Head of Protective Security

Great ideas come from different minds. That’s why we bring together engineers, scientists, analysts, and creatives from every background — and give them the trust, tools, and freedom to make a difference. What connects us is the mission: solving meaningful problems and building capability that protects what matters most.

And as the challenges evolve, so do we — working on the technologies that will shape tomorrow, not just today.

At Roke

Roke is a world-class technology and engineering consultancy. Roke delivers advanced research, development services and products to high profile customers who come to Roke with varied and challenging problems to solve. 

The Head of Protective Security plays a critical role in safeguarding the organisation’s people, assets, and operations, leading the delivery of a mature and integrated security function. Operating within the Corporate Services Directorate, the role provides strategic leadership and oversight of all protective security activity, ensuring alignment with legislation, industry standards, and accreditation requirements.

Reporting to the Assistant Director: Security, Workplace and Business Resilience, the Head of Protective Security oversees the full spectrum of security disciplines, including policy, procedures, risk assessment, and risk management. The role drives continuous improvement in security capability and compliance against recognised models, while championing a positive and informed security culture across the organisation.

The position provides leadership to a team of Security Advisors and contracted security services, ensuring effective operational delivery that supports business priorities. It is accountable for strategic, operational, and compliance-led security across the organisation’s five UK facilities, ensuring full adherence to MOD and UK Government protective security requirements, including IPSA, National Security Vetting (NSV) and aftercare, Facility Security Clearance (FSC), Security Aspects Letters (SALs), and other mandated standards.

The postholder serves as the organisation’s senior authority for physical, personnel, technical, and industry security matters, ensuring protective security is integrated, resilient, and aligned with organisational objectives.

Job Purpose & Key Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with MoD/Gov Industry security requirements.
• Lead all business security day to day operational requirements in the delivery of current and future business objectives.
• Define, implement and consistently review security strategy to ensure alignment with business intent.
• Lead the Roke Security Team.
• Physical security management, including access control, classified asset management, security infrastructure management and meeting contractual obligations.
• Management of security incidents including containment, reporting, lessons learned and appropriate escalation.
• Responsible for adherence to, and development of the Personnel Security Maturity Model.
• Responsible for implementing personnel security controls and mitigations relating to insider risk.
• Support the development of the Insider Risk strategy and security culture for Roke.
• Be a key point of contact for staff queries relating to personnel security issues.
• Foster and maintain close working relationships with senior stakeholders within the Company to enable effective delivery of security measures. 
• Liaise with external stakeholders including government departments and agencies to identify and implement best practice.
• Development and implementation of accurate MI reporting across the Security function
• Support security aspects for overseas travel (business and personal).
• Continuous Improvement of the delivery of all aspects of protective security
• Lead for Security function Business Impact Analysis capturing critical assets.
• Management of Security Risk Assessment process.
• Manage and lead security investigations across the enterprise.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Education and Qualifications

• Relevant degree and/or experience.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Essential

• ·  In-depth experience of UK defence and UK Government sector security management.
• ·  Strong understanding of IPSA, SALs, FSC requirements, and government protective security frameworks.
• ·  Extensive working knowledge of National Security Vetting and aftercare.
• ·  Experience managing multi-site operations and contracted guard forces.
• ·  Strong leadership, stakeholder engagement, and incident-management skills.
• Has previous Line Management experience

Desirable:

• Experience with UK Government Security Policy GovS007
• Familiarity/experience of dealing with Security Aspect Letters including contractual flowdown of responsibilities
• Classified document handling
• Vetting and aftercare management experience
• Travel Risk management experience
• Crypto Handling experience
• Familiarity with meeting accreditation for ISO27001
• Cyber Security Assurance awareness/familiarity
• Experience of working within a security role
• Experience of working within UK defence and/or UKIC domain
• Experience conducting workplace investigations

Why You Should Join Us

We have a competitive salary and access to a number of additional flexible benefits, which will cover Health and Wellbeing, Savings and Protection and Life, Leisure and Entertainment. 

Roke has a great community of groups with shared interests. These enable people to share ideas and be passionate about tools, technologies and techniques, which interest them.

We are committed to a policy of Equal Opportunity, Diversity and Inclusion. Our working environment is friendly, creative and inclusive and support a diverse work-force and those with additional needs.

Security

Please be aware that many roles at Roke are subject to security restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as nationality, any nationalities previously held, and place of birth can restrict the roles that you are eligible to perform within the organisation. Applicants must be able to meet the security requirements of the position which includes as a minimum existing right to work in the UK and meeting the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). Most roles require higher levels of UK National Security Clearance to meet our contractual obligations.

This role requires Developed Vetting. It would be advantageous if currently held however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to completing their probation period and in time, DV clearance.

The Next Step

Click apply, submitting an up-to-date CV. We look forward to hearing from you.

Take a look around the company https://www.roke.co.uk/