Security Services Group - Office Manager

UK Ministry of Defence; London; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Defence seeks an Operations Office Manager for its South East London operations team in Woolwich. This role involves overseeing daily office management, supporting compliance training, and leading administrative functions. The successful candidate will contribute to a high-security environment, ensuring operational efficiency and supporting a dedicated team.

Benefits

Generous Annual Leave

Pension Contributions

Continuous Professional Development

Equipment Provided

Health and Well-being Support

Family Support Policies

Discounts through Defence Discount Service

Qualifications

• Proven experience in operational management/administration.
• Knowledge of office management systems.
• Proficiency in MS Office.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day running of the office.
• Oversee health and safety, IT, and infrastructure.
• Coordinate training for staff and subcontractors.

Skills

Time Management

Communication

Problem Solving

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Woolwich, London, SE18 6XJ

Job Summary

Security Services Group (SSG) is the MOD’s Technical Authority for electronic and physical security providing in-house expert advice, design, installation and maintenance of electronic and physical security systems across Government, prioritised towards Secret and Above Secret, and items Attractive to Criminal and Terrorist Organisations (ACTO). SSG is part of GUARDIAN and is positioned within Standing Joint Command to support UK homeland security and resilience.

With an FTE of 325, SSG provides technical specialist ‘consultancy’ advice to projects to support the creation of design specifications through to commissioning; project management and delivery with through life maintenance; strategic and tactical compliance assurance reviews and audits across the business; an assured government use only Intruder Detection System built in-house; and security furniture services. Head of SSG is also the MOD’s Head of Specialism for Physical Security across the MOD (part of the Government Security Profession).

SSG’s Operational Delivery teams are the MOD’s specialist in-house security providers, delivering project management, design, installation and 24/7, 365 days a year maintenance of all aspects of electronic and physical security, with a global reach. SSG’s work is independently audited to ensure, ISO 9001:2015 and NSI compliance and accreditation as well as MOD’s own internal compliance regime. To learn more about SSG, visit Security Services Group - GOV.UK

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job Description

Are you an organised and proactive professional looking for a challenging and rewarding role? Join SSG’s South East London Operations Team as the Office Manager, where you will play a key role in managing the Woolwich Operations Office and supporting the wider SSG organisation.

We’re looking for a confident and capable Operations Office Manager to take charge of our Southeast regional office, based at Engineer House in Woolwich. You’ll be at the heart of keeping our team and the office running, supporting vital functions across facilities, compliance, training, and administration.

This is a hands-on, varied role with real scope for development, offering the chance to make a meaningful difference in a high-security, public service environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Office & Facilities Management

• Lead the day-to-day running of Engineer House, ensuring it remains safe, secure, and fit for purpose.
• Oversee health and safety, IT, infrastructure, maintenance, and all office-based communications and upgrades.
• Act as the main liaison for facilities and site services, including keyholding responsibilities.
  
  

Team Leadership & Service Desk Oversight

• Line manage a small team of Administrative Officers, including performance reviews and professional development.
• Supervise the Southeast Service Desk, ensuring rapid response to client issues and fault reporting.
  
  

Training & Compliance

• Coordinate all training requirements for direct staff and subcontractors, from mandatory learning to specialist certifications.
• Manage toolbox talks, audits, and certification renewals including PAT testing, ECS cards, and equipment calibration.
  
  

Operational & Administrative Support

• Support onboarding and induction for new starters across the Southeast region.
• Collate and provide management information (MI) for senior leadership.
• Organise travel, accommodation, and logistics for regional staff.
  
  

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a key point of contact between Southeast Operations and wider SSG departments.
• Support projects like fleet management and the SSG apprentice programme.
  
  

General Admin & Planning

• Plan meetings, coordinate diaries, and take detailed minutes.
• Provide flexible, ad-hoc administrative support wherever it’s needed most.
  
  

Are you an organised and proactive professional looking for a challenging and rewarding role? Join SSG’s South East London Operations Team as the Office Manager, where you will play a key role in managing the Woolwich Operations Office and supporting the wider SSG organisation.

