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Cryptographic SME – Contract (3 Days/Week, Onsite) – Knutsford, Manchester, UK
Location: Knutsford, Manchester, UK – Inside IR35 Job Type: Contract – 3 days a week, Onsite Note: No Sponsorship
About the Role
A vital opportunity exists for a Certified Cryptographic Specialist (SME) to join a mission-critical team supporting information security, key management, and cryptographic infrastructure. This role is crucial in ensuring the integrity, availability, and security of cryptographic services across multiple platforms, including IBM, Tandem, Unix, and various business applications.
The successful candidate will work closely with stakeholders, security teams, and operational units to manage cryptographic hardware, keys, certificates, and policies while maintaining strict adherence to ITIL, regulatory standards, and audit requirements.
Key Responsibilities
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Compliance & Assurance
- Ensure all cryptographic and key management services align with client strategy, security policies, and global risk/compliance frameworks.
- Conduct regular audit preparedness reviews and maintain evidence-based documentation for attestations.
- Oversee SSH key management, certificate lifecycle processes, and HSM (Hardware Security Module) operations.
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Infrastructure & Operational Support
- Generate, deploy, and manage cryptographic components (symmetrical/asymmetric keys) across legacy and modern systems.
- Configure, monitor, and troubleshoot HSM hardware (primary: Thales; also Entrust/Gemalto) and support daily operations.
- Provide 24x7/Out of Hours (OOH) incident and change management under ITIL, including root cause analysis.
- Develop and maintain operational documentation, risk statements, and procedural improvements.
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Strategic Engagement
- Collaborate with IT security, business functions, and governance teams to align crypto initiatives with broader data protection and risk management goals.
- Drive continuous improvement in auditability, risk mitigation, and customer turnaround times.
- Support vendor collaboration, troubleshooting, and product training for Thales, Entrust, and Cryptomathic.
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Key Accountabilities
Technical Leadership
- Manage entire cryptographic infrastructure lifecycle, from key generation to deletion, ensuring compliance with legal, risk, and operational requirements.
- Lead centralised key management (HSM-backed, full lifecycle) and application/database-level encryption deployments.
Risk & Compliance
- Ensure regulation-aligned control frameworks (CISO-led, audit-major, risk-driven) are adhered to globally.
- Prepare and maintain monthly/quarterly management reports, including risk assessments and control statements.
Team Collaboration
- Assist control teams resolving audit findings or operational control gaps.
- Work with Service Management to prioritise HSM/key management requests while meeting SLA targets.
Process Improvement
- Design, refine, and enforce documented policies for cryptographic operations.
- Apply Python/scripting for automated HSM and crypto operations where possible.
- Initiate change management projects to streamline workflows while maintaining strict change control.
Essential Skills & Qualifications
- Extensive experience in Cryptography or Information Security (minimum 5+ years recommended).
- ITIL Foundation Certified.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science (or equivalent qualification).
- Proven strategic control & audit experience in a CISO/IT Security environment.
- Strong stakeholder influence & negotiation skills at all organisational levels.
- Attention to detail in process-heavy, precision-driven environments.
- Ability to prioritise, multitask, and work under tight deadlines without compromising accuracy.
- Proficient in MS Office applications.
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Preferable Qualifications & Experience
- Additional specialised security certifications (e.g., CISSP, CCSP, CISM, OSCP).
- Security Project Management qualifications (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2).
- Hands-on experience managing HSM, PKI, SSH keys, and distributed crypto systems.
- Familiarity with automation scripting (Python, Bash) for crypto operations.
- Practical knowledge of SharePoint, Confluence, or Jira for documentation alignment.
- Proficiency in Unix/Windows operating systems and legacy platform maintenance.
- Background in privacy & data protection regulations (GDPR, ISO 27001, etc.).
Technical Focus Areas
| Domain | Key Technologies & Skills |
|---|---|
| Key Management | Centralised key management, HSM-backed lifecycle (Thales/Mutant, Entrust, Gemalto). |
| PKI/SSH | Enterprise PKI, certificate management (SSH, TLS), leveraging OpenSSL/Café over other tools. |
| HSM & Hardware | Configuration, troubleshooting, vendor partnerships (Thales CryptSmith, Entrust/Aptum). |
| Automation | Python/scripting for operational efficiency; CI/CD-friendly crypto deployment pipelines. |
| Governance/Risk | Onsite controls meeting CISO risk standards; audit-heavy audit-readiness support. |
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