Assistant Security Controller

About this role

Job Description

Job Title: Assistant Security Controller

Posting Start Date: 03/09/2026

Job Id: 3072

School/Department: Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre

Work Arrangement: Full Time (Hybrid)

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more.

Overview

This versatile role serves as a critical position within the security function at the AMRC, providing high-level operational support to ensure organisational integrity and regulatory adherence. As an Assistant Security Controller, you will act as a versatile facilitator, bridging the gap between security protocols and daily business functions. You will play a vital role in the project lifecycle by assisting with the formal sign-off of internal security documentation, ensuring all initiatives meet internal risk benchmarks and compliance standards. Additionally, you will serve as the primary coordinator for clearance enquiries, guiding personnel through vetting and background checks while maintaining discretion.

Beyond internal governance, you will act as a centralised information hub for general security enquiries, providing guidance on policy and best practice to all stakeholders. You will also bolster the department’s professional standing by supporting gaining accreditation, ensuring alignment with global industry standards and professional development. Finally, you will provide essential logistical support during internal investigations, assisting with data gathering, evidence documentation, and report preparation. The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented, proactive professional capable of handling sensitive information with the highest level of integrity and composure.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Deploy a detailed understanding and act as a point of contact and source of expertise for AMRC project security aims, objectives, and operational working practices.
• Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with key personnel throughout the organisation, represent the operations activities and attend formal meetings on behalf of the project security function.
• Undertake security investigations and analysis, highlighting and prioritising issues for resolution. Support complex investigations alongside the Security Controller.
• Oversee the effective maintenance, security, and accessibility of project security data and documentation, ensuring relevant systems, reports, and registries are updated and compliant.
• Provide information in support of project security management, communicating with staff and sending information and detailed instruction for staff bulletins and policies.
• Provide specialist advice and deal with queries of a detailed nature regarding project security, recommending alternative courses of action to resolve customer requirements, where needed.
• Propose and support implementation of improvements to project security systems and working methods, leading the operational delivery of procedural changes to ensure alignment with University policy.
• Assist project teams with security documentation.
• Manage the operational delivery of the personnel vetting process, ensuring adherence to protocols and acting as the primary point of referral for vetting cases.
• Handled project security enquiries and queries, escalated to the Security Controller where required.
• Contribute to a regular program of security audits and compliance spot checks across project data and documentation, analysing results to identify risks and implementing necessary corrective actions.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Criteria

Essential or desirable

Stage(s) assessed at

Experience of maintaining accurate and detailed records in an electronic database with consideration of handling the data in a sensitive and confidential way.

Essential

Application / Interview

Experience of using Microsoft Office packages including Word, Excel and Access.

Essential

Application / Interview

Proven ability to consider the facts available and solve problems with an appreciation of the short and long term implications.

Essential

Application / Interview

Excellent interpersonal skills and effective written and verbal communication skills.

Essential

Interview

Ability to assess and organise resources, and plan and progress work activities.

Essential

Application / Interview

Ability to recognise when collaboration is required and seek appropriate colleagues to provide support to a task or decision-making process.

Essential

Interview

Ability to adapt own skills to new circumstances and use initiative to contribute to team and organisational activities.

Essential

Application / Interview

Driven to complete tasks, including long term projects, to a good standard with little or no supervision. To prioritise own workload and to seek support when necessary.

Essential

Application / Interview

Experience of developing and maintaining effective working relationships in a complex environment.

Essential

Application / Interview

5 GCSE passes at grade C or above including Maths and English (or equivalent experience).

Essential

Application

Ability to maintain a database holding secure data.

Essential

Application / Interview

Previous experience in a similar project security role

Desirable

Application / Interview

Further Information

Work arrangement

Full Time

Line manager

Security Controller

Direct reports

None

Right to work in the UK

If you do not currently hold the right to work in the UK, you can find more information here to help determine your visa eligibility. Additional guidance is also available on the UK Visa & Immigration website.

Our website

https://www.amrc.co.uk/

For informal enquiries about this job contact Sophie Gimeno-Guillen, Security Controller: on s.a.gimeno-guillen@amrc.co.uk

Next steps in the recruitment process

This will consist of an interview. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage in the weeks following the closing date. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact Sophie Gimeno-Guillen, s.a.gimeno-guillen@amrc.co.uk

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision ().

What we offer

• A minimum of 38**days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.

About security roles for ex-police

Security management, operations and consultancy roles. Years of operational policing — command, incident response, public order — translate directly into corporate security, and employers in this sector actively rate police experience.