Head of Threat and Incident Response
Cabinet Office
Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 20th November 2024
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Salary
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Contract type
Secondment
Length of employment
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Type of role
Security
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About the job
Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Government Security Group as Head of Threat and Incident Response. In this role you will support the Information, International and Response Deputy Directorate, in understanding the threat to government security and leading GSG’s efforts in responding to incidents in the Government Secure Zone.
GSG is responsible for understanding the threats posed to government security. Working with partners, assessment functions across government and the police, you will be responsible for drawing together a picture of the threat posed to government. You will then lead efforts to understand what this assessment means for cross government security policies and mitigations, including the prioritisation of workstreams across government.
In doing so, the post-holder will work with assessment bodies to outline GSG’s requirements for an assessment of the threat to government, a product which will be updated on a regular basis. Upon receipt of the assessment products, you will be responsible for working closely with GSG colleagues to understand its implications for security policies and mitigations already in place and those currently being drafted. Further, you will work closely with partners across government to understand the impact of the assessment on their department and their views on the implication on policies and mitigations. You will then work closely with colleagues to inform discussion and decision-making across government relating to GSG’s plans and priorities.
For incident response, you will head the team responsible for dealing with high priority incidents across the Government Secure Zone. The team seeks to identify and manage incidents that occur within the GSZ that may impact government security. This requires close working with police colleagues to both anticipate and manage the government response to incidents. Further, this work requires close engagement with partners across government, informing them of incidents that may occur and working with them to mitigate and manage incidents that impact their department and the wider GSZ. Further, you will lead efforts in understanding the nature of incidents occurring in the GSZ, drawing out key patterns and analysis. Finally, you will be responsible for leading work on government incident response levels, ensuring that departments have the correct mitigations in place if/when the response level changes.
Job description
This is an excellent opportunity to develop and/or hone bigger picture thinking, working with senior officials and managing a wide range of challenging internal and external stakeholders. The post-holder will be expected to become a subject matter expert in threat and incident response.
Overall, this role offers experience across threat and incidents, stakeholder management, communications, and project management and delivery. It will also give a unique insight into the workings of government security.
The post-holder will be responsible for the areas listed below and could contribute to work on other areas information security policy and national security depending on skills and areas of interest:
- Defining and directing team strategies for improving management of incidents within GSZ
- Strengthening relationships with police partners to anticipate likely incidents, share this information with government partners and implement security measures as required.
- Work closely with police and government partners to identify and respond to incidents within the GSZ, providing advice and guidance to government departments as required.
- Working with partners in developing our understanding of the threat to government security
- Collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to use these assessments to plan and prioritise government security policies and mitigations
- Develop GSG’s plan of action when the incident response level is changed, ensuring close collaboration across government.
- Lead GSG’s work on BRIDGES, ensuring that government security views are represented with Cabinet Office, government and police partners.
The post-holder may also have the opportunity to flex into other emerging corporate priorities in GSG, the Cabinet Office and across Government. This may include assisting the Head of Partnerships and Prevention and the Head of Investigations should the need arise during times of heightened activity.
Person specification
The remit of the work and policy environment requires a broad range of skills – the successful candidate will need to be able to demonstrate the following:
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to digest complex policy issues into targeted, accurate and accessible messages for internal and external audiences.
- Experience of forming and understanding threat assessments and their implementation to policy.
- Experience of driving policy discussions and decision making based on threat assessments.
- Comfortable operating in an environment that can fluctuate between fast-paced and steady state work; balancing long-term projects with short-term, high energy responses.
- The ability to work confidently and build strong relationships with a range of stakeholders, including senior civil servants and police partners, adapting your engagement approach in response to differing needs.
- The ability to make connections and develop opportunities across the policy/operational/delivery landscape, and to balance security and other agendas.
- Proven experience of evidence-based decision making, at both tactical/operational and strategic levels. Ability to review and present data and information from different sources, looking beyond the immediate situation to provide evidence-led observations and guidance.
- The skills and experience to manage competing priorities and continue to deliver at pace.
- Ability to lead and deliver through others, including line management experience.
- Ability to adapt to changing priorities and work to tight deadlines.
- Organisational and time management skills for planning and delivery.
- Experience of working in ONE of these areas: threat, incident response, government security, national security.
Desirable Skills and Experience
- Experience of managing incident response in government and/or police.
- Experience of coordinating response to major, or cross-government, incidents.
- Experience of working with police partners.
Personal and Professional Development
If you are interested in the post and have relevant, transferable experience and skills, back yourself and apply. GSG is committed to supporting people’s personal and professional development and in providing training. We will help you to develop your knowledge and skills and help you build a rewarding and challenging career in government security.
Additional information:
A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Working Together
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Delivering at Pace
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Leadership
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role.
- An environment with flexible working options.
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
- A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
- A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application process
At sift, we'll assess your: CV, Personal Statement of 750 words which will be assessed against the skills/experience detailed in the job advert and 1 behaviour of Leadership. In your CV please indicate whether you already hold National Security Vetting and to what level.
Selection process
At interview we'll assess you against these behaviours:
- Leadership
- Working Together
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Delivering At Pace
Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – 21st November 2024
Expected interview date/s – w/c 2nd December 2024
Interview location - Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.
Please note, owing to the operational nature of the team, these dates may change.
Reasonable adjustments
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Further information
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'contact point for applicants' section.
Please note that this role requires DV clearance, which would normally need 10 years UK residency in the past 10 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to Cabinet Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Amit Sibal
- Email : Amit.sibal@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.
