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HQ Job Description (JD)
Band 7
Directorate: Security
Job Description: Security Vetting Manager
Document Ref.
JES-HQ-0054 Security Vetting Manager 4.0
Document Type
Management
Version
4.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
28 May 2025
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
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JES-HQ-0054 Security Vetting Manager 4.0
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Job Description
Job Title
Security Vetting Manager
Directorate
Security
Band
7
Overview of the
The Personnel Security Vetting team are part of Risk and
job
Capabilities Unit (RaCU) in the Directorate of Security.
The team is responsible for evaluative decisions on the suitability
of all applicants applying to join the Ministry of Justice and
HMPPS Agency who are subject to security vetting.
The job role reports to the Security Vetting Delivery Lead. The
team contribute to the management of corporate risk on behalf of
the organisation, working closely with the Head of Risk and
prevention procedures and Sopra Steria Limited (SSL). The role
also affords the opportunity to build relationships with individuals
and agencies across the criminal justice landscape.
The role will manage the acceptance or refusal of vetting on over
60,000 applications in the central Ministry and over 22,000 cases
per annum in HMPPS.
This is a non-operational Headquarters role with line
management responsibilities.
Summary
The Security Vetting Manager is one of a small team of
managers who have responsibility for the day-to-day
management of the Personnel Security Vetting team by
supervising and managing the vetting function. They will
manage effective processes to ensure robust assessments of
all incoming vetting applications; identifying deadlines and
prioritising accordingly, ensuring that urgent applications are
allocated accordingly.
They will direct a team of Security Vetting Officers in the
processing of vetting applications in accordance with protocols,
procedures, relevant legislation and appropriate timescales, and
provide advice and guidance to them on any points of difficulty to
ensure that applications are processed in compliance with policy
and other legislation, ensuring that that vetting decision
outcomes are clearly recorded for all vetting applications in a
disclosable format.
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following
Activities and
responsibilities, activities and duties:
Duties
• Serve as the conduit between the strategic vision of senior
management and the operational delivery by Security Vetting
Officers (SVOs) and supporting roles. Ensure that senior
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JES-HQ-0054 Security Vetting Manager 4.0
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management’s strategies and objectives are translated into
actionable plans and effectively communicated to the team.
• Manage the flow of information within the team and address
issues as they arise. Ensure that key information, feedback,
and any operational challenges are communicated back to
senior management through the appropriate channels.
• To act as a professional advisor to strategically
manage/maintain the security clearances, vetting process and
associated policies and procedures by organising appropriate
resources for pre- and post-employment appointments within
agreed Service Level Agreements.
• To exercise excellent communication and interpersonal skills
with the ability to negotiate and influence, to build and
maintain working relationships with various stakeholders.
• Ensure SVO’s are processing vetting decisions that are fair,
consistent and defendable by working with colleagues in the
Personnel Security Countermeasures who lead on assurance,
acting as a point of escalation where necessary.
• To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of policy/legislation in
relation to Security Vetting and associated Counter Corruption
Policies.
• Update and maintain the centralised database of those
individuals who have been excluded from any establishment
in line with published Code of Practice, Data Protection, the
Human Rights Act, and other current relevant legislation.
• Extract management information from various sources to
produce performance statistics for the Personnel Security
Vetting Team, paying particular attention to areas requiring
improvement and developing staff accordingly.
• Lead, motivate, develop and engage a team of vetting staff,
protecting and promoting workforce wellbeing to uphold
professional standards, including the line management of
approximately 10 Security Vetting Officers.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is
at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is
expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of
a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments
may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme
and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.
Behaviours
• Leadership
• Working Together
• Developing Self and Others
• Changing and Improving
• Seeing the Big Picture
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JES-HQ-0054 Security Vetting Manager 4.0
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Strengths
Note: We recommend you choose 4 to 8 strengths locally -
select from the list of Civil Service strength definitions on the
intranet.
Ability
• Take charge of people, situations and decisions
• Establishing mutual respect and building relationships with
others
• Consider other people’s views and bring a fresh perspective
whatever the situation or context
• Flexible and versatile, acts as an advocate for change
• Consider the wider factors and long term implications of
decisions
Experience
• Previous line management
Technical
Minimum
Please do not alter this box
Eligibility
• All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior
to taking up post.
• All external candidates are subject to 6 months’
probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they
have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS.
• All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of
a group or organisation which HMPPS consider to be racist.
Hours of Work
37 hour working week
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
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JES-HQ-0054 Security Vetting Manager 4.0