Job summary

As one of our Security Officers, you’ll be the first point of contact for visitors and staff as they enter our buildings. Working alongside a close-knit team of friendly colleagues, your role will revolve around preparing for and mitigating security risks, all to keep our building and people, safe.

Job description

About Us

GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage. At GCHQ you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

The Role

As one of our Security Officers, you’ll be the first point of contact for visitors and staff as they enter our buildings. Working alongside a close-knit team of friendly colleagues, your role will revolve around preparing for and mitigating security risks, all to keep our building and people, safe.

Once you join, you’ll be fully equipped with all the training you need to feel knowledgeable and confident in any situation. And no prior experience in security is needed: just a willingness to learn and good customer service skills.

As part of our Security Control Room and together with your colleagues, you’ll oversee access to the building, conduct physical searches, patrol the grounds and monitor CCTV. Whether responding to an alarm, administering first aid, or advising a visitor on our security processes, you’ll ensure our security policies are adhered to and maintain accurate written logs of incidents.

You’ll also be a friendly, reassuring presence. As you greet people from all walks of life including government officials and colleagues from our partner agencies, you’ll guide them through any security processes they need to be aware of. As the first person they’ll see at GCHQ, you’ll make a great first impression, while completing any necessary checks and always remaining vigilant for anything unusual.

You’ll do it all as part of a team that’s just as supportive as they are knowledgeable. As you learn from your colleagues and develop your skills, you’ll have the opportunity to grow your career. With opportunities to work with our partner agencies MI5 and MI6, as well as other security teams throughout GCHQ, this could be just the beginning of an exciting career within the UK Intelligence Agencies.

Person specification

About You

We’re aware that there might be misconceptions about what a Security Officer ‘looks like’ at GCHQ. But we’re not looking for a specific ‘type’ of person. We’re committed to ensuring all candidates, regardless their backgrounds, identities, lived experiences, and perspectives are given the support and training they need to thrive in this role.

You don’t need previous experience in security to apply, just a willingness to learn. You will need:

• Customer service experience (e.g. retail, hospitality)
• Maths and English Language GCSEs at grade C/4 (or their equivalent) or above
• Basic IT and Microsoft Office skills
• The ability to commute for your assigned shift time
• A driving licence (the role will involve driving patrols)

Motivated and proactive in anticipating problems, you’ll demonstrate situational awareness and be confident reacting to changing situations. As you’ll be part of a team and relaying important information, you’ll also be able to communicate clearly and enjoy working with others. You might currently work in customer service, be starting your career, or simply looking for a new challenge. Either way, you’ll have interpersonal skills, a friendly attitude, and a real enthusiasm and desire to make an impact as part of our supportive, professional team.

You don’t need a high level of fitness to apply, but there are physical aspects to the role including foot patrols internally and externally. These may take place on uneven ground, must be completed in all conditions, and can include accessing heavy doors and stairs/lifts. You’ll also need to be able to conduct physical search and screen activities which may involve manual lifting/moving of bags and equipment.

Training and Development

When you join, you’ll be trained on everything you need to know to be an effective Security Officer at GCHQ. This will include Security Industry Authority (SIA) certifications and emergency first aid, along with a 1-2-week induction with the security team prior to starting your shift pattern. You’ll also be assigned a buddy on shift to support you as you get settled in.

Rewards and Benefits

You’ll receive a starting salary of either £30,101 or £35,246 including shift allowances, depending on role, 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
- Interest-free season ticket loan (travel and parking)
- 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.

Equal Opportunities

At GCHQ 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.