UK Research and Innovation
Head of Personnel Security
Salary: £56,745 - £63,051 (Depending on skills and experience)
Hours: Full time (Compressed hours or flexible working patterns available)
Contract Type: Open Ended.
Location: Polaris House, Swindon (Hybrid working available including attending Swindon office 2-3 times a week)
Closing Date: Sunday 29th June 2025
Interviews: Week commencing 14th July in person at Polaris House (Swindon)
Security
As a minimum, due to the nature of this role, candidates must be eligible for clearance in line with UK National vetting guidelines and willing to undertake the process. Please indicate eligibility in the written submission. Candidates not meeting this level of clearance will not be considered
The level of clearance required is security check
About the Role
An Arm’s Length Body (ALB) of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the UK’s largest investor of public money in research and innovation. Through its nine research Councils, UKRI also provides leadership, expertise and infrastructure for the wider research and innovation community.
To support these outputs, UKRI maintains key central corporate services. Within the Operations pillar of these, the UKRI Security and Resilience (S&R) Team delivers strategy and policy development as well as supporting operational delivery across personnel security, physical security, travel risk management and Business Continuity.
This role, Head of Personnel Security, is a key member of the S&R Team. Responsible for the development, delivery and articulation of risk on all matters relating to UKRI personnel security, the incumbent is essential to protecting UKRI by ensuring we only employ, and entrust sensitive information to, those with the requisite honesty and integrity to work within one of the UK’s most important research and innovation organisations.
Key Responsibilities
Reporting to the Senior Security Adviser (SSA), you will lead and enable the delivery of personnel security across UKRI, its Councils and Centres, Institutes and Units (CIU) by:
- Overseeing UKRIs National Security Vetting (NSV) service, ensuring that applications are necessary, requirements are valid and both HMG and UKRI policy is adhered to. Where standards are not met or risks are identified, developing clear and actionable strategies to rectify and seek improvement.
- Working in accordance with the Vetting Decision Framework (VDF), act as the decision maker for UKRI NSV applications, formally raising any queries, concerns, or complaints to the SSA for decision.
- Managing the operational relationship between UKRI and UK Security Vetting (UKSV).
- Maintaining close liaison with relevant central Government bodies, and monitor cross HMG security programs, to ensure that UKRI is prepared for any changes and that UKRIs voice is heard in the development of new policies and programs.
- Driving forward UKRIs development of personnel security strategy and governance by advising the SSA on strategy development and managing the cross-UKRI Personnel Security Working Group.
- Developing and maintaining UKRIs top level Personnel Security, Screening and Vetting policies ensuring they are reflective of HMG requirements and are deliverable across UKRI.
- Developing, maintaining and delivering the Personnel Security Roadmap as part of the broader UKRI S&R Roadmap to ensure that key milestones are achieved.
- Owning the Personnel Security principal risk and risk register, ensuring that UKRI level risks are documented, managed, and responded to in a credible and proportionate manner, the relevant Accountable Officers are informed, and the UKRI level risk represents an aggregation of Council and CIU level Personnel Security risk.
- Working closely with UKRI HR to ensure key working relationships are maintained and collective processes are supported and delivered.
- Working closely with UK Shared Business Services (SBS) to ensure that key working relationships are maintained, and HMG screening requirements are met across all UKRI Councils and CIUs.
- Leading, motivating and managing 1 FTE based in Swindon ensuring the individual has clear objectives and is working effectively to deliver for UKRI.
- Matrix managing, motivating and informing a network of Personnel Security leads across all Councils and CIUs as part of the wider S&R Community of Practice.
- Working closely with UKRI Risk and Assurance to monitor and report compliance with HMG Personnel Security standards, including those monitored via the Departmental Security Health Check (DSHC), developing clear action and rectification plans where standards are not yet being fully achieved.
- Supporting the wider work of the SSA and peers in the S&R Team (Heads of Physical Security, Travel Risk Management and Business Continuity) as required to meet the objectives of the UKRI S&R Strategy.
- Manage and facilitate UKRIs access to the Cross Government ROSA Platform.
Person Specification:
(S) – Shortlisting Criteria, (I) – Interview Criteria
Essential
- Previous experience in HMG Central, Departmental or Arm’s Length Body (ALB) Personnel Security (I).
- Proven experience and expertise in delivering security operations (S).
- Proven experience and expertise in risk management and risk-based decision making (S).
- Proven ability in and a commitment to service development and improvement (I).
- Proven and credible experience in problem solving and strategic thinking (I).
- Proven and credible experience of line management and team leadership (S)
- High level written, verbal and presentation skills (I).
- Ability to work independently with a ‘self-starter’ approach to work and personal development (I).
- Eligibility for and willingness to undergo and maintain SC clearance (I).
Benefits
We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package! We are committed to supporting employees’ development and promote a culture of continuous learning! A list of benefits below;
- An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme
- 30 days’ annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent)
- Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities
- Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice
- Flexible working options
Please click here for more details on the https://www.discover.ukri.org/benefits-of-working-at-ukri/index.html
How to Apply
Applicants are required to provide an up-to-date CV and a cover letter outlining their suitability for the role. Further information on how to apply and the selection process is listed on our careers page
