Data Infrastructure Security and Resilience Policy Advisor

Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 20th October 2024

 

Details

Reference number

373244

Salary

£31,745 - £38,565
National: £31,745 - £34,280; London: £35,720 - £38,565 (pro rata for part-time working)
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Job grade

Higher Executive Officer

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

DSIT - Digital, Technologies and Telecoms - Digital Infrastructure

Type of role

Policy
Risk Management
Security

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Number of jobs available

2

Contents

Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London, Salford

Job summary

At DSIT we’re all about improving people’s lives by maximising the potential of science & technology. 

We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, research and development.  

We use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with the benefits more widely shared. 

We are driving forward a modern digital government which gives citizens a more satisfying experience and their time back. 

We do all this to enable the Government’s 5 national missions: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future. 

Above all, we focus on improving people’s lives. Whether it’s researching new treatments for disease, developing better batteries, reducing burdens through better public services, keeping children safe online, and much more, outcomes for citizens are at the heart of what we do. 

Our Inclusive Environment  

We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.  

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.  

Find Out More 

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application and interview process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://forms.office.com/e/Jae3B4w7xm  

You can also follow our LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dsitcareers/    

Job description

The role and our team You will sit within the Data Infrastructure Security and Resilience Team responsible for the security and resilience risks to the UK’s data infrastructure (and associated services and bulk data). The importance of data infrastructure has grown significantly in recent decades, and HMG has just confirmed the designation of a new Data Infrastructure Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) sector.  As respositories of large quantities of sesnsitive and valuable data, data infrastructure is exposed to significant risks, including those that could seriously impact on the UK"s national security.

We are looking for a talented and motivated individuals who will lead on developing innovative security policy to this newly designated critical sector.  You will be working within a small team, so the  successful candidates must be team players but is equally comfortable working on their own and taking the initiative. Once in post, you will have an in-depth knowledge of the data centre sector, cross-government work on security and resilience, as well as an astute awareness of external developments across the sector and issues impacting critical national infrastructure.

In this role you will be engaging and working with range of stakeholders across wider DSIT and Government, as well as industry experts on all areas of security.  You will produce succinct high-quality briefings for ministers on security policies, ensuring it aligns with XWH CNI and security policy.

As our strategy and policy develops, your responsibilities and policy portfolio may evolve, and you should be ready to adapt to a dynamic and changing area of policy and be flexible in your approach.

Person specification

Key responsibilities

  • Develop and implement exceptional security policies and guidance to the sector.
  • Lead on research and development of policy positions to manage data infrastructure risk.
  • Working with industry and experts to understand and assess the sector landscape and existing standards.
  • Understand current policy levers available to HMG, as well as developing, delivering, and implementing new approaches.
  • Build strong relationships with industry and supporting industry with issues and incidents as necessary.
  • Delivery high quality briefings and key presentations for senior colleagues and Ministers as well as answer parliamentary correspondence and questions.

Skills and experience

Essential:

  • Strong written and oral communication skills.
  • The ability to make effective decisions and provide clear, concise summaries and advice.
  • Excellent organisational skills to respond well under pressure and juggle competing priorities.
  • The ability to build strong relationships with colleagues and stakeholders across Government and industry.

Desirable:

  • Experience of working with Data Centres or Critical National Infrastructure.
  • Experience of developing and implementing security policies across sectors.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Changing and Improving
Alongside your salary of £31,745, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £9,196 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

  • A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
  • Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
  • A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
  • An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
  • Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.

Office attendance

The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period. 

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and behavioural statements. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Applications will be sifted on behavioural statements and CV. 

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behaviour statement Communicating and Influencing.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behaviour and strength based questions.  

Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time. 

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 28/10/2024.

Interview dates: w/c 04/11/2024.

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions. 

Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DSIT Candidate Guidance.  A DSIT Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available. 

We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section. 

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section. 

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home). 

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service / Disclosure Scotland / Access NI 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 the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

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.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Feedback



Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

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).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

  • Name : Patrick Corby
  • Email : Patrick.Corby@dsit.gov.uk

Recruitment team

  • Email : dsitresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance dsitresourcing.GRS@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/

Attachments

DSIT T&Cs v1.2 Opens in new window (docx, 179kB)

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