Security Officer in Manchester

Monday to Friday, from either 7am to 3pm or 11am to 7pm on a rotating shift pattern. A 12-hour shift pattern of 2 day shifts from 7am to 7pm (including an hour’s unpaid meal break) and 2 night shifts from 7pm to 7am (including an hour’s unpaid meal break) and 4 days off. These shifts are fixed, so you must be able to commit to one of the above. Flexible working: due to the nature of this role, flexible or remote working isn’t possible. Rest assured, we’ll work with you to maintain a good work-life balance, taking into account any responsibilities outside of work wherever possible.

About us: GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting‑edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber‑attacks and espionage. At GCHQ you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

The role: As one of our Security Officers, you’ll be the first point of contact for visitors and staff entering our buildings. Working in a close‑knit, supportive team, you’ll anticipate and reduce security risks, making sure our building and everyone in it stays safe. In our Security Control Room, you and your colleagues will oversee access to the building, carry out physical searches, patrol the grounds, and monitor CCTV. Whether you’re responding to an alarm, giving first aid, or helping a visitor understand security procedures, you’ll always follow our policies carefully and keep clear, accurate incident logs. In this role, your calm, friendly presence will be invaluable. Each day, you’ll greet people from all walks of life, including government officials and colleagues from our partner agencies, and guide them through any security processes they need to know. As the first person they meet at GCHQ, you’ll make a great first impression while completing the necessary checks and staying alert to anything unusual. You’ll be joining a team that’s as supportive as it is experienced. As you learn from your colleagues and develop your skills, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to grow. With the chance to work with MI5 and MI6, as well as other security teams throughout GCHQ, this could be the beginning of an exciting career within the UK Intelligence Agencies.

About you: You’re motivated, proactive, and quick to spot problems before they emerge. Your strong situational awareness means you’re confident in responding to changing situations and making sound decisions under pressure. Along with your friendly manner and people skills, you’re also someone who communicates clearly and enjoys working with others. You might be coming from a security or customer‑facing role, just starting your career, or simply looking for a fresh challenge. Whatever your background, you’ll bring a can‑do attitude and a desire to contribute to vital work.

To apply, you’ll need:

• Security or customer service experience, as you’ll interact daily with visitors, colleagues and partner agencies.
• An English Language GCSE at grade C/4 or above, or equivalent experience, which has developed your written and verbal communication skills.
• Basic IT and Microsoft Office skills to support your incident logging.
• The ability to reliably commute for your assigned shift times.

You don’t need a high level of fitness for this role, but there are some physical aspects to be aware of. You’ll need to be comfortable operating heavy doors, using stairs or lifts, and carrying out physical search and screening duties, which may include lifting or moving bags and equipment. Foot patrols will take you indoors and outdoors, sometimes over uneven ground and in all weather conditions. This is a role where you’ll grow and develop over time. Ideally you will be someone looking for a career in security. You’ll be expected to remain within the security team for 18 months, but during that period, you can apply for a promotion or explore other roles within the team, subject to readiness and your line manager’s endorsement.

Training and development: From the moment you join us, you’ll be trained on everything you need to know to be an effective Security Officer at GCHQ. This will include Security Industry Authority (SIA) certifications and emergency first aid, along with a 1–2‑week induction with the security team prior to starting your shift pattern. You’ll also be assigned a buddy on shift to support you as you get settled in.

Rewards and benefits: You’ll receive a starting salary of either £30,101 or £35,246 (depending on the shift pattern), including shift allowances and other benefits:

• 25 days’ annual leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days’ public and privilege holidays.
• Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme.
• An interest‑free season ticket loan (travel and parking).
• A cycle to work scheme.
• Facilities such as a gym, restaurant, and on‑site coffee bars (at some locations).
• Paid parental and adoption leave.

What to expect: Our recruitment process is fair, transparent and based on merit. Here’s a brief overview of each stage, in order:

1. Eligibility sift – you’ll be asked a series of questions so we can determine your eligibility to apply. If you meet the criteria, you’ll be directed to the next stage automatically where you will be asked a series of Organisational Situational Judgement Test (OSJT) questions.
2. Application Form and role specific Situational Judgement Test (SJT) – you’ll be asked a series of role specific situational judgement test questions, as well as questions relating to this role. We will then sift based on your answers to the application form questions and the results of your SJT.
3. Virtual Interview – if you successfully pass the sift, you’ll be offered a virtual interview. Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 to 9 months to process including vetting, so we advise you to continue any current employment until you have received your final job offer.

Before you apply: To work at GCHQ, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It’s something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. Please note we have a strict drugs policy, so once you start your application, you can’t take any recreational drugs and you’ll need to declare your previous drug usage at the relevant stage. Before you apply, we advise you to consider setting up a separate email address for your contact with us, to ensure your personal and application correspondence remain separate. Try to avoid having identifying features in your email address, such as your first and/or surname and date of birth. This is good practice and will help you to manage your application with us more securely. The role is based in Manchester so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application, as we do not offer relocation costs. Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application. Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.

Right to withdraw statement: Please be aware that we reserve the right to close applications once a certain number have been received. Please submit your application as soon as possible to avoid missing out. If you have a disability (as defined under the Equality Act 2010) and need additional time to complete your application, please submit your initial application. Then, contact us via the email provided as soon as possible, using the subject line "Reasonable adjustments extension" and briefly outline the support you require.