities and promote technical security qualifications, and champion innovation, professional development and continuous improvement. Representing UK NACE with HMG and our international partners, you may also be asked to represent our organisation at governance boards, professional forums and other events.

Develop your career as you support our global mission

To be a success in this significant role you’ll be a recognised technical security professional with practical experience in Technical Surveillance Counter Measures, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders while driving outcomes in complex security, government, defence or industry environments. Capable of developing, implementing and maintaining professional standards, competency frameworks and workforce capability programmes, we’ll also expect you to possess the skills to apply technical security countermeasures in operational environments.

Your excellent interpersonal and communication skills will allow you to build your credibility and engage with a diverse range of stakeholders, and your collaborative approach will see you sharing your knowledge, supporting your less experienced colleagues, and briefing senior managers and customers. When it comes to qualifications, a degree would be an advantage but isn’t essential – we’re more interested in your knowledge of the fundamentals that underpin our work – these include radio frequency theory, applied physics, electronic and electrical theory, thermodynamics, digital signal processing, acoustics, mechanics and the built environment. This is an exciting opportunity to shape how we manage new services as you take your career to the next level with the UK’s most important security organisation.

Discover the support you need to grow your career further

But we’re always looking to improve – just like you. That’s why when you join us, expect to receive a competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement and a Civil Service Pension. Along with this, you’ll also have access to training and other development opportunities to help grow your career with us. Our offices have an on-site gym, nursery, café, and restaurant, and we offer interest-free loans on season tickets and bikes to help you get there. It's a great set of benefits made to support all you do, and all you need.

Want to see your future team’s work in action? Step into our Virtual Embassy and select a guide to take you round to see how we deliver for government customers and how you could help. Explore the embassy now at virtual-embassy.fcdoservicescareers.co.uk

Every single colleague must be security cleared before joining us. If you’re successful in your application, we’ll ask you to undergo our vetting process to achieve Developed Vetting (DV) clearance. You can find out more about vetting at fcdoservicescareers.co.uk/how-to-apply/

To find out more about our benefits and our organisation, please visit fcdoservicescareers.co.uk

It takes a diverse team to protect a diverse world

The vital work we do takes an incredible community of colleagues, with different skills, backgrounds, cultures and identities. We support every individual, so that you always know you’re welcome and valued. It’s what makes us a Disability Confident employer. And why we’re recognised as a ‘Carer Confident’ workplace. And it’s how you know you’re joining an inspiring, inclusive organisation.