Navy Command - Nuclear Security Authority Coulport

At Navy Command, we lead, support, and sustain the Royal Navy across every theatre of operations. We coordinate the people, platforms, and missions that keep the Fleet ready for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. Together, we uphold centuries of naval tradition while driving innovation that ensures the Royal Navy’s readiness to protect our nation and secure our future.

As the authority for the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine capability, the Submarine Directorate oversees one of the most complex and critical elements of UK defence. Covering everything from in‑service management to long‑term fleet modernisation, the directorate ensures the Submarine Flotilla remains safe, reliable, and ready to meet national security requirements.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Ready to take the lead where security truly matters? As the Nuclear Security Authority (Coulport), you will head the HMNB Clyde Security Organisation at Coulport and be the operational lead for nuclear security across the site—bringing together expert teams, senior stakeholders and robust security arrangements to protect Defence Nuclear Materiel, Defence Nuclear Assets and Defence Nuclear Information. From shaping policy and strengthening security culture to advising senior leaders, tackling strategic challenges and ensuring a capable, competent and continuous security regime, this is a high-profile opportunity to make a real impact at the heart of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise.

What you will do:

• Lead and develop a skilled, multidisciplinary security team, ensuring the organisation has the capability and capacity to maintain an effective, continuous nuclear security regime.
• Act as the senior security representative at Coulport, providing authoritative advice and guidance to senior leaders and stakeholders on nuclear and wider security matters.
• Oversee arrangements that protect Defence Nuclear Materiel, Defence Nuclear Assets and Defence Nuclear Information from unauthorised access or compromise.
• Develop, approve and maintain security policies, management arrangements and performance measures in line with relevant MOD and nuclear security requirements.
• Build strong working relationships across MOD, ABL, DNO and other partner organisations to identify, manage and resolve strategic security issues.
• Promote a positive and proactive security culture, encouraging the reporting of incidents, near misses and lessons learned.
• Monitor security performance, identify shortfalls and take timely action to drive continuous improvement.
• Ensure sensitive nuclear information is appropriately protected in accordance with need-to-know principles, policies and guidance.
• Brief senior stakeholders on significant security matters, including supporting internal and external reporting where required.
• Represent the organisation at key nuclear security, safety, governance and risk forums.

Open to UK nationals only.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

As part of Defence Reform, Navy Command continues to review and evolve its Target Operating Model to support more agile ways of working. In this context, the role and responsibilities of this role may develop over time to reflect changing business priorities and opportunities.

At Sift, you will be assessed against the following;

• Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history and qualification details.
• Candidates will be required to provide a personal statement. This should be a maximum of 500 words that sets out your motivation for applying and shows how your skills and experience meet the essential requirements for the role.

Please note feedback will not be provided on your application.

At Interview, you will be assessed against the following success profiles:

Behaviour

• Leadership
• Making effective decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical

Nuclear 1.2: Nuclear Safety / Nuclear Security Management Systems - Level 2

Further information:

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.