Security Specialist

Our client – The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), implements the government’s maritime safety policy in the United Kingdom and works to prevent the loss of life and occurrence of pollution on the coast and at sea.

Safer lives. Safer Ships. Cleaner Seas. 

Their vision is to be a world-leading organisation, accelerating the transition to sustainable shipping with non-negotiable safety standards. They put our people, customers and the planet at the heart of everything they do.

Job description

We are looking for a Security Specialist to join us within our growing Information Security Team.  The Security Specialist will support, influence and contribute to the Information Security strategy and function for the MCA via internal consultation, evaluation and assessment to influence security best practice and ensure information security requirements are fully considered and implemented as part of the design throughout projects and operational processes.

The successful applicant will collaborate with a variety of stakeholders across the MCA, providing security advice, feedback and input around key areas including programmes and projects, work packages, security vetting and system security.  They will ensure compliance to internal and external security standards through the service delivery of audit services and will liaise with other IT service functions to ensure the appropriate level of security controls are applied to support and protect operational business needs.  The role holder will share line management responsibility for one direct report, supporting, mentoring and coaching them to achieve successful outcomes.

This is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy a role which offers a great variation in work and lots of senior stakeholder engagement and exposure across all functions within the organisation, making a key impact in supporting an emergency service to deliver crucial life-saving services.  You will join a supportive and growing team with amazing training opportunities.

Your responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Being responsible for the Information Security risk management process – including identification, assessment and risk mitigation activity.
• Consulting on and assessing projects and operational work packages to discover and document related risks; defining controls and mitigations and ensuring implementation in line with ISMS (Information Security Management Systems) and governance standards.
• Deciding and directing security works for projects, strategic programs, procurement and compliance driven activities.
• Resolving security related incidents according to agreed policy and playbooks with a view to limiting organisational exposure as quickly as possible, communicating as appropriate and driving through workarounds and subsequently permanent fixes with the relevant teams.
• Managing the vulnerability remediation activity within the Agency ensuring these are prioritised in line with the risk management strategy and Information Security strategy.

For further information about the role and responsibilities, please see the attached role profile.

This role can be based at the Southampton HQ or Fareham office. MCA supports flexible working and operates a hybrid working model between home and office for this role, giving you greater flexibility over where and when you work. Details of the arrangement will be discussed further with your line manager.

There will be a requirement for travel on official duty within the UK which may involve overnight stays away from home.

Please note, due to the nature of the role you will also be required to already hold or undergo Security Checks (SC) before commencing employment with us. Gaining SC Clearance will normally require you to have been a resident in the UK for a minimum of 5 years, and only candidates who meet this requirement will be considered for the role.

Person specification

This role requires an individual who holds CISM/CISSP/CISA/CISP or has equivalent experience.  You will have experience of aligning working practices to security standards, best practices and industry guidelines along with experience in information security risk management aligning with business strategies & requirements.

Effective collaboration is important to you and you’re able to build rapport quickly, resulting in strong and trusted working relationships across various operational areas.

You’re a confident communicator, able to liaise with stakeholders at all levels and competent in presenting information clearly to ensure understanding, translating technical knowledge into business value.

A self-starter, you are able to remain motivated whilst managing your own workload, balancing and prioritising tasks.

You will be an analytical thinker with good problem-solving skills, able to consider critical factors, learning and research in order to make informed decisions.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Find out what it’s like to work at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles  and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

As part of your application, you will be required to complete a CV.  Please provide a CV outlining your career history, and the key responsibilities you had in each of your roles.

Within your CV please demonstrate your

• Experience in information security risk management.
• Have an understanding and experience of aligning working practices to security standards, best practices and industry guidelines.
• Experience of physical and personal security background.

The sift is due to take place between 11th – 13th October 2023.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held w/c  23rd October 2023.

This interview will be conducted via face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:

• An interview.
• A presentation.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

Further Information
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

See our vetting charter 

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard 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)
• 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 

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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 

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.

Further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

If you feel your application has not been
treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Click here (https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/) to visit Civil Service Commission

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