MGS - Ministry of Defence Guard Service - Security Officer - Shift Worker - DBS Norcross

Job summary

Join the Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS)

Be part of the front line protecting the UKs most critical Defence sites and play a vital role in national security.

At the Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS), we safeguard the UKs Defence estate, protecting personnel, assets, and critical locations from crime, terrorism, espionage, and sabotage.

Our Gold Standard Security Service is built on professionalism, trust, and excellenceand were looking for dedicated Security Officers to join our team.

Who We Are

TheMinistry of Defence Guard Service (MGS) provideshigh-quality security servicesatover 170 MOD sites across the UK, including high-profile locations such as MOD Main Building in London, Whitehall, and His Majestys Naval Bases in Portsmouth, Devonport, and the Clyde.

Why Join Us?

A meaningful career Play a crucial role in national security and defence.

Career development Access specialist training, funded qualifications, and internal progression opportunities.

Job security Be part of a well-established organisation with over 30 years of service.

A strong team culture Work alongside professionals who value integrity, vigilance, professionalism, helpfulness, and teamwork.

Our Vision & Values

Our goal is to be recognised as anoutstanding provider of security services, guided by our core values:

Integrity Always do the right thing, treat others fairly.

Vigilance & Preparedness Stay alert, ready to respond.

Professionalism Maintain high standards, continuously improve.

Helpfulness Provide excellent service, leave a positive impression.

Teamwork Work collaboratively, support colleagues, and protect Defence.

This position is advertised at 43 hours per week.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

As aSecurity Officer, you will:

Ensure site safety and security Protect Defence personnel, visitors, and property.

Conduct patrols Monitor designated areas on foot or by vehicle, ensuring compliance with security protocols.

Control access Check credentials, issue passes, and escort visitors asrequired.

Perform searches Conduct thorough security checks on vehicles, baggage, and personnel.

Respond to incidents Identify risks, manage security breaches, and escalate as needed.

Assistemployees and visitors Provide professional and courteous support on-site.

Monitor security systems Operate CCTV, alarms, and communication devices.

Manage traffic and parking Control vehicle movement and ensure safe site access.

Report and document Maintain security logs and complete detailed incident reports.

Excellent communication and organisational skillsarerequired, as well as theability to work independently and as part of a team.

This role involves patrolling large areas, standing for periods, stayingalertand responding quickly when needed, soa good levelof physical fitness is essential.

Shift Pattern & Flexibility

This is a shift working position at 48 hours per week including breaks. The successful candidate will be expected to work nights, weekends, bank holidays etc as stipulated by the shift pattern agreed at the Unit depending on site requirements. This will be an average of 48 hours in a calendarweek;this will be 12 hour shifts each week rostered between Sun Sat. This will include being rostered in a flexible manner (termed a flexible week) within the shift roster. During the flexible week, the working days and shifts will routinely be stipulated in advance but may be changed at short notice, (this should be no less than 48 hours). The exact shift pattern will be explained in full during the interview.

Training & Development

We are committed to ensuring you have theskills and confidenceto succeed in your role.

New starters will complete a mandatory two-week residential Foundation Course, followed by structured on-the-job training.One of the elements of the Foundation Course is Emergency First Aid at Work, where you will learn key life skills in emergency first aid.

You will have access to ongoing professional development, including an annual programme of online learning. Our dedicated Workforce Development Team will support your training needs, ensuring you continue to buildexpertisethroughout your career.

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS)regardingthis vacancy, pleaseindicatethat your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com

Person specification

WhatWereLooking For

Theresno single background that makes someone right for the Ministry of Defence Guard Service. Our officers come from a variety of careers including security, military, retail, hospitality, care,logistics, teaching, customer service, or after a career break.

What matters ishow you work, not whereyouveworked.

Werelooking for people who can:

• Remain calm,politeand respectful in busy situations
• Pay attention to detail and report anything unusual
• Follow procedures consistently
• Learn quickly and adapt to changing circumstances
• Communicate clearly with people from all backgrounds
• Be reliable,punctualand professional
• Support colleagues and work well as part of a team

Youdontneedprevioussecurity experience full training and uniform are provided.

How to Apply

Your CV should clearlydemonstrate:

• Previousroles and key responsibilities
• Skills relevant to this role
• Examples of reliability, communication,teamworkand following procedures
• Any relevant training,qualificationsor transferable experience

Your CV will be used to assess your suitability, so make sure it is clear,accurateand up to date.

Essential Licences:

Full UK Driving Licence

Licences
Full UK Driving Licence

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 32,530, Ministry of Defence contributes 9,423 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We enable our people to work at the right place, with the right people, at the right time. We believe that if we look after our people, they will be passionate about deliveringgreat thingsfor our customers.

Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site whichshowcasesthe benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD. https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

The MOD Discover My Benefits page lists the full set of benefits. Some of the many benefits you will receive include:

• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A generous annual leave allowance.
• Ability to roll over up to 10 days annual leave per year.
• Minimum of 15 Days Special Leave in a rolling 12-month period to for volunteer military or emergency service reserve commitments.
• Special Paid Leave for volunteering up to 6 days a year.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
• Employee Assistance Programme to support your wellbeing.
• Most sites have good travel links with free car parking; many also have other facilities such as a Sports & Social Club, Gym and Cafeterias and Shops.
• Entitlement to apply for Blue Light and Defence Discount Cards.

This post does not offer anyassistancewith Relocation Allowances.

MoD Guard Services is currently undertaking a review of grade structures, pay and conditions, aimed at improving employee experience, wellbeing, and career progression. This review may result in future changes to terms and conditions; however, the requirement for this roleremainsunchanged.

Discover My Benefits:

Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site whichshowcasesthe benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD:

https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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

If you align with ourvalues,wewould liketo hear from you.

Atapplication stageyou will be assessed against the following:

Experience:CV including Job History and Previous Skills.

Atinterviewyou will be assessed against the following:
Behaviours:
Working Together
Managing a Quality Service
Communicating and Influencing

When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.

Application sifting is scheduled to take place on week commencing 18/05/2026.

Interviews are due to take place via Microsoft Teams and will be conducted week commencing08/06/2026.

Please note the above dates are subject to change.

We want to offer opportunities to all who are successful at interview for our roles, but thisisntalways possible, so we do hold candidates on an active reserve list for 12 months. It is also possible that we may offer similar lower graded role/s to reserve candidates or, if no reserves are appointed, candidates that meet the lower grade criteria in merit order.

TheMinistry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has beendeemedto be business critical. The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who willrequiresponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey We may contact youregardingyour experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The surveyis voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provideadditionalinformation to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

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) .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

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 : MGS RH
• Email : MGS-RH@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-ResourcingTeam1@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please see Further Information document attached

Attachments Defence Civil Service Offer (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB) Further Information - External Opens in new window (docx, 34kB) Ministry of Defence Revised Terms and Conditions of Service (TACOS) Opens in new window (pdf, 298kB) MGS Candidate Pack - Application Final Opens in new window (pdf, 1974kB)

Apply now