MI5’s mission is to keep the country and its people safe.

A career at MI5 is like no other. Not only is it rewarding and unique, but the variety is unlike anywhere else. This variety together with our supportive and flexible working environment means most people who join MI5 stay for a substantial part of their careers.

The role
As a Security Officer at MI5 you will make a significant contribution to the overall protection of its staff, visitors and estates. Working within a highly motivated team in a unique environment you will be a reassuring presence when conducting a full range of duties and responsibilities.

Within a team your role will be key in maintaining the security of our buildings, controlling and monitoring the access of staff, visitors and vehicles and conducting the necessary physical searches. You will receive full training in order for you to respond effectively to any incident or emergency, including delivering first aid if required. As well as carrying out reception duties and monitoring security and CCTV systems you will deal with and contribute to health and safety in the workplace.

The skills
We are looking for people with excellent customer service skills, who can remain calm under pressure and have an awareness of when to be sensitive and when to be assertive. You will need to be able to communicate with others clearly, concisely and confidently, complete written logs accurately and have an eye for detail. Good time management and organisational skills are essential, as is a strong team ethos and an enthusiasm for self-development. This is a role where you will be continually learning from your experience and sharing that knowledge with others.

Previous security experience is not necessary; we provide bespoke training and above all are looking for people who are professional in all they do and have excellent interpersonal skills. Your training will focus on customer care, conflict management, first aid skills and fire safety. On-the-job coaching will familiarise you with our systems and procedures.

Basic IT skills, including the ability to use email, the Internet and MSWord will be required. A reasonable level of fitness is important as you will need to respond to incidents across the estate quickly. Fitness assessments throughout your career will ensure you are able to effectively carry out the role.

Career development
Full support will be given to enable you to gain formal accredited qualifications (currently City & Guilds) within the first year of employment. You will also receive training in order to obtain your Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence. Personal development is actively encouraged.

Being a Security Officer is a specialist role but there are promotion opportunities. Promotion is on merit and where opportunities allow. You will spend a minimum of five years as a Security Officer at MI5 after which, and dependent on business needs, you will be eligible to apply for other roles within the organisation.

Shift Patterns
We currently require 24 hour shift workers. The shift system is for the full seven day week and comprises day and night shifts. Your working pattern consists of three day shifts, three days off, three night shifts and then three days off.

Before you apply
The role is based in the east of England. You will need to hold a full current valid UK driving licence in order to apply.

Honesty and integrity are crucial if you want to work at MI5. You should read about the vetting process and satisfy yourself that you meet the criteria outlined in the vetting pages of the ‘How to Apply’ section prior to submitting an application.

Giving misleading information or omitting or concealing information during the recruitment and vetting process is viewed very seriously. You should ensure that you follow our guidance from when you apply.

Recruitment process
The recruitment process for this role is outlined below (in order):

Eligibility Questions – you will answer a number of questions based on the requirements for the role.

Application Form – you will create a personal account, where you will complete our full application form.

Assessment Centre and Face to Face Interview – this will focus on the key skills and competencies essential for effective performance in the Security Officer role. It will also explore your motivation for the role.

Security Interview – it is an interview to explore your life and experiences. This is an important part of the selection process, and is not a competency or capability based interview.

Medical Examination – this is to ensure you have the required level of physical fitness for the role. It may also include a sight test and a hearing test.

Please note; you must successfully pass each stage of the process in order to progress to the next. The assessments are likely to take place in London and a substantial proportion of your travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Guaranteed interview scheme
As part of our commitment to the “Positive About Disabled People” scheme we offer an interview to all candidates with a disability who meet our minimum criteria for the job vacancy that they are applying for. This is known as the Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS).

To secure an interview for this vacancy, the minimum criteria (refer to the recruitment process, as above) are:

Eligibility Questions – we must be satisfied that you meet all of our eligibility criteria.

Application Form – along with the standard eligibility requirements for this post, your application will be assessed on how far you meet the job specification and the competency questions you answer. Your application must score the minimum amount of points set.

On successful completion of these stages, you will be invited to an Assessment Centre and this is our guaranteed interview.

Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to apply, you must meet our residency criteria. You must be a born or naturalised British citizen and one of your parents must be a British citizen or have substantial ties to the UK.

Candidates must normally have been resident in the UK for nine out of the last ten years prior to application. This is particularly important if you were born outside the UK. You will nonetheless be considered if you have, for example, served overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of Her Majesty’s Government, studied abroad, or lived overseas with your parents.

Due to vetting requirements you will need to be 18 years old, or above, to apply. Your application may take around six months to process.

Discretion is vital. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member, providing that they are British. You should also make them aware of the importance of discretion. You should not post on social media sites about your application or discuss it with anyone else at this stage. You will receive further guidance during the recruitment process.

Please note you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application. Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application.

To meet business needs we are encouraging women, as well as men, to apply. All applications will be considered on merit. MI5 is committed to reflecting both equal opportunities and the society we protect. Work-life balance is important to us at MI5 and we offer flexible working wherever operational commitments allow.