DDaT Vetting and Aftercare Manager

BIST provides personnel security support across its customer departments. This role offers an exciting opportunity to work within an innovative, professional and evolving unit as the dedicated DDaT vetting and aftercare contact, supporting the delivery of effective personnel security services across DDaT.

The successful applicant will be responsible for providing DDaT with advice and support on vetting, aftercare and wider personnel security matters, ensuring that appropriate policies and processes are applied efficiently, consistently and effectively.

As an HEO in a developing and dynamic environment, you will play an active role in delivering these services on behalf of BIST. You will act as the dedicated DDaT support person for vetting and aftercare, contribute to the Personnel Security Strategy, support insider threat activity and review personnel security requirements across all DDaT roles, including role mapping and determining appropriate clearance levels.

This will also include briefing staff on security vulnerabilities. You will also need to be aware of and consider where security risks to the business can be managed in post.

You will be trusted with highly sensitive and personal information, which you must handle securely in line with data protection rules whilst maintaining a professional and understanding approach with applicants, considering the sensitive nature of the information being shared.

As a manager you will provide advice and direction to others within the team to support the timely and efficient delivery of decisions and actions. This role is highly suited to a person who can make difficult risk-based decisions, conduct investigations in a sensitive way, and motivate and build the capabilities of staff under challenging circumstances.

This is an interesting and varied role the successful applicant will manage casework by assessing personal vulnerabilities for individuals with access to sensitive government assets, to assist them in maintaining their National Security Vetting clearance.

You may be required to manage a member of staff, proactively monitoring the performance and delivery of the risk management team, to ensure that personal information and issues are handled sensitively, and that MI is recorded accurately.

You will also be responsible for implementing and conducting risk-based Aftercare for those holding National Security Vetting levels and taking forward appeals processes for those who appeal decisions for Vetting. You will support decision makers within the team including senior managers where Aftercare or appeals actions are required.

Your duties will include but will not be limited to: 

• You will build professional and supportive relationships with colleagues across BIST, DDaT, the wider security community, recruitment partners and suppliers to support the continuous development of effective personnel security processes. 

• You will champion vetting policy, procedure and process with colleagues at all levels, using various communication media. 

• You will provide advice on how to handle insider threat issues, providing personnel security advice 

• You will act as the primary DDaT contact for vetting and aftercare support, manage relevant casework and mailbox activity, and monitor the performance and delivery of staff within your line management. 

• You will investigate and assess vetting cases, making decisions on individual’s ability to hold security clearance, escalating high risk cases where appropriate. This will include conducting briefings and investigative interviews. 

• You will be responsible for implementing Aftercare measures, working closely with the Aftercare Lead and other stakeholders. You will update databases to ensure accurate records are maintained. 

• You will review personnel security requirements across all DDaT roles, working with the Aftercare Lead and DDaT stakeholders to map roles, determine appropriate clearance levels and deliver presentations and information sessions to participating teams. 

• Line management and supervision of EO and AO team members. 

This is not an exclusive or exhaustive list, and the post-holders will be required to perform any additional duties reasonably expected of them within the scope of the grade and within the limits of their skill, competence and training. 

It is essential that you have:

• Experience of making vetting decisions and managing complex vetting and aftercare casework within a personnel security environment, including gathering and assessing sensitive information to inform decisions. (LEAD)
• Practical knowledge of personnel security, risk management, information and records management, and UK GDPR requirements when handling sensitive information.
• Experience of managing stakeholders in relation to sensitive or complex cases, communicating decisions and advice clearly and appropriately.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear, evidence-based case documentation and recommendations.
• Ability to build trust and rapport while asking challenging and probing questions about personal and sensitive matters.
• Strong attention to detail, with good Microsoft 365 skills, particularly Word and Excel, and the ability to quickly learn and confidently use new systems.

It is desirable that you have:

• Experience of working within, or alongside, a digital, data and technology function, with an understanding of how security and vetting services support a complex organisation. 

Security clearance: Security Check