Cryptographic Custodian Opportunities Ref. 3448

Flexible Working: We offer full-time and part-time opportunities. Full-time roles are based on 36 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with flexibility around start and finish times. Part-time roles are based on a minimum of four days per week. You can work compressed and flexible hours. However, due to the sensitive nature of the role, you’ll spend 100% of your working week based in the office. 

About Us 

GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber, and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity, and partnerships to identify, analyse, and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks, and espionage. At GCHQ, you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

The Role

Our Crypto Asset Management Team (CAM), operating within MI5, MI6 and GCHQ, is responsible for supplying government-grade cryptographic material to our customers and establishing and maintaining secure communications. A background in cryptography isn’t necessary. When you join, we’ll support you in developing a comprehensive working knowledge of our products and services.  This will equip you to help us maximise opportunities and maintain relationships with Five Eyes, the intelligence alliance that includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA, as well as our internal and external partners.  

In your role as a Cryptographic Custodian, you’ll be handling and managing the lifecycle of cryptographic material, delivering our services in line with national cryptographic standards. This includes, but is not limited to, the registration, safe custody, and disposal of cryptographic material. The world of cryptography is set to undergo major changes in the next decade, making this an exciting opportunity to help shape delivery across the UK’s Intelligence Services. Additionally, as we merge three separate teams into one cohesive department and introduce a new asset tool, you’ll have the chance to influence our future ways of working. 

Day-to-day responsibilities will include:

•    Distributing and managing cryptographic material in accordance with Government Infosec Standard 4 (IS4), including regular audits and reporting crypto incidents.
•    Updating and maintaining cryptography data records, ordering to meet customer requirements, and contributing to Management Information (MI) reporting.
•    Acting as the point of contact for our CAM ensuring requirements are met and delivering presentations and briefings as needed.
•    Supporting the Cryptographic Team Leader with general cryptography management activities.

Please note: This role occasionally requires lifting items, that can be considered heavy, with bags containing multiple items weighing at least 1kg. To ensure safety, a minimum of two people will always be present when handling these items.

About You 

You might already be working in the tech industry and looking for a role with meaning, or perhaps you’re considering a career change and a chance to have impact in an organisation that protects the nation. Whatever your ambitions, you’ll be eager to grow your experience and apply your skills to our vital mission.

To be successful, all you’ll need is GCSEs at grade 4/A-C in both Maths and English Language, or any equivalent Level 2 qualification. We’ll provide all the training and support you need to thrive in the role.  However, if you have previous experience as a Product Owner, in asset management, or have used an asset management toolset, this will be beneficial. 

Engaging with partners, stakeholders, and colleagues across different sites every day, you’ll need to use your communication and collaboration skills and be someone who loves working as part of a team. You’ll also need to be adaptable and eager to learn, which will help you to navigate and support the changes and improvements we’re implementing in our processes and ways of working. 

Training and Development 

You’ll receive a full comprehensive induction and training programme designed to help you excel in your role and throughout your career. You’ll be required to attend a custodian course run by the National Cyber Security Centre within the first few months of joining.  Additionally, you’ll have access to internal training and any centrally funded courses relevant to the role.

We’re committed to developing our staff and recognise this will look different for everyone. We have an exceptional skills community dedicated to supporting you, and you’ll be surrounded by experts who are always ready to lend a helping hand. Most importantly, you’ll be empowered to set your own direction for your development and career, with opportunities to explore progression as you build your future with us.  

Rewards and Benefits 

You’ll receive a starting salary of £42,658, along with other benefits including:

•    25 days of annual leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days of public and privilege holidays.
•    Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme.
•    Opportunities to work flexibly subject to business needs.
•    Interest-free season ticket loan (travel and parking)
•    Cycle to work scheme
•    Facilities such as a subsidised gym and 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, ethnic minorities, 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 is 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 fair and proportionate number of person-to-person interviews 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: 

•    A minimum of 2 GCSEs at Grade 4/C in Mathematics and English language (or an equivalent O-Level, BTEC, or Level 2 qualification) – assessed at application sift.
•    Proficient in communication and customer service, comfortable engaging with multiple stakeholders – assessed at application sift. 
•    Maintains a positive attitude towards problem-solving, consistently finding effective solutions and taking a proactive approach. 
•    Capable of identifying trends and implementing improvements to enhance processes and outcomes, which must be evidenced during the application sift

What to Expect

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

•    Initial application.
•    Full application.
•    Application sift.
•    A competency-based interview – looking at your motivation for the role.

If successful, you’ll receive a conditional offer of employment.

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 to 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 securely.

The role is based in London, so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application, as we do not offer relocation costs.

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 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 reserve 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.