Central Government Opportunities

If you already have an approved security clearance, you'll find there are a wide range of opportunities open to you. Especially if you're leaving the armed forces or leaving the police, employers are always on the lookout for the unique skills and experiences you'll possess. This can give you a clear advantage over other candidates and open up higher-paid and more senior positions.

The skills and experiences these professionals have will be in high demand among both public and private sector organizations, but one area where security cleared professionals are particularly sought after is central government.

The government organisations seeking talent

Working directly for central government departments offers interesting and potentially lucrative career opportunities. Central government organisations recruit a wide range of people every year from all backgrounds, but they are always especially interested in those who can provide proven experience.

While all of the 25 ministerial departments that make up the UK's central government will have need for security cleared personnel, there are a few larger departments that deal with especially sensitive information where demand is often especially strong. These include:

  • Home Office
  • Department for Works & Pensions (DWP)
  • HM Treasury
  • Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
  • Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
  • Cabinet Office
  • Ministry of Defence (MoD)

Many of these roles will be based in London, but that doesn't mean this is the only option. Efforts to decentralise UK government operations mean you may well be able to find remote opportunities and roles in other parts of the UK. Organisations such as the FCO may even provide opportunities for travel.

Skills employers are looking for

Working in central government typically requires access to highly confidential data, and as such it's important to demonstrate your trustworthiness and integrity in addition to technical expertise and soft skills such as communication. Security clearances are ideal for showcasing these qualities.

Among the common security cleared roles that central government departments are looking for are:

  • IT consultants
  • Cyber security specialists
  • Change Managers
  • Project management
  • Security professionals
  • Policy officers
  • Data analysts
  • Systems engineers

Those with IT skills are in particularly high demand across many government departments, but there are a wide range of skills and experience that will be invaluable to employers in this sector.

For example, MoD jobs are often available to individuals leaving the armed forces. These personnel are not only valued for their unique experience, but also the discipline, dedication and integrity that come with this.

Security clearances for central government jobs

When you're applying for a job with any central government department, having the right security clearance is often a minimum requirement. While some positions will allow candidates to apply for this once accepted, for others, only those who already have clearances may be able to apply. This is frequently the case for short-term contract work where there are time pressures, as it can take months to fully complete the vetting process for clearances.

You can find out more about how to get security cleared here, but the most common types of clearance needed for central government work are Security Check (SC) and Developed Vetting (DV) clearances. This is in addition to the standard Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) that will be required for almost all positions with access to government assets.

The type of clearance required will depend on the specific role, and in particular how much access to sensitive data is required. For roles with regular access to assets graded as 'secret', an SC clearance will usually be a minimum requirement. This can also be needed for positions with occasional supervised access to 'top secret' materials.

Meanwhile, those applying for roles where they will require regular, uncontrolled access to top secret materials are likely to need DV clearance, or even enhanced DV for the most confidential assets.

In addition, individuals working with materials that are considered to be of value to terrorists, those working at certain military, civil, industrial or commercial establishments and personnel who will be required to work in proximity to some public figures will also be required to undergo a Counter Terrorist Check (CTC).

If you have the required security clearances and are looking to take the next step in your career, register your CV and browse our central government job openings today to find a position that suits your skills and experience.