MGS - Ministry of Defence Guard Service - Shift Worker - Whitehall

Main Building Whitehall, London, SW1A 2HB

Job Summary
Join the Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS)
Be part of the frontline protecting the UK's most critical Defence sites. Play a vital role in national security.
At the
Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS)
, we safeguard the UK's 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 excellence— and we're looking for
dedicated Security Officers
to join us.

*Who We Are
The
Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS
) provides
high-quality security services
at
over 170 MOD sites
across the UK, including high-profile locations such as
MOD Main Building in London, Whitehall, and His Majesty's 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 an
outstanding 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.

Job Description
Key Responsibilities
As a
Security 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 as required.

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

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

Assist employees 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.

This role requires excellent communication and organisational skills, as well as the
ability to work independently and as part of a team.
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 calendar week, 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 the
skills and confidence
to succeed in your role.

New starters will complete a mandatory two-week residential Foundation Course,
followed by structured on-the-job training.
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 build expertise throughout your career.

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that 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

As a
Security 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 as required.

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

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

Assist employees 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.

This role requires excellent communication and organisational skills, as well as the
ability to work independently and as part of a team.
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 calendar week, 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 the
skills and confidence
to succeed in your role.

New starters will complete a mandatory two-week residential Foundation Course,
followed by structured on-the-job training.
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 build expertise throughout your career.

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that 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

Person specification

*What We're Looking For
Are you
resilient, alert, and highly organised
? Do you thrive in a
team-based, high responsibility*
environment?

We need individuals who can
stay vigilant, act decisively, and provide outstanding customer service
in security-sensitive locations. If you have
previous experience in security or customer service
, we want to hear from you

You must also maintain a good level of physical fitness, as the role involves prolonged periods of standing, patrolling large areas, and responding quickly to incidents.
A background in administration and strong IT skills
(including Microsoft Office and electronic booking-in systems) will also be beneficial, as you will work closely with office-based personnel.

This is a Reserved Post open only to Sole UK Nationals (Cannot hold Dual Nationality)
Security Clearance
**You will be able to start in post with SC clearance, however you must successfully obtain Developed Vetting (DV) clearance once in post (if not already held). During the period where you hold SC clearance, you will only perform elements of the role

which fall under SC clearance. If your DV clearance application is unsuccessful, you may enter Restructuring, Redeployment or Redundancy
Behaviours**
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Working Together

Managing a Quality Service

Communicating and Influencing

Behaviours

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

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

Alongside your salary of £31,500, Ministry of Defence contributes £9,125 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 delivering great things for our customers.

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

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.
• Free MGS Security Uniform

London locations may attract an allowance of £3,300 per annum.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

This post does not offer any assistance with Relocation Allowances.

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 our values and have experience in security or customer service we would love to hear from you.
At
application stage
you will be assessed against the following:

*Experience:*
CV including Job History and Previous Skills.

*Behaviours:
At
interview*
you will be assessed against the following:

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 03/11/2025

Interviews are due to take place via Microsoft Teams and will be conducted week commencing 17/11/2025

We want to offer opportunities to all who are successful at interview for our roles, but this isn't always 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.

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

The Ministry 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 on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to 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 will require sponsorship 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 mitigation's 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 you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information 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.

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

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 developed vetting (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.

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 developed vetting (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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

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.

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).

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 Recruitment Hub
• Email : MGS-

Recruitment team

• Email : dbscivpers-

Further information

Please see the Further Information document attached.