Security Vetting Manger – (Risk and Capabilities Unit)

Ministry of Justice; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Flexible working

Job summary

Ministry of Justice is seeking a highly motivated Security Vetting Manager to lead a growing team within the Risk and Capabilities Unit. You will drive timely vetting decisions, manage, support and develop Vetting Officers, and work with stakeholders to enhance processes and service delivery.

The role requires leadership, ownership, and the ability to bring fresh ideas to improve performance. A National Security Vetting process will be undertaken for the successful candidate.

Qualifications

• Must have demonstrated leadership and people-management capabilities.
• Ability to work with multiple stakeholders and partners across teams.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills to drive vetting outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate a team of Security Vetting Officers to deliver high-quality vetting outcomes.
• Collaborate with colleagues and stakeholders to improve vetting processes and service delivery.
• Build positive working relationships across teams and drive performance improvements.
• Take ownership of work and bring innovative approaches to the vetting function.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Stakeholder management

Decision making

Collaboration

Job description

This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the \"Eligibility\" section before you apply.

General Information

Working Pattern

Full Time

Vacancy Approach

Cross Government

Location

Manchester

Region

Greater Manchester

Closing Date

10-Sep-2026

Business Unit

Security Group

Post Type

Permanent

SEO

Number of jobs available

1

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

21579

Descriptions & requirements

The earliest start date for this role will be December 2026.

Things you need to know:

About the Risk and Capabilities Unit:

The Risk and Capabilities Unit (RaCU) sits within the Directorate of Security and is comprised of three distinct pillars:

1) Operational Countermeasures

2) Personnel Security Countermeasures

3) Procedures, Practice and Capability.

RaCU is dedicated to identifying and prioritising security risk and providing and enhancing capabilities in prisons, probation and youth custody to counter them.

The term ‘Capabilities’ covers a wide spectrum of support and interventions. For example, our technological or physical advances to detect, prevent usage of, or disable illicit items; our formal training and skilling; our clear and constant learning communications; as well as our contemporary security procedures and practice improvement to enable staff to perform their duties consistently well.

These are all ‘Capabilities’ and give people the tools to achieve.

Our purpose is to identify and prioritise live and future risks, and in turn provide a range of creative and effective capabilities to support others to manage, mitigate or remove them.

Location:

We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your base location.

Application Feedback:

Unfortunately, feedback cannot be provided for the application stage, any requests for feedback will not be actioned.

Security Clearance:

All Risk and Capabilities Unit employees must hold at least SC level security clearance. For SC clearance you must have the UK footprint of 5 years. More information can be found about the vetting and clearance levels before completing your application.

This is an exciting time to join a rapidly expanding Security Vetting function. We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic Security Vetting Manager to join our growing team of Vetting Managers, playing a key role in making informed and timely vetting decisions. The role will also involve managing, supporting, and developing a team of Security Vetting Officers, ensuring they have the capability and confidence to deliver high-quality vetting outcomes. Working collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders, you will contribute to the continuous improvement of our vetting processes and help shape the future of the function. We are seeking an individual who can lead and motivate others, build positive working relationships, and work collaboratively and respectfully across teams. You will be confident in making decisions, taking ownership of your work, and bringing fresh ideas and innovative approaches to improve performance and service delivery. The successful candidate will be required to undergo National Security Vetting. As part of this process, applicants will normally be required to demonstrate a minimum of three years' continuous UK residency immediately prior to application.

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working.Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to aMoJoffice location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance withthe HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.

The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

-The holiday year runs from 1 March. If you work a non standard work pattern your leave entitlement may be expressed in either hours or days as appropriate. Leave entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis and you will be advised of your actual entitlement on appointment. If you were appointed internally and your leave was previously calculated in days, this will continue to be the case.

Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays

-You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays.

Pension

-The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Work Life Balance

HM Prison & Probation Service(HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ

Season Ticket Advance

-After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work

For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers

Training

HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes

-There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts

-All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles

-All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post

-All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS

-All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here )

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the T