As the cyber operating model matures, the role will also assume leadership and line management responsibility for cyber operational leads embedded across Home Office Digital business areas, driving consistency, collaboration and operational effectiveness across the cyber community.

You will provide senior leadership and direction across the full cyber operations lifecycle, including protective monitoring, vulnerability management, threat-led defence, incident management, security testing and human cyber risk interventions.

Job Description

Key responsibilities

Your Main Day To Day Responsibilities Will Be

• Setting and maintaining the enterprise strategy and operating model for cyber operations, aligned to the overall Home Office cyber security strategy, threat intelligence, risk appetite and business priorities.
• Providing senior leadership, assurance and line management across cyber operations, including protective monitoring, threat management, vulnerability management, incident response, security testing and human cyber risk management; developing senior operational leaders, setting professional standards and building a high-performing learning culture that delivers measurable reductions in cyber risk.
• Leading an integrated cyber operations community across the Home Office, including the future line management and leadership of cyber leads operating across Policing, Migration and Corporate business areas, ensuring effective coordination, capability development and delivery of cyber operational outcomes.
• Ensuring cyber operational tools and platforms, including risk and monitoring systems, deliver decision-grade insight to support senior leaders and effective management of cyber risk.
• Overseeing enterprise incident management arrangements, including preparedness, response and continuous improvement following incidents.
• Leading operational readiness and surge arrangements for major cyber incidents and periods of heightened threat, including coordinating cross-directorate response, setting incident objectives and decision points, ensuring timely escalation and clear senior briefings, and maintaining effective links with relevant cross-government response structures.
• Building strong, trusted relationships with senior business, digital, technology and security leaders across the Home Office and wider government, including NCSC and cross-government cyber operations communities.
• Deputising for the CISO as required, including representing the function on the CISO Senior Management Team (SMT) and supporting senior decision-making and governance.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

The Successful Candidate Will Need To Demonstrate

• Experience of setting and delivering enterprise cyber operations strategy and operating models aligned to organisational priorities and risk appetite.
• Leading enterprise cyber capabilities, including monitoring, threat management, vulnerability management, incident response and security testing.
• Leading organisational responses to major cyber incidents, supporting senior decision-making and driving continuous improvement in cyber resilience.
• Influencing and partnering with senior stakeholders to prioritise cyber risk reduction and resilience across critical services and major programmes.
• Experience of managing significant delegated budgets, commercial relationships and supplier spend to deliver strategic outcomes and value for money.
• Developing and leading high-performing cyber security teams, building capability, professional excellence and an inclusive culture.

Desirable Criteria

• CISSP, CISM, CRISC or similar.