Cyber Security Analyst

NHS England; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

RRP allowance (20% p.a.)

Job summary

NHS England is seeking a Cyber Security Analyst (XDR) to join the CSOC and provide second-line security analytics and incident response for a national remit across publicly funded healthcare in England.

You will act as a Tier 2 Extended Detection and Response analyst, deputise for Senior Analysts, mentor Junior Analysts, and use SIEM/XDR tools to detect and respond to threats while refining Use Cases and improving overall security posture.

Qualifications

• Post-graduate degree in Cyber Security or equivalent experience.
• Experience in security operations, SOC environments or MSSP equivalent is required.
• Ability to detect, monitor, analyse and prevent digital threats with SIEM/XDR tools.

Responsibilities

• Act as a Tier 2 Extended Detection and Response analyst for the Security Operations team.
• Deputise for Senior Analysts in their absence.
• Escalate incidents and investigations from Tier 1 Junior Analysts.
• Mentor Tier 1 staff to support growth and development.
• Keep up to date with security developments and threat intelligence.
• Use SIEMs and XDR platforms to identify threat patterns and vulnerabilities.
• Assist investigations of triggered security alerts and refine use cases.
• Provide technical support to NHS organisations investigating XDR incidents.

Skills

ISOC knowledge

Threat detection

Intrusion detection

Education

Post-graduate level degree in Cyber Security

Tools

SIEM

XDR platforms

Job description

Job summary

Cyber Operations purpose is to support safe care and build public trust by building NHS England's cyber resilience and enabling the wider health system to be cyber resilient, supporting Transformation Directorate's purpose of delivering the best care and outcomes for the NHS.

The Cyber Operations sub-directorate consists of four operational areas:

• Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC & SIO)
• Cyber Delivery Unit (CDU)
• Cyber Improvement Programme
• Chief Information Security Office Function (CISO)

This is for a role within the NHS England CSOC, the Cyber Security Operations Centre with a national remit across publicly funded healthcare in England.

Main duties of the job

The Cyber Security analyst (XDR) role is within the Security Operations pillar of the CSOC (Cyber Security Operations Centre) providing second line security analytics and incident response services.

• Act as a Tier 2 Extended Detection and Response (XDR) analyst for the Security Operations team.
• Deputise for Senior Analysts in their absence.
• Act as an escalation point for Tier 1 Junior Analysts for incidents and investigations.
• Offer mentorship and guidance to Tier 1 Junior Analysts to support others and their own growth and development.
• Keep up to date with the latest security and technology developments, including researching and evaluating emerging cyber security threats and ways to manage them.
• Use advanced analytic tools including SIEMs and XDR platforms to determine emerging threat patterns and vulnerabilities.
• Apply experience and knowledge to assist with investigations of triggered security alerts.
• Assist with the refinement of Use Cases and identification of areas for improvement of overall security posture.
• Provide technical support to NHS organisations in investigating XDR incidents.

About us

NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.

Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.

In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department.

If you currently work within the NHS and if successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR).This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in our offices.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.

We cannot offer visa sponsorship for any vacancies.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the Main Duties and attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information about the role and responsibilities.

You should be a detail oriented and focused individual, with existing knowledge and experience within a SOC team, or very strong equivalent experience. Your background could be in another Cyber Security Operations Centre, especially an MSSP environment or you could have experience in penetration testing and hands‑on technical security review work.

Please ensure your supporting statement includes demonstratable evidence and specific examples on how you meet the criteria for each of the key skills specified. This will be used in both the shortlisting and interview processes

Important: Please be aware there are residency requirements you need to meet:

All NHS England Cyber Security personnel must hold Security Clearance level as a minimum. To meet National Security Vetting requirements, SC clearances require 5 years continuous UK residency. In certain cases, this can be reduced to three years continuous UK residency, with additional overseas checks for the previous two years. Candidates who were posted abroad for service with HM Government, Armed Forces or within a UK government role - will still be considered.

Please make sure you meet these requirements before applying for this role. You dont need to have SC already, however, failure to achieve the requirements for SC after offer will result in the job offer being withdrawn. For further advice please check https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels#security-check-sc

Please be aware that should you be successful in this position, you will be hired to the job title of Security Advisor/Analyst and this job title is advertised to attract the right skills needed for the role.

The post of Security Advisor/Analyst has been awarded a Recruitment and Retention Premia (RRP) in response to current labour market conditions. In recognition of this, the role attracts an additional monthly RRP payment equal to 20% per annum. Please be aware that RRP is non-contractual and subject to review

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

• Working knowledge of modules, processes and technologies of Information Security Operation Centre (ISOC); ability to detect, response and utilise related platform and applications to perform cyber security initiatives.
• Proven knowledge of techniques, approaches and processes of digital threats; ability to detect, monitor, analyse and prevent digital threats.
• Proven knowledge of tools, techniques and processes of intrusion detection and prevention; ability to detect, resolve and prevent intrusion behaviours to protect organisational networks.

Desirable

• Working knowledge of concept, procedures and processes of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM); ability to utilise related applications to protect organisational networks from cyber risks.
• Proven knowledge of techniques, approaches and processes of digital threats; ability to detect, monitor, analyse and prevent digital threats.
• Basic knowledge of concept, issues and techniques of endpoint security; ability to ensure security compliance of endpoint devices in various circumstances.

Qualifications

Essential

• Post-graduate level degree in Cyber Security, or relevant subject, or equivalent level of experience.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

NHS England

Address

Wellington Place, Leeds / Hexagon House, Exeter

Leeds / Exeter

LS1 4AP

United Kingdom

Employer's website