Flexible Working: When it comes to flexible working, we try to consider all options, including part-time (3+ days), compressed hours, and working from any one of the locations detailed above. Due to the nature of the roles, it’s unlikely that we can support hybrid working or working from home.
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
If you have a passion for technology and you’re looking for a unique opportunity to use your skills and knowledge, join IT Service Support Desk and deliver excellent user experience to our customers. As part of GCHQ first line IT support, you’ll work in teams providing a critical service to the organisation. Our IT Service Support Desk is different, it’s a single point of contact between IT and GCHQ business for all accident reports, service requests and other necessary communications. Whilst still focussed on getting colleagues up-and-running when their IT has gone wrong, we’re unique in offering the opportunity to support a wide range of tools and applications that just don’t exist anywhere else. Whilst we currently operate telephone-based support, we’re on a journey to adopt more modern technology, so that in the future you’re just as likely to be helping our people through a range of digital services, or face-to-face.
In addition to the IT Service Support Desk, you’ll find a wealth of equally critical teams supporting our people in their day-to-day work – who are also hiring new talent. People in the wider team that manage IT accounts and accesses, purchase and manage software licensing, and deliver a suite of IT services. Basically, you’ll be at the heart of our mission, supporting high-value activities that will keep the country safe. And as part of a collaborative team, you’ll look for opportunities to automate our work and make us more efficient.
Specifically in London, there are opportunities to support cryptography, keeping track of our hardware assets and enabling the transfer of media between our systems.
The first line IT Support role is just one of the IT roles we’re recruiting for, where possible we’ll place you into a role that supports your career aspirations alongside supporting mission critical work. After successful interview, and subject to business need and you meeting the necessary criteria, you may receive a conditional offer for a role within IT Customer Service. Potentially there are opportunities to surge you to areas in IT to help build your experience across a number of IT disciplines.
If you’re successful and decide to join GCHQ, it’s generally expected that you’ll work in a preliminary role for roughly 2 years. This is aimed to ensure that you not only have enough time to get to grips with the role itself, but it’ll allow you time to develop a good understanding of GCHQ as an organisation, and how we work with our partners MI5 and MI6. There may be opportunities to move on earlier than the 2-year occupational period however, that is dependent on business needs.
About You
You’ll have a minimum of 2 GCSEs at Grade 4 /C or above in mathematics and English language (or an equivalent Level 2 qualification). You’ll be a competent user of IT, but you don’t need to be an expert - you’re likely to be the person that friends and family call to fix their computer or set up their new phone. And you’ll be confident using common applications such as Microsoft Word and Outlook.
It’s important that you can communicate with others, and that you have a strong customer-focused mindset. Customer service skills from any previous role are desirable, but not essential – as long as you can demonstrate the desire to learn new skills.
Training and Development
We’ll provide comprehensive training on a variety of IT applications and administration tools relevant to your role. That might mean training to support our main ticketing system, or working with our own in-house software, and tools created by our teams to track and manage the service they provide. You’ll find that we’re different to other organisations, in as much as our technology is unique and bespoke to us.
We offer a unique opportunity to learn more about the work of the Intelligence services and an insight into our technology, as well as develop the wider skills and competencies that you’ll need to further your career within GCHQ. Your next career step could be to specialise in a particular part of IT Service Management, seek promotion and start your leadership journey, or perhaps explore the opportunities across other areas within GCHQ.
When you join us, you’ll receive a full induction into our organisation, which will help you get to grips with how we operate. You’ll then have a team induction to give you a rounded understanding of first line IT support and some of the unique elements of working here.
We’re committed to developing our staff and recognise this will be different for everyone. We have an exceptional skills community, dedicated to supporting you. There’ll be lots of tailored training, coaching, and mentoring, alongside opportunities to pursue career pathways which cover a range of specialism tracks. New entrants can expect to have individual training and support, and formal buddy and mentor programmes exist too. There’ll be opportunities to gain formal qualifications such as from the Service Desk Institute and the IT Infrastructure Library.
Rewards and Benefits
You’ll receive a starting salary of £25,856 (additional £6,250 London payment) 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 (parking and travel)
• Excellent pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Facilities such as a 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, 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
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:
• A minimum of 2 GCSEs at Grade 4/C in mathematics and English Language (or an equivalent O-Level, BTEC or Level 2 qualification).
• Able to demonstrate an appreciation of IT and competent in MS Office particularly in outlook and Word applications – assessed at application sift.
What to Expect
Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:
• Initial application
• Full application
• Application sift, assessing your answers to two of three questions on the application form.
• Virtual interview
If successful you’ll receive a conditional offer of employment, subject to vetting.
Please note regarding onboarding timescales for this campaign; successful candidates will be offered different start dates anticipated between October 2024 and March 2025. Those who are successful will be able to discuss this with recruitment officers who will be engaging with candidates throughout the recruitment and vetting process.
You must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take some time to process, 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.
The role is based in Cheltenham, London, or Central Manchester 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 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.