Head of Cyber Operations (Defence)

Government Recruitment Service; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 72,000 - 94,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Disability Confident employer

Job summary

The Cabinet Office within Government Recruitment Service is seeking a Head of Cyber Operations (Defence) in Bristol. This permanent role offers hybrid working (2 days remote) and requires SC clearance considerations. The salary is £71,734 to £93,755 per year, with full-time hours.

As part of the cyber security team, you will lead threat intelligence, detection and incident response, with responsibility for strategic direction, budget, and stakeholder communications at senior levels.

Qualifications

• Lead cyber security operations with strategic direction.
• Manage senior analysts and provide leadership.
• Design and drive delivery of cyber security strategy and roadmap.
• Deputise for the Deputy Director when required.
• Oversee responses to major incidents and critical vulnerabilities.
• Identify improvements to maturity in government security operations.
• Brief senior stakeholders on threats and mitigations.
• Work with cyber security functions to enhance capabilities.
• Ensure end-to-end cyber security across Cabinet Office functions.
• Collaborate with Government Security Group and NCSC.
• Support development of the Cabinet Office Digital and Government Security profession.
• Manage budget and allocate resources for high-impact outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead cyber security operations with strategic direction and incident response.
• Provide leadership for senior/lead analysts.
• Design and drive implementation of cyber security strategy and roadmap.
• Deputise for the Deputy Director as required.
• Oversee technical responses to major incidents and vulnerabilities.
• Identify opportunities for maturity building in government security operations.
• Brief senior stakeholders on threats, vulnerabilities, incidents, and mitigations.
• Collaborate with other cyber/information security functions to improve capabilities.
• Embed cyber security across Cabinet Office functions.
• Coordinate with Government Security Group, NCSC and law enforcement.

Skills

Leadership

Incident response

Threat intelligence

Cyber security strategy

Stakeholder briefing

Job description

The Cabinet Office supports the Prime Minister and ensures the effective running of government. It is also the corporate headquarters for government, in partnership with HM Treasury, and takes the lead in certain critical policy areas.

We are the Cabinet Office’s cyber security team, and our mission is to secure their department against cyberthreats. We protect our nationwide internal IT infrastructure, and high-profile citizen-facing digital services such as GOV.UK

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

Head of Cyber Operations (Defence)

Company: Government Recruitment Service

Salary: £71,734 to £93,755 a year

Hours: Full-time

Location: Bristol

Working pattern: Hybrid - 2 days remote

Job type: Permanent

Posting date: 2 Nov 2026

Closing date: 26 Nov 2026

Summary

The Cabinet Office supports the Prime Minister and ensures the effective running of government. It is also the corporate headquarters for government, in partnership with HM Treasury, and takes the lead in certain critical policy areas.

We are the Cabinet Office’s cyber security team, and our mission is to secure their department against cyberthreats. We protect our nationwide internal IT infrastructure, and high-profile citizen-facing digital services such as GOV.UK

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

Essential requirements

• Lead the Cabinet Office’s cyber security operations function, by providing strategic direction and coordinating day-to-day delivery of threat intelligence, threat detection and incident response.
• Be responsible for leadership and line management of senior and lead analysts.
• Work closely with the Deputy Director of Cyber and information Security (CISO) to design, and drive implementation and delivery of, the department’s cyber security strategy and roadmap.
• Deputise for the Deputy Director of Cyber and Information Security (CISO) as required, including attending the Digital Senior Leadership Team, Technical Design Authority, and programme boards.
• Oversee and support the technical response to major cyber security incidents and critical vulnerabilities impacting the Cabinet Office.
• Identify and deliver opportunities for continual improvement of the security operations function and identify areas for maturity building in line with best practice in government sector.
• Brief senior stakeholders on cyber security threats, vulnerabilities, incidents, and mitigations.
• Work closely alongside other cyber and information security functions, supporting the continual improvement of wider capabilities.
• Work with stakeholders from across the Cabinet Office to ensure an end-to-end approach to cyber security, and ensure that cyber security is embedded in other central and local functions.
• Work with Government Security Group, the National Technical Authorities (e.g., NCSC) and law enforcement to ensure knowledge sharing and collaboration.
• Contribute to the overall development of the Cabinet Office Digital and the Government Security profession.
• Budget & Resource Management: You will take full ownership of the team's budget, ensuring resources are strategically allocated to drive high-impact outcomes.

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