Security Operations Officer

Job summary

About the Government Legal Department

At Government Legal Department we have a vital, single-minded purpose: to help the Government govern well within the rule of law. This is complemented by our exciting vision to be an outstanding legal organisation, committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism and a brilliant place to work where we can all thrive and fulfill our potential.

Our work touches almost every aspect of public life. We are the largest provider of legal services across government, working on high profile matters.

Our respected professionals are involved in everything from regulation and litigation to advice on drafting legislation. They provide expertise to the full range of government departments. We are at the heart of delivering the government’s priorities and our success depends on our people.

GLD is a non-ministerial government department headed by the Treasury Solicitor, our Permanent Secretary, and employs nearly 4000 people, including nearly 3000 legal professionals. We have offices nationwide, in Bristol, Leeds, inner and outer London and Manchester. Our lawyers can also be located within other departments and overseas.

GLD also depends on a range of cross-functional professionals to provide our corporate services. There are nearly 1000 colleagues playing an essential part in helping GLD to achieve its purpose and truly deliver much more than law.

This is an exciting time to join GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service.

To find out more about what we do you can view our introductory film. On our website you can hear from team members, find out how to apply and learn about the benefits of working for GLD. You can also read more about the future vision for GLD in our GLD Strategy 2024 – 2027.

Job description

About the People and Place – Operations Division – Protective Security

The People and Place Directorate provide a range of services in support of GLD. The teams within our Directorate are wide-ranging and include all aspects of Human Resources (planning, recruitment, and learning and development) and Operations (security, business resilience, health & safety, records management & facilities management, property, ways of working and data protection). Whilst the work we do is varied we share a common aim, to provide the support necessary to enable GLD to be the best in the business. In the People and Place Directorate, we get things done and will always aim to provide a professional and efficient service.

From managing day to day services to delivering key projects, the Operations Division is a key component that enables GLD to fulfil its wider role in providing legal advice to Government. You will be joining a division rich in diversity and specialist skills, whose wide-ranging portfolio includes property, business continuity & resilience, information management, security and ways of working.

Some of our key achievements in recent months have included the delivery of GLD’s long term property strategy by expanding outside of London and moving into state-of the-art facilities across the regions, working to create and adopt the first ever Sustainability Strategy as part of the “Greening Government” commitments, to working alongside Cabinet Office in adapting security frameworks amidst emerging conflicts and threats.

Our colleagues are the core of what we do and who we are. We offer several training packages and development plans in order to equip our staff with both specialist and transferable skills that will enrich their careers, whether within GLD or the wider Civil Service.

We look forward to receiving your application and onboarding you soon.

About the Role

The People and Place Directorate provides services that support the Government Legal Department and enable colleagues to deliver high-quality legal services to government. Its work covers people, workplaces, information, resilience, health and safety, facilities, data protection and protective security. Although the Directorate’s responsibilities are varied, its teams share a commitment to providing professional, practical and efficient services that help GLD operate safely and effectively.

The Operations Division plays an important role in supporting GLD’s day-to-day business and longer-term priorities. Its portfolio includes accommodation, business continuity and resilience, information management, protective security and ways of working. The Division brings together colleagues with a wide range of specialist and transferable skills who work across organisational boundaries to manage services, deliver projects and respond to changing operational requirements.

The Security Team supports GLD in protecting its people, information and assets. National security vetting is an important part of this work, helping ensure that individuals have the appropriate clearance for their roles and access requirements. The team works with staff, managers, internal stakeholders and external vetting authorities to coordinate applications, maintain accurate records and support clearance holders throughout the vetting lifecycle.

We recognise that our colleagues are central to the service we provide. The Directorate supports learning and development so that staff can build specialist knowledge, strengthen transferable skills and develop their careers within GLD and the wider Civil Service.

This is an opportunity to develop experience in protective security while contributing to an organisational priority. The successful candidate will join a supportive team and gain experience of case management, stakeholder engagement, information handling and cross-government vetting arrangements in practice.

The Role

The Security Operations Officer primarily supports the delivery of national security vetting across GLD. The postholder administers and coordinates security clearance applications, provides guidance to staff and managers, maintains vetting records and acts as a principal point of contact for routine enquiries.

The role supports the GLD Vetting Uplift Programme and wider clearance activity. Working with an Administrative Officer, internal stakeholders, the vetting provider and, where required, the vetting authority, the postholder will help applications progress efficiently and ensure that issues requiring advice or decision are identified and escalated promptly.

The postholder will receive and process applications for Counter Terrorist Check, Security Check and Developed Vetting clearance. They will review applications before submission, checking that mandatory information, identity evidence and supporting documents are present, legible and complete. Where information is missing or incorrect, they will return the application, explain what is required and coordinate any necessary resubmission or reinitiation.

The postholder will manage competing priorities, monitor deadlines and track cases from initiation through to completion. They will identify delayed or stalled applications, follow up outstanding actions and maintain a clear overview of active casework. Applications involving residence, eligibility, business-case or other exceptional considerations will be re