Government Security Academy Manager

This vacancy is not for participation in the Government Security Academy training programme; it is to join the team who manage and deliver the Academy.

• Are you motivated by helping people develop and perform at their best?
• Do you thrive in fast-paced, collaborative environments where you can bring people together, shape discussions and achieve better outcomes?
• Do you enjoy working with a wide range of people, adapting your approach and adding value in the moment?

The Security Profession and Capability Team accelerates the growth of the government security community. We design and deliver learning, build capability across the profession, and develop talent pipelines including the Government Security Academy.

As a Government Security Academy Manager, you will play a key role in this work. You will combine structured delivery with strong interpersonal judgement, supporting programmes, coordinating activity, and working closely with stakeholders, learners and subject matter experts.

A key part of the role is how you work with others. You will facilitate discussions, encourage participation, and help groups reach clear, practical outcomes. You will engage with a diverse range of stakeholders, building effective relationships and adapting your communication style to suit different audiences and situations.

This role requires someone who is organised and delivery-focused, but equally comfortable thinking on their feet, responding to emerging challenges, and contributing effectively in real time.

We value authentic communication and encourage candidates to bring their own perspective and voice.

As an HEO Manager, you will work across the teams end-to-end service, contributing where business need is greatest and taking ownership of defined areas of work.

Our work covers several core areas:

• Capability and Community: Develop and maintain learning resources, professional development opportunities and community forums that support colleagues to build skills and careers.

• Talent and Pipelines: Support early talent programmes including apprenticeships, internships and placements, working with partners to strengthen entry routes into the profession.

• Academy Delivery: Coordinate the planning and delivery of Government Security Academy cohorts, ensuring a high-quality, inclusive and engaging experience for participants.

• Governance and Assurance: Maintain programme controls, manage risks and issues, and ensure delivery aligns to standards and frameworks.

• Stakeholders and Communication: Build effective working relationships, support clear and consistent communications, and represent the team across a range of audiences.

• Data, Insight and Improvement: Use data and feedback to monitor performance, inform decisions, and strengthen delivery over time.

• Resources and Budget: Support planning and tracking of workforce and delivery costs where required.

You will not be expected to deliver all areas at once. Instead, you will take ownership of specific workstreams, delivering to agreed outcomes, working collaboratively with others, and escalating risks or issues where appropriate.

Impact and Opportunity

In this role, you will:

• Shape and support the development of government security talent

• Work with a wide range of stakeholders across government and beyond

• Contribute to innovative approaches to learning and professional development

• Make a meaningful contribution to the capability and resilience of government services

Delivery and Travel Requirements

Please read carefully before applying. These are core requirements of the role.

This role has significant in-person delivery commitments, particularly during Academy delivery periods (currently two 10-week programmes per year). You must be willing and able to meet the following expectations:

• Public speaking and facilitation: You may be expected to facilitate sessions and discussions with groups, adapting your approach to maintain engagement. You must be confident speaking in front of groups and able to step in at short notice to deliver content if trainers or speakers become unavailable.

• Extended delivery days: During Academy delivery, working days can be intensive, requiring sustained focus and resilience in a live delivery environment.

• Frequent UK travel: You will travel regularly to different government sites, managing your time effectively and adapting to changing schedules. Travel may occasionally be arranged at short notice.

• Regular overnight stays: During each 10-week Academy cohort, you should expect multiple overnight stays (typically 2-3 days per week for this period, or more as required), in addition to other ad hoc travel requirements throughout the year.

• On-site delivery commitment: Due to the in-person nature of Academy delivery (typically 2-3 days across the week, or more as required), this role is not suitable for part-time working patterns or contractual homeworkers.

Essential Criteria

• Experience coordinating multi-stage delivery across complex environments, managing competing priorities and multiple workstreams to meet deadlines with minimal supervision.

• Clear and engaging communication, with the ability to adapt your approach for different audiences, facilitate group discussions, and contribute in a way that adds value.

• Strong stakeholder and partnership working, building collaborative relationships across departments and organisations to achieve shared outcomes.

• Sound judgement and evidence-based decision making, including the ability to assess situations, respond in real time, and use data and feedback to drive continuous improvement.

• Experience supporting learning, capability, recruitment or talent programmes, with an understanding of how to engage groups, support development and enable effective knowledge sharing.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience:

Please tell us about any relevant experience or qualifications you have. This is not essential for the role but may be considered where candidates have the same score at interview.

These might include:

• Professional training or teaching certification(s)

• Project Management qualifications

• Security certifications such as SANS Sec301 Introduction to Cyber Security or CISMP