Principal Security Skills and Behaviours SME

Salary: £60,000 - 60,000 per year

Requirements:

• Recognised technical security professional with practical experience in Technical Surveillance Counter Measures.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive outcomes in complex security, government, defence or industry environments.
• Experience developing, implementing and maintaining professional standards, competency frameworks and workforce capability programmes.
• Ability to apply technical security countermeasures in operational environments.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build credibility and engage with diverse stakeholders.
• Collaborative approach, including sharing knowledge, supporting less experienced colleagues, and briefing senior managers and customers.
• Knowledge of fundamentals underpinning the work, including radio frequency theory, applied physics, electronic and electrical theory, thermodynamics, digital signal processing, acoustics, mechanics and the built environment.
• A degree is advantageous but not essential.
• Must achieve Developed Vetting (DV) clearance before joining us.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the development, implementation and maintenance of Technical Security skills for UK NACE.
• Provide strategic leadership and expert advice on skills and behaviours, helping ensure practitioners and capabilities remain effective against evolving threats.
• Help shape the future direction of the technical security specialisation, collaborating with technical threats and operational teams.
• Develop, enhance and promote UK NACE-recommended technical security skills standards across government and industry.
• Translate technical standards into practical guidance, skills frameworks and career development opportunities.
• Develop professional pathways aligned with our technical security needs.
• Build relationships with universities, academic institutions and industry to enhance opportunities and promote technical security qualifications.
• Champion innovation, professional development and continuous improvement.
• Represent UK NACE with HMG and international partners, including at governance boards, professional forums and other events as required.

Technologies:

• Support
• LESS
• Security

More:

We are FCDO Services, protecting the UKs interests at home and overseas by designing and constructing secure government buildings, delivering diplomatic packages worldwide and safeguarding government technology. We are also home to the UK National Authority for Counter Eavesdropping (UK NACE), whose teams guard against technical espionage, advise government on policy and investigate threats. This is a permanent, full-time role based at Hanslope Park in Milton Keynes, with occasional travel to London and overseas sites; a free shuttle bus runs between central Milton Keynes and Hanslope Park. The salary is £62,561 plus a location allowance of £1,750. We offer excellent benefits, including generous holiday entitlement, a Civil Service Pension, training and development opportunities, an on-site gym, nursery, café and restaurant, and interest-free season ticket and bicycle loans. We are an inclusive Disability Confident employer and Carer Confident workplace, and we support our colleagues so they feel welcome and valued.

last updated 39 week of 2026