HQ Armed Forces Recruiting – Security and Compliance Deputy Lead

Job summary

Want to be at the forefront of delivering secure and compliant digital services for Defence? Join Headquarters Armed Forces Recruiting and help drive the security and assurance activities that underpin a transformational new approach to Armed Forces recruitment.

As Security and Compliance Deputy Lead, you will play a pivotal role in embedding Secure by Design principles, overseeing security risk management, and ensuring adherence to Defence security policies and accreditation requirements. Working across organisational boundaries with Defence Digital, security authorities and industry partners, you will help protect critical systems, support informed risk-based decision making, and enable the successful delivery of a high-profile national programme. This is an exceptional opportunity to influence security strategy, support innovation, and contribute directly to Defence capability and national security.

Would you like to be involved in the start of an exciting new way to deliver recruitment of Armed Forces personnel, for the Royal Navy, Army, and the Royal Air Force?

Headquarters Armed Forces Recruiting (HQ AFR) will deliver integrated tri-service recruitment for the Armed Forces to build and maintain force levels able to meet Defence outputs. The Armed Forces Recruiting Service (AFRS) contract has recently been awarded to Team Serco and collaborative transition activity has now commenced.

A role in HQ AFR is a superb opportunity. You will be at the forefront of a significant change, shaping the future recruitment for all three Services into a tri-Service delivery from 2027 and into steady state. Senior staff across Defence are keeping a keen interest in AFRS, meaning it is high profile, collaborative and engaging environment. You will be working within a diverse team, including military personnel, civilians, and external providers, which provides opportunities for learning and networking. The role offers a real chance to develop skills and demonstrate capabilities, which will provide clear tangible evidence to support you to potentially fulfil your career progression ambitions in the future.

You'd be contributing to the Armed Forces' ability to attract and retain the best talent, ultimately supporting national security.

If you're looking for a challenging, rewarding, and transformative role, this could be a great fit for you.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Due to the nature of the role, part time and job share arrangements may be considered, subject to the requirement that full-time hours are fully covered (or business needs are met).

Job description

The Security and Compliance Deputy Lead will be an essential member of the Digital & Data team, reporting directly to the Design Assurance Lead. This role is focused on ensuring the Authority's adherence to security policies and risk management frameworks, with an emphasis on Secure by Design, incident management and escalation of security incidents. The security and Compliance Lead is responsible for defining and overseeing the Authority's security approach, selecting risk assessment methodologies, and ensuring compliance with policy. This role will involve close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to manage risk effectively.

Key responsibilities:

• Management of programme's Secure by Design (SbD) activity; including liaison with COMD HQ AFR, CyDR Assessor, Network Operating Authority, and the Partner. Accountable for appropriate Security Risk Management processes.
• Responsible for defining the Authority's security approach, selection of risk assessment methods and identification of control frameworks; ensuring programme compliance with policy e.g. JSP440, JSP 453
• Lead for SbD and wider accreditation, ensuring Authority and the Partner adhere to policy.
• Collaborate with Design Assurance for Compliance and Risk matters, including maintenance of security risk registers, mitigations, assumptions, and dependencies.
• Represent the Authority at Partner security forums and Working Groups.
• Development and maintenance of Threat Assessments, ensuring the Authority and Partner understand and adhere to security responsibilities.
• Responsible for ensuring all activity meets JSP 453 accreditation, or assurance as stipulated by policy.
• Completion of SbD self-assessments and ensuring the Partner’s compliance to Authority processes, procedures and legalities (contract/schedules).
• Collaborate with the Partner and Authority to ensure engagement with SOC and SPOC in response to incident management.
• Authority lead for escalating and reporting security related incidents (inc. WARP). Responsible for ensuring technical risk raised by the Partner is elevated to Authority stakeholders.
• Be the Authority lead for security assurance of any and all AI enable changes, and any Penetration or Ethical Hacking activity, supporting Team Serco governance and change boards.
• Provide support to Information Technology Security and Risk resolution management.

Person specification

If you can deliver high-class service in a fast-paced environment, you are the type of person we are looking for!

We seek a proficient individual who can showcase their expertise and abilities in line with the following essential criteria:

• Building shared vision and values
• Promoting and facilitating change
• Ability to operate sensitively in a fast-paced environment
• Security assurance experience

In addition to the above, although not crucial, it is desirable to have experience in the following:

• Knowledge of MOD policies, governance, related ethics and strategy
• Experience in presenting data to inform decision making
• Experience working with and implementing SbD

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving

Technical skills

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

• DDaT - Communication - Practitioner
• DDaT – Designing Secure Systems - Working
• DDaT – Enabling & informing risk-based decisions - Working
• DDaT – Security Technology - Working
• DDaT – Understanding security implications of transformation - Working
• DDAT – Communication (Security architect) - Working

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

• DDaT - Communication - Practitioner
• DDaT – Designing Secure Systems - Working
• DDaT – Enabling & informing risk-based decisions - Working

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• Learning and development tailored to your role.