BUSINESS SUPPORT OFFICERS
At SIS, we’re constantly responding to changing global priorities and our business support officers must be just as flexible. Our business needs are wide-ranging so there’s a lot of variety to being a Business Support Officer (BSO). Our roles require close attention to detail, good communication skills, teamwork and professionalism. Your sound judgment and organisational skills could be used to support an operational team involved in intelligence gathering, or a corporate team that ensures the organisation runs smoothly.
You don’t need any specific qualifications to join us as a BSO. You might be 18 years old and have just left school, perhaps finished university, or have decades of administrative experience. Whatever your background, we’re looking for people with the same level of dedication and discretion, and who are proud to protect their country.
Your early career as a Business Support Officer
As a new joiner to SIS you will be placed into your first two roles, these will be in different teams to allow you to gain a broad range of skills and experience. You will be expected to stay in these first two roles for around two years per role. Thereafter, you will have the freedom to shape your own career, maybe go overseas or apply for promotion if you are ready and experience other roles across SIS. Tour lengths after your first two roles in SIS are generally two to three years. But no matter the department you support, you will be given the opportunity to develop and encouraged to think of new ways of doing things; your perspective will always be valued.
Benefits
We know how important a healthy work-life balance is, there are opportunities for flexible working and you’ll also enjoy 25 days’ annual leave, rising to 30 after 5 years’ service. Plus, you’ll have access to paid parental and adoption leave, an interest-free season ticket loan, and access to our on-site facilities like gym, bar and restaurant.
Our working culture:
We’re proud to have an inclusive, welcoming and supportive working environment. At SIS you’ll discover an organisation where everyone is encouraged to be themselves. We have a number of active diversity and inclusion groups within SIS, including:
- Ethnic Minority and gender equality networks
- Groups supporting wellbeing, mental health, neurodiversity and disability
- Faith/No Faith communities for staff to come together
- LGBTQ+ support networks
In addition, there are friendly peer groups involved in different sports and social activities. So, you’re guaranteed to find something that suits your interests!
What's it like? as a Support Officer
Application Process
takes around
6 months
from start to finish
after each stage we'll assess your suitability before you go onto the next stage
you register online
www.sis.gov.uk/
we check your eligibility and qualifications
(if pass)
We invite you to fill out a full application form
you complete an online test
(if pass)
book an online interview
you receive a conditional job offer, dependent on passing security vetting
security vetting
(this takes on average 90 working days)
you complete an online medical questionnaire
you receive a formal job offer
Things you need to know
We’re Disability Confident
SIS are proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Disability Confident scheme. Being Disability Confident, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview where practicable; this is known as ‘Offer of an Interview’. To secure an interview for this vacancy, the minimum criteria (in order of application process) are:
Eligibility Questions
You will be asked a series of questions relating to this vacancy. If you meet the criteria here you will be directed to the full application form.
Online Test
You will be required to reach the pass mark set for the online test.
Application Form Sift
On successful completion of an application form sift, you will be invited to an online interview. This will be your ‘Offer of an Interview’
If you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process please let us know.
Nationality
We protect British interests both at home and overseas. Because of this, to be eligible to apply you must be a British Citizen. If you hold dual nationality, of which one component is British, you will nonetheless be considered but you may be required to give up your non-British citizenship before you can take up employment with us. Each case will be carefully considered on its own facts.
Candidates must normally have been resident in the UK for seven out of the last ten years. This is particularly important if you were born outside the UK. You can apply from the age of 17 years. If successful, you will not be offered a start date prior to your 18th birthday.
Drug use
We have a strict no drugs policy which prohibits the use, possession or supply of illegal drugs, including the use of drugs that are illegal in the UK but are legal in some other countries. Misuse or abuse of prescribed medication or any other substance is also incompatible with holding security clearance, which can be refused or withdrawn if this policy is not observed, so you must adhere to our policy from the point of application onwards.
The point of application is the date you submit your application form.
You will be required to undergo a drug test during the application process.
Security clearance
When you join SIS, you’ll be given clearance relevant to your role. Some of our positions mean you’ll have access to a wide range of sensitive information. It’s vital, for the safety of our organisation, people and country, that this information doesn’t get into the wrong hands. Because of this, you’ll have to pass our security clearance to the appropriate level. It’s a long process, taking up to three months in most cases. It takes a very fair but in-depth and pretty intrusive look at your life, including your finances. So it’s important to be aware of this commitment before you apply, and that you are completely open and honest when you answer our security questions. If any details are concealed, your application won’t be taken forward.
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.
Apply now
