Ofsted
Lead AI Security Specialist
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
23 Stephenson Street, Birmingham
2 Rivergate, Bristol
Piccadilly Gate, Manchester
Job Summary
We are recruiting for a Lead AI Security Specialist to join our Cyber Security team.
The Cyber Security Team sits within Technology in the Digital and Information Directorate. The team leads the delivery of Ofsted’s cyber security strategy, ensuring security practices across the organisation are appropriately governed and comply with internal and central government policy, regulatory requirements and recognised security standards. We also provide oversight and assurance to ensure security risks are clearly understood and effectively mitigated.
This role plays an essential part in ensuring that AI systems used across Ofsted are secure, resilient, and compliant. The postholder will provide expert cyber security guidance across projects and programmes, working closely with cross-functional teams to identify risks, design appropriate controls and ensure compliance with policy and standards. You will act as a subject-matter expert on AI security, supporting the safe adoption of emerging technologies while maintaining robust governance and assurance.
This role requires Security Check (SC) clearance. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be willing and able to obtain and maintain SC clearance.
This is a fantastic opportunity to further your experience in Ofsted’s well-established team. The post holder will work with high-achieving professionals at all levels, surrounded by a friendly and supportive team. They will have access to amazing benefits, such as flexible working hours, the Civil Service Pension Scheme, and 32.5 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays. We offer a hybrid working model, so you may also choose to spend a proportion of time working from home.
Job Description
Please refer to the job specification for further information.
Person specification
Please refer to the job specification for further information.
Qualifications
- Appropriate security qualification e.g. CISSP, CCSP, CISM or equivalent demonstrable experience.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Knowledge and practical experience of application and data security including LLMs, GenAI and Agentic AI; familiarity with OWASP LLM Top 10.
- Knowledge and practical experience of applying information security standards, GDPR and other related legislation and frameworks.
- Strong understanding of cloud security across common cloud platforms, patterns and services, particularly Microsoft Azure.
- Practical experience of threat modelling using industry standard methodologies (e.g. MITRE, STRIDE).
- Practical experience of the UK government’s Secure by Design approach and/or the NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework.
- Practical experience of working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders, managing conflicting priorities and successfully delivering work activities.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain difficult concepts clearly and concisely to a range of stakeholders.
We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:
- Knowledge and practical experience of application and data security including LLMs, GenAI and Agentic AI; familiarity with OWASP LLM Top 10.
- Knowledge and practical experience of applying information security standards, GDPR and other related legislation and frameworks.
- Strong understanding of cloud security across common cloud platforms, patterns and services, particularly Microsoft Azure.
- Practical experience of threat modelling using industry standard methodologies (e.g. MITRE, STRIDE).
- Practical experience of the UK government’s Secure by Design approach and/or the NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Alongside your salary of £69,322, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills contributes £20,082 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
Full details of the benefits available can be found in our Ofsted Offer brochure.
Ofsted is devoted to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Within our Ofsted Strategy 2023-2027 we have stated that we will improve the representation of under-represented groups across the organisation and publish our progress on this annually. We are always looking to expand on our diverse workforce by recruiting candidates from varied backgrounds and differing experiences. We are proud to be a Disability Confident – Leader, we continually engage with our 5 staff networks for protected characteristics, and highlight the work of our Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Group. We ensure all candidates are treated with fair and open competition, with all appointments being made on merit and we use our Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) to provide assurance to all candidates of this.
Ofsted is committed to maintaining employee health and wellbeing, whether it is physically, emotionally, financially or socially, and offers a range of benefits to support employees in this. Such benefits include the option to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme, professional and personal development opportunities, 32.5 annual leave days per annum (plus eight days public holiday) and access to counselling and advisory services.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Application And Shortlisting
The selection panel will assess your application based on your evidence you have provided against the essential/desirable criteria as set out in the job specification.
Use the STAR model (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to present your evidence.
You will also be asked to provide information within the “Employer/Activity History” section of the application form. This information is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV setting out your career history (this may be used in the sifting process).
Assessment And Interview
Candidates who pass the benchmark at the shortlist stage will be invited to an assessment and interview where you will be assessed against a mixture of the Civil Service behaviours and on the technical/experience skills as detailed in the job specification.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Assessment and Interviews will be held during the week commencing 10 August 2026 at one of the Ofsted offices, as stated in the advert. The location(s) will be confirmed closer to the date.
Details on the assessment will be provided near the time of the interview.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
- Name: People Services Delivery Team
- Email: jobs@ofsted.gov.uk
- Telephone: 03000 131 487
Recruitment team
- Email: jobs@ofsted.gov.uk
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should email Ofsted recruitment at jobs@ofsted.gov.uk in
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location