diff --git a/vars/gitSSHCheckout.groovy b/vars/gitSSHCheckout.groovy
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7096c61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vars/gitSSHCheckout.groovy
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+def call(body) {
+  // evaluate the body block, and collect configuration into the object
+  def config = [:]
+  body.resolveStrategy = Closure.DELEGATE_FIRST
+  body.delegate = config
+  body()
+
+  def target_dir = config.target_dir ?: "./"
+  def port = config.port ?: "29418"
+
+  stage("Git Checkout"){
+    checkout(
+      scm: [
+        $class: 'GitSCM',
+        branches: [[name: "${config.branch}"]],
+        extensions: [
+          [$class: 'CleanCheckout'],
+          [$class: 'RelativeTargetDirectory', relativeTargetDir: "${target_dir}"]
+        ],
+        userRemoteConfigs: [[
+          credentialsId: "${config.credentialsId}",
+          name: 'origin',
+          url: "ssh://${config.credentialsId}@${config.host}:${port}/${config.project}.git"
+        ]]
+      ]
+    )
+  }
+}
diff --git a/vars/gitSSHCheckout.txt b/vars/gitSSHCheckout.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..087d018
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vars/gitSSHCheckout.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+// Default parameters
+
+  target_dir = "./"
+  port = "29418"
+
+// Usage example
+node {
+  gitSSHCheckout {
+    credentialsId = "mcp-ci-gerrit"
+    branch = "mcp-0.1"
+    host = "ci.mcp-ci.local"
+    project = "projectcalico/calico-containers"
+  }
+}
+
+// or
+
+node {
+  gitSSHCheckout {
+    credentialsId = "mcp-ci-gerrit"
+    branch = "mcp-0.1"
+    host = "ci.mcp-ci.local"
+    project = "projectcalico/calico-containers"
+    target_dir = "some_directory"
+  }
+}
+