Vetting Officers Development Programme
MI5 - The Security Service
Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 4th November 2024
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About the job
Job summary
Flexible working: the first five weeks of the programme is full time, then for the remainder of the 13 month programme, a minimum of four days per week is required. Due to the nature of the role there is limited hybrid working but after the 13 month programme, a range of working patterns are possible including flexi-time, part-time and compressed hours.
About Us
MI5 keeps the country safe from serious threats like terrorism and attempts by states to harm the UK, its people and way of life. We carry out investigations by obtaining, analysing and assessing intelligence, and then work with a range of partners, including MI6 and GCHQ to disrupt these threats. Through our protective security arm, we provide advice and guidance to government, businesses and other organisations about how to keep themselves safe. A role in MI5 means you’ll do unique and challenging work in a supportive and encouraging environment, making a real difference to UK national security.
Job description
As a Vetting Officer (VO) at MI5, you’ll play a key role in keeping our organisation secure. You’ll manage risks that might make our work vulnerable and identify individuals who could pose a threat to national security. Through in-depth personal interviews with potential employees who have recently received a job offer, you’ll assess their suitability to hold the highest levels of security clearance. You will make professional evidence-based assessments, analysing and assessing information to produce detailed written reports. Your work will help us build a diverse and talented workforce – all while keeping the UK safe.
To become a trained VO, you’ll first join us on our Vetting Officer Development Programme. This is a 13-month tailored programme that begins with an initial five weeks of classroom training, designed to give you the skills you need to succeed. This includes awareness of our vetting frameworks, polices and processes, as well as interviewing and report writing skills.
Then, you’ll be placed in either an Initial Developed Vetting (DV) team or a Continued DV team, where you’ll work alongside a team of vetting officers. You’ll be assigned a mentor and a line manager who’ll provide plenty of support as you get started in the role and manage a caseload. Over the course of the 13 months, you’ll be assessed against frameworks and be regularly observed. You’ll also have your performance reviewed by a panel every year. Once qualified as a VO, you’ll be expected to stay in the role for four years, during which time you’ll share your knowledge, grow your skills, seek promotion and shape a rewarding career.
Person specification
You don’t need any specific qualifications to be a VO as we’ll train you. The important thing is that you’re empathetic, conscientious and resilient, with great attention to detail and strong interpersonal skills. As they are necessarily in-depth, vetting interviews can last for up to six hours, so you’ll need the ability to sustain a conversation, stay alert and maintain your energy for long periods of time.
Naturally curious, you’ll have a real interest in people and know how to create rapport. You’ll put individuals at ease and encourage conversations, while demonstrating sensitivity to the practices, cultures and beliefs of others. Conversations may at times be difficult, so you’ll learn how and when to dig a little deeper and address any gaps or inconsistencies. And of course, you’ll be keen to learn and willing to continuously further your abilities.
Benefits
Training and Development
Our 13-month Development Programme is designed to give you all the training and support you need to become a fully qualified Vetting Officer. You’ll attend regular training sessions and workshops to further your knowledge and skills, as well as learning from and networking with guest speakers. You’ll also benefit from opportunities to meet and learn from other experienced vetting officers.
You’ll have a mentor and a line manager who’ll be there to provide further support and advice from day one. And, you’ll be working alongside experienced VOs who’ll be happy to share their knowledge and expertise with you.
Rewards and Benefits
You’ll receive a starting salary of £43,957 (London) or £41,795 (Cheltenham and Manchester), 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
- Personal Learning Budget
- 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.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Equal Opportunities
At MI5 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.mi5.gov.uk/careers/diversity
We’re Disability Confident
MI5 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 are:
• Application form: you will be required to meet the minimum pass mark for the competency questions, which explores your motivation to work for the organisation and undertake the Vetting Officer Development Programme.
What to Expect
Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:
• Application sift, looking at your motivation for the role and the organisation
• Situational Judgement Questions, examining your responses to different situations typical to the role
• Telephone interview, exploring further your motivation to work for the organisation and your reasons for wanting to undertake the VODP
• Assessment Centre, including situational role-plays, a planning exercise and interview
• If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, subject to vetting
Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 9-12 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 MI5, 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 Cheltenham, London and Manchester, so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application. A loan is available to support people relocating to London.
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.
Nationality requirements
Open to UK nationals only.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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Working for the Civil Service
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Recruitment
- Email : careers@recruitmentoffice.org.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : careers@recruitmentoffice.org.uk