Job Description

Head of Fire and Security

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Household / Department
Master of the Household's Office
Location
the Palace of Holyroodhouse
Contract/recruitment type
Permanent
Starting salary
Circa 50,000
Hours of work
40 hours a week over 5 days (Monday to Sunday)
About the role

It's knowing you're the expert everyone turns to.

It's feeling trusted to deliver to the very highest standards. And it's the pride in protecting an environment of unique historic importance. This is what makes working for the Royal Household exceptional.


As The King's official residence in Scotland, the Palace of Holyroodhouse welcomes thousands of visitors from around the world and hosts a calendar of prestigious Royal events.


As Head of Fire and Security, you'll lead the delivery of a safe and secure environment across the Palace and its estate, protecting everyone who stays, works, and visits this historic site.

Key responsibilities

Lead and support your team

: You'll oversee a team of skilled security professionals, providing guidance and support to help them deliver a responsive and effective security service.

Deliver an impactful security operation

: Your role will span access control, clearance procedures, and event security co-ordination - working closely with police, government agencies, and other partners.

Onsite security specialist

: You'll be the trusted point of expertise on-site, making informed decisions around threat analysis and security strategy, while fostering strong relationships with both internal colleagues and external stakeholders.

Champion fire safety and compliance

: In addition to your security remit, you'll oversee fire safety planning and compliance, working in partnership with specialist contractors to ensure best practice and regulatory alignment.

You'll be part of something meaningful - protecting a place of national importance. That shared purpose will drive you and your team to deliver with excellence, every day.



About you

Essential Criteria

You bring significant experience leading security or access operations. This may come from the military, police, private security, or other relevant sectors where safety and access control are key. You have a strong track record in managing event security, access control, and clearance procedures, with a sound understanding of best practice and compliance. You're confident making timely, informed decisions in high-pressure situations, especially when responding to security-related incidents or emerging risks. With great interpersonal skills, you can build trust and influence across a wide network of internal and external partners. Comfortable working independently, you'll act as on-site authority on all security matters, bringing clarity, sound judgement and operational insight. Your leadership style is collaborative and empowering, enabling your team perform at their best every day.

An understanding of fire safety legislation and control systems would also be beneficial but is not essential.



Benefits
We know that to deliver our best work; we need to feel at our best. That's why at the Royal Household we offer a generous benefits package designed to support your wellbeing and life priorities.

Enjoy 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days (plus bank holidays) dependent on the length of time you have worked for us. Our excellent non-contributory pension plan (we'll contribute 15% and you can contribute more if you wish) is highly valued by our employees, as is complimentary lunch on-site to keep you fuelled throughout the day. Flexible and hybrid working varies across different roles, and we'll discuss the options available to you that will suit both your job requirements and individual preferences. We also offer a range of leave options to support your life priorities, such as parental pay and leave and volunteering days, as well as benefits to support your physical and mental wellbeing. Other perks include 20% off at our Royal Collection Trust Shops and complimentary admission tickets across all our locations, along with many more exclusive employee discounts.

Find out more about the full range of benefits available to our employees here.

Vacancy Closing Date:

28/09/2025, 23:55