Deputy Director Chief Information Security Officer

Job Description

Grade: SCS 1 - Open to applicants on promotion

Working Pattern: Requests for flexible working patterns will be considered and should be discussed with the Hiring Manager upon application. A small amount of home working is possible but there is an expectation that most of this role will be office based.

Location: The role can be based in Cheltenham, London or Manchester, but the successful candidate would be expected to spend time in each of the three locations.

Salary: You will receive a salary between £96,981 - £130,000 which includes any applicable skills payment, depending on skills and experience. In addition, the role attracts a non-concessionary payment of £3030 (subject to security compliance) and London Pay Addition of £6250 if contracted to a London work location. The skills payment will be discussed and assessed at interview.

Clearance: DV clearance required.

GCHQ is the nation’s intelligence, cyber and security agency. We work to make the UK the safest place to live and work online; connect the national security community securely; and provide insights and counter threats through SIGINT and effects. Our people work closely with MI5 and MI6 as well as defence, international, and industry partners across a variety of locations, with major hubs in Cheltenham, London and Manchester as well as other sites in the UK and overseas.

We live by the values of ingenuity, integrity, impact and teamwork as we work to keep the UK safe, resilient and prosperous in an uncertain world. A role with us means you will do unique and challenging work in a supportive environment, making a meaningful difference to national security.

The UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) is seeking an outstanding Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to lead cyber security and information governance across some of the nation’s most sensitive missions. Accountable to the UKIC Infosec Director, this is one of the most high-profile technical leadership roles in government, shaping the strategic direction of information security to protect the UK against the most capable and persistent adversaries.

The successful candidate will ensure operational resilience and secure innovation in support of national intelligence objectives, delivering results in a highly complex and rapidly evolving environment.

As CISO, you will work with colleagues to set and implement the organisation’s cyber and information security strategy, striking the right balance between capability, acceptable risk and technological progress. You will integrate security governance into a complex set of cross agency organisational decision-making, forums ensuring that information risks are managed effectively and proportionately, and that security is embedded at every level.

This includes advising executive boards and senior leaders on the potential implications of major programmes, and guiding the organisations in safely embracing innovation and digital transformation.

You will be responsible for designing and leading the UKIC’s end-to-end risk management framework. This includes defining and tracking cybersecurity KPIs, producing regular reports for senior stakeholders, conducting organisation-wide risk assessments and overseeing vulnerability management to ensure compliance with relevant frameworks. You will be responsible for designing incident response and business continuity strategies and ensuring they are implemented by business areas.

Your leadership will be central to developing sustainable security budgets and resourcing strategies that ensure capabilities remain strong in the face of emerging threats.

This role demands exceptional communication skills and the ability to influence at the highest levels of government. You must be confident presenting complex security concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences, including boards, ministers and cross-government stakeholders. You will draw on significant experience delivering robust security strategies in complex organisations and demonstrate deep knowledge of cyber threat landscapes, risk management practices and modern security technologies.

International…