Location
Whitehall, London

Hours
Shift working - 48 hours per week including breaks. This includes 12-hour shifts rostered between Sunday and Saturday, covering nights, weekends, and bank holidays as required. Shift patterns may be flexible and subject to change with at least 48 hours' notice.

Salary
£32,530 per annum

About the Role
Join the Ministry of Defence Guard Service (MGS) and be part of the frontline protecting the UK’s most critical Defence sites. You will play a vital role in national security by safeguarding personnel, assets, and locations from crime, terrorism, espionage, and sabotage. The MGS provides high-quality security services across over 170 MOD sites in the UK, including high-profile locations such as the MOD Main Building in London and His Majesty’s Naval Bases.

As a Security Officer, your key responsibilities will include ensuring site safety and security, conducting patrols on foot or by vehicle, controlling access by checking credentials and issuing passes, performing security searches, responding to incidents, assisting employees and visitors, monitoring security systems such as CCTV and alarms, managing traffic and parking, and maintaining detailed security logs and incident reports.

This role requires excellent communication and organisational skills, the ability to work independently and as part of a team, and a good level of physical fitness due to patrolling large areas and standing for extended periods.

Training & Development
New starters will complete a mandatory two-week residential Foundation Course followed by structured on-the-job training. Ongoing professional development and annual online learning programmes are provided, supported by a dedicated Workforce Development Team to help you build expertise throughout your career.

Benefits
Alongside your salary, the Ministry of Defence contributes £9,423 towards membership of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Additional benefits include a generous annual leave allowance with rollover options, special leave for volunteer military or emergency service commitments, enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, an Employee Assistance Programme, free MGS security uniform, and access to facilities such as sports clubs, gyms, cafeterias, and free car parking at most sites. London locations may attract an additional allowance of £3,300 per annum. The MOD also offers entitlement to apply for Blue Light and Defence Discount Cards.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a supportive working environment and is currently reviewing grade structures, pay, and conditions to improve employee experience, wellbeing, and career progression.

Experience
No previous security experience is required as full training and uniform are provided. Officers come from a variety of backgrounds including security, military, retail, hospitality, care, logistics, teaching, and customer service.

About you
You should be calm, polite, and respectful in busy situations, pay close attention to detail, follow procedures consistently, learn quickly and adapt to changing circumstances, communicate clearly with people from diverse backgrounds, be reliable, punctual, professional, and able to work well as part of a team. A good level of physical fitness is essential due to the nature of the role.

Qualifications
No formal qualifications are required. You must be a sole UK national (no dual nationality) and able to obtain Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance. You will start with Security Check (SC) clearance and must successfully obtain DV clearance once in post. Applicants are normally expected to have resided in the UK for the majority of the last 10 years for DV clearance and 5 years for SC clearance. A medical check and criminal record check are also required.