We’re looking for a confident and capable Operations Office Manager to take charge of our Southeast regional office, based at Engineer House in Woolwich. You’ll be at the heart of keeping our team and the office running, supporting vital functions across facilities, compliance, training, and administration.

This is a hands-on, varied role with real scope for development, offering the chance to make a meaningful difference in a high-security, public service environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Office & Facilities Management

• Lead the day-to-day running of Engineer House, ensuring it remains safe, secure, and fit for purpose.
• Oversee health and safety, IT, infrastructure, maintenance, and all office-based communications and upgrades.
• Act as the main liaison for facilities and site services, including keyholding responsibilities.
  
  

Team Leadership & Service Desk Oversight

• Line manage a small team of Administrative Officers, including performance reviews and professional development.
• Supervise the Southeast Service Desk, ensuring rapid response to client issues and fault reporting.
  
  

Training & Compliance

• Coordinate all training requirements for direct staff and subcontractors, from mandatory learning to specialist certifications.
• Manage toolbox talks, audits, and certification renewals including PAT testing, ECS cards, and equipment calibration.
  
  

Operational & Administrative Support

• Support onboarding and induction for new starters across the Southeast region.
• Collate and provide management information (MI) for senior leadership.
• Organise travel, accommodation, and logistics for regional staff.
  
  

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a key point of contact between Southeast Operations and wider SSG departments.
• Support projects like fleet management and the SSG apprentice programme.
  
  

General Admin & Planning

• Plan meetings, coordinate diaries, and take detailed minutes.
• Provide flexible, ad-hoc administrative support wherever it’s needed most.
  
  

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Proven experience in an operational management/administrative role.
• Knowledge of office management systems and procedures.
• Proficiency in MS Office.
• Excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritise work.
• Attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  
  

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
  
  

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
  
  

Alongside your salary of £36,530, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,582 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Generous Annual Leave - 25 days annual leave increasing by one day per year to a maximum of 30 days after five years of service.

Pension - A pension contribution of 28.97% based on the listed salary.

Career Development - Benefit from continuous professional development opportunities within the security field, helping you grow and advance your career.

Equipment - Laptop and mobile phone.

Family Support - Access enhanced parental leave policies to support work-life balance during important life events.

Exclusive Discounts - Enjoy savings through the Defence Discount Service (fees apply), offerings deals on a range of products and services.

Health and Well-being - Receive Specsavers eye test vouchers and access on-site gym facilities (where available).

Community and Social Perks - Join the Civil Service Sports Club (CSSC) or the Civil Service Club , providing access to a variety of social, cultural, and

recreational activities (membership fees apply).

On-Site Amenities - Many of our locations offer free parking, subsidised canteens, sports and social clubs, and on-site shops for your convenience.

Inclusive Workplace - Join one of our Diversity and Inclusion Networks. We value diversity and are committed to creating an equal and supportive environment for all.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

We use the Civil Service Success Profiles framework to ensure a fair and comprehensive assessment of candidates. Your suitability for the role will be evaluated based on your experience, skills and demonstration of core behaviours throughout the process.

Application Stage

You Will Be Assessed On:

• CV Submission - Include your employment history, qualifications, relevant skills and experience
• Behaviours - Delivering AT Pace and Managing a Quality Service
  
  

Interview Stage

You Will Be Assessed On:

• Experience: Discuss your background and its relevance to the role
• Behaviours - Leadership, Making Effective Decisions, Communicating & Influencing and Changing & Improving
  
  

When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.

What To Expect:

• If we receive a high volume of applications for this role, an initial sift will be conducted based on CVs alone.
• The interview will explore both your professional experience and how your behaviours align with the role's requirements, we recommend using the STAR format when answering behaviour questions.
• Interviews are planned to take place via Microsoft Teams, week commencing 21st July 2025, however this may be subject to change.
  
  

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: [e-mail] .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
  
  

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact :

• Name : James Keane - London & Southeast Operations Manager
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: [e-mail].