Deputy STRAPSO

Job summary

The Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) is the UK government’s centre of excellence for maritime security. Its mission is to increase awareness and understanding of maritime security threats and enable cross-government coordination to deliver a whole-system response to mitigate them.

JMSC is a multi-agency, fused military-civil organisation with staff drawn from a host of agencies including Border Force, the Royal Navy, Counter Terrorism Policing, National Crime Agency, HM Revenue and Customs, Home Office Intelligence, the Maritime Management Organisation and HM Coast Guard. It’s responsible for ensuring the UK maintains its understanding of the maritime domain and develops the cross-government coordination frameworks to respond to threats to security, law and order, trade and commerce, and the marine environment.

JMSC offers government departments and agencies a central point of UK maritime expertise and understanding to assist policy and decision making. The JMSC works internationally - with states and with key international organisations - to support information sharing, relationship development and capacity building efforts.

These functions are supported by the JMSC Strategy team, which includes workforce planning, programme management, financial planning and controls, and policy development.

Job description

The Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) Strategy and Policy (Strat Pol) team form the core enabling function within the JMSC, providing critical services to the Operational elements of the organisation. JMSC Strat Pol is formed of three distinct sub teams:

• Policy and Business Resilience (P&BR)
• Security and Data Compliance (S&DC)
• Project Management Office and Finance (PMO&F)

The Deputy STRAPSO is part of the Security and Data Compliance team and will work to the JMSC STRAPSO. You will be responsible for researching security incidents, managing the JMSC SharePoint and supporting the STRAPSO with the above secret systems access.

Responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to:

• Supporting the JMSC STRAPSO in undertaking the STRAPSO and CRYPTO (cryptology) custodian role for the JMSC, including maintaining the necessary accreditation through training.
• Supporting the JMSC STRAPSO by taking responsibility for the receipt and return of cryptographic material in accordance with the Security Policy Framework and Guidance.
• Undertaking regular security audit reports and monitoring system use, investigating and reporting any security breaches or abnormal activity to the JMSC STRAPSO.
• Supporting the wider JMSC Strategy Team in delivering its enabling functions, including support to the knowledge, information and assurance frameworks as well as occasional other duties.
• Undertaking the role ROSA local Information Manager, Trainer and Account Manager roles for the JMSC, supporting effective use of the cross-Government communication system.

Please Note: You will be required to hold DV clearance before starting in the role.

Person specification

Essential criteria

Candidates are expected to demonstrate and/or have experience of the following:

• Sound judgement and decision making, utilising all available information.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders (operational, strategic, internal and external), influence compliance and promote a positive, just culture.
• Experience of building and managing relationships with key stakeholders across organisational boundaries, working collaboratively with internal teams and external partners/stakeholders to achieve shared outcomes.
• Self-motivated, highly organised, efficient, and able to manage many competing priorities in a calm and appropriate manner.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and deliver routine assurance activities.
• Act ethically and with integrity, being able to take difficult decisions when they are needed, always doing the right thing, being impartial and honest.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of relevant government security systems.
• An understanding of cross-Government maritime security work.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Working Together

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

As part of the application process, you will first be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information.

After submission of this first stage, you will be invited to complete the followingCivil Service VERBAL test.

Online Test – by 18 SEPTEMBER 2026

If you successfully pass the VERBAL test, you will be invited to complete the full application form. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). If you fail to complete the online test or full application before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.

Guidance for the Civil Service test(s) will be available when you are invited to take the test(s). The online tests are accessed via the Civil Service Careers website.

You cannot complete the tests on a mobile phone or tablet.

Following successful completion of your test, you will then be asked to complete the full application form.

1. Application – by 18 SEPTEMBER 2026

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• Personal Statement (maximum 1000 words).
• Evidence of the Behaviour WORKING TOGETHER (maximum of 250 words per Behaviour).

The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential crite