Security Officers Ref: 3204

Shift Patterns

Our 24-hour officers typically work a 12-hour shift pattern comprising 2 days and 2 nights. This will include: 2 day shifts, 2 night shifts and 4 days off. (Including an unpaid meal break).

Our Extended Day Officers typically work Monday to Friday. Each week you will work a different shift pattern of either 07:00 – 15:00, or 11:00 – 19:00. (including an unpaid meal break).

About Us 

At GCHQ, we unlock the complex world of data and communications to keep the UK and its citizens safe, both in the real world and online. Working closely with our British Intelligence partners in MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from threats including serious organised crime, terrorism, and cyber-attacks. A role in GCHQ means you’ll have varied and fascinating work in a supportive and encouraging environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

The Role

As a Security Officer, you will work within an inclusive, friendly, and highly motivated team, where you’ll be a reassuring presence to all. Your duties will include everything from monitoring and operating our security systems, to  verifying the identities of people entering our sites. When you’re out and about, you’ll see that our search and patrolling protocols are followed strictly at all times. From searching vehicles to checking CCTV, you’ll keep accurate logs of activity – and be alert to anything unusual. 

To enable our people to do vitally important work in a safe and secure environment, we use various  security measures. Security Officers play a key part in this work, helping to keep our sites safe. Although you will be working as part of a team of security officers on site, you may occasionally work with colleagues from the broader Security teams here at GCHQ and possibly MI5 and MI6 too. You may also need to travel to other sites for support or training, but this will be rare and optional.

Increasingly, we are working with our partners within British Intelligence to create a seamless security response.

This could lead to exciting opportunities in the future for you as a Security Officer.

About You 

Don’t have previous security experience? Don’t worry, it’s not essential. We’ll bring you up to speed with our expert training. However, you will need basic IT skills, including the ability to use e-mail, the internet and Microsoft suite of tools. And we’re also looking for attention to detail, and good customer service and communication skills as you’ll be interacting with a range of people.

We won’t be testing your fitness, but be aware that you may have to lift and move equipment during security patrols and search and screen activities. You may also be monitoring CCTV and producing reports, so you should be ready to work alone for long periods if necessary. At the same time, you’ll be supported by, and thrive in a team, be observant, aware of your surroundings and remain and inspire calm under pressure. If there’s a fast-paced situation, such as an emergency response or security incident, you’ll need to analyse it quickly and make informed decisions. 

Please note that a UK driver’s license is required for the role based at Scarborough.

Training and Development 

At GCHQ, continuous learning and development is at the heart of all that we do. To get you started, there’ll be a three-day induction to help guide you on the right path. We’ll also give you a mentor, buddy, or peer support to help you settle in. Plus, you’ll get the support to gain professional security qualifications, equivalent to the Security Industry Association (SIA) standards in areas such as CCTV and Emergency First Aid at Work.

Rewards and Benefits

You’ll receive a starting salary of £28,656 or £33,556 depending on the package you take, plus other benefits including: 

• 25 Days Annual Leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays
• Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
• Interest-free season ticket loan
• Excellent pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
• Paid parental and adoption leave

Equal Opportunities

At GCHQ, diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website: https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/life-at-gchq/diversity-inclusion.html

We’re Disability Confident

GCHQ are proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Disability Confident scheme.  This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people.  Being Disability Confident, we aim to offer a person-to-person interview to any candidate who self-identifies as disabled and meets the essential criteria for the role.  This is our ‘Offer of Interview’ (OOI). To secure an interview for this vacancy, the essential criteria (in order of application process) are:

• Eligibility questions – You will be asked a series of questions. If you meet the eligibility criteria you will directed to the initial application form. 
• Application form – You will be asked a series of Situational Judgement Test (SJT) questions, as well as questions relating to this vacancy. You will be required to meet the minimum pass mark set. 
• On successful completion of these stages, you will be invited to complete a virtual Interview.  

What to Expect

Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:

• Eligibility Sift & Situational Judgement Testing
• Application Sift   
• Virtual Interview  
• Drugs Test  
• Vetting   

Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 - 9 months to process including vetting, so we advise you continue any current employment until you have received your final job offer.

Before You Apply

To work at GCHQ, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. You can read our full eligibility criteria here.

This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It’s something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. You can find out more about the vetting process here.

Please note we have a strict drugs policy, so once you start your application, you can’t take any recreational drugs and you’ll need to declare your previous drug usage at the relevant stage.

Before you apply, we advise you to consider setting up a separate email address for your contact with us, to ensure your personal and application correspondence remain separate. Try to avoid having identifying features in your email address, such as your first and/or surname and date of birth. This is good practice and will help you to manage your application with us more discretely.

The roles are based in Manchester and Scarborough, so you'll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application.    

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. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.

Right to Withdraw Statement:

Please be aware that we withhold the right to bring forward the closing date for this role from the original closing date once a certain number of applications have been received. Please be mindful of this and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.