Security Officer Ref. 1963

Stonewall Top Employer AwardSocial Mobility Foundation AwardThe Times Top 100Disability confident leader

Trades & Services
London
£24,466 (excluding shift disturbance allowance and contractual overtime)

Our mission is to keep the country and its people safe. Because of this, our careers are not only rewarding and unique, but the variety is unlike anywhere else. This variety, together with our diverse and supportive working environment, means most people who join us stay for a substantial part of their careers.

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


The role of this team is vital in maintaining the security of our buildings, controlling and monitoring the access of staff, visitors and vehicles and conducting the necessary physical searches. As well as carrying out reception duties and monitoring security and CCTV systems, you will respond effectively to any incident or emergency and contribute to health and safety in the workplace.

The skills
Security experience is not necessary; 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 observation, 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.


Basic IT skills, including the ability to use email, the Internet and Microsoft Office 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.

Training and career development
You will receive full training that 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. Full support will be given to enable you to gain formal accredited qualifications within the first year of employment. This is in line with the Security Industry Authority framework.

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

Shift patterns
As a Security Officer you will be required to work shifts. There are two shift patterns that may be available, depending upon current business requirement.
•    An extended day working pattern covering Monday – Friday 06:00-20:00hrs (a 9 hour shift inclusive of an hour unpaid break)
•    A 24hr shift pattern comprising two day shifts (06:00-18:30 including an hour’s unpaid meal break), two night shifts (covering 18:00-06:30hrs including an hour’s unpaid meal break) and four days off.

Before you apply

Honesty and integrity are crucial if you want to work at our organisation. 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.

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

Application form – you will be asked to complete an application which will cover relevant experience, your motivation for applying and some competency questions aligned to being a Security Officer but which require no prior knowledge or experience of the role. To process your application, it is essential that you provide all the information requested in the application form.

Telephone Interview – this interview should last approximately 45 minutes and will check that you have the potential skills and motivation to work for MI5.

Assessment Centre and Face to Face Interview – this will focus on the key skills and competencies essential for effective performance in the role. It will also further explore your motivation for the role. In line with our strict ‘no drugs’ policy you will be required to undertake a drugs test and complete an accompanying questionnaire.

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 – you’ll need a reasonable level of physical fitness to allow you to do this role. Candidates will be required to undertake and pass a Fitness for Role medical which includes having a body mass index of 30 or less and blood pressure within NICE guidelines of less than 140/90.

Please note: you must successfully pass each stage of the process in order to progress to the next.

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 17 years and 6 months old or above, to apply. Your application may take around six months to process.

You will need to have a full UK driving licence.

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.

More details and guidance about the recruitment process, including vetting can be found on our website

This Program / Vacancy is closed to applications.