Security Adviser

UKHSA operates nationally and internationally, including at its scientific campuses at Chilton, Colindale and Porton Down and the national diagnostic facility at the Rosalind Franklin laboratory in Leamington Spa. UKHSA has been at the forefront of the national response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its work as the national health security agency continues to be crucial.

Within the working remit of UKHSA key aspects of our activities include research and operational health protection work with the most dangerous pathogens and associated security requirements and health protection operations teams across the country. More generally, our expert staff work with and advise a range of government partners on health security matters; physical and personnel security is therefore of paramount importance to the organisation.

As the lead professional for physical and personnel security in UKHSA, the Security Adviser will be required to
- Develop and implement a new physical and personnel security strategy for UKHSA which embeds a culture of security throughout the organisation, putting the experiences of the service user at the heart of this strategy
- Lead and develop a highly skilled physical and personnel function for UKHSA, setting ambitious service delivery targets and effective implementation activities
- Establish a strong security risk management culture which seeks to identify, manage and mitigate security risks in accordance with relevant standards
- Operate at a senior level across the organisation to ensure effective personnel and physical security regimes meeting expected organisational and industry standards
- Identify holistic requirements or mitigation for physical and personnel security threats and work closely with colleagues from the IT Security team and other disciplines to deliver appropriate, proportionate and cost effective advice and responses
- Maintain and develop relationships with the intelligence and law enforcement agencies to ensure that appropriate information and support is provided to UKHSA in a timely way
- As a member of the Corporate Services Directorate Senior Management Team, contribute to its work and that of the wider organisation

The post reports to the Deputy Director Estates, Facilities and Security (Physical and Personnel) in the Corporate Services Directorate

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is responsible for planning, preventing and responding to external health threats, and providing intellectual, scientific and operational leadership at national and local level, as well as on the global stage. UKHSA ensures that the nation can respond quickly and at greater scale to deal with a range of health threats, including those of a future pandemic.

You will be working with a highly motivated and passionate group of people and will be working alongside them in an exciting and fast pace environment with the opportunity to make your mark and influence government policy and delivery.

**Job Description and key responsibilities for this role**:
1. Corporate lead for the physical and personnel security strategy, with a corporate link to the Audit & Risk Committee of the UKHSA Advisory Board and, when required, the CEO and UKHSA’s Executive Committee, the senior executive decision-making body
2. Overall responsibility and corporate overview of physical and personnel security requirements across the organisation, particularly at the UKHSA scientific campuses
3. Evaluating and managing risk, including trend analysis and data interpretation Overseeing departmental alignment to security standards and policies
4. Development and implementation of measures in relation to counter-terrorism to protect UKHSA staff and assets as appropriate to their workplace circumstances
5. Provision of advice on physical and personnel security to UKHSA management and staff,. To a much lesser extent, to provide physical and personnel security advice as requested by the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), part of the MHRA, a fellow Arm’s Length Body of DHSC
6. Overall responsibility and corporate overview of PERSEC (insofar as it applies to UKHSA’s national security interests), working with UKHSA’s People Directorate and HR department
7. Meeting security monitoring and assurance requirements such as the Department Security Health Check, and utilising intelligence and information from those processes to identify areas for improvement and achievement of government security standards
8. Acting as an intelligent customer, establishing the need for and requesting and monitoring services from the Clus