Head of Cyber Security

GBV Ltd; Preston; On-site; GBP 86,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

20% Bonus

Company Car

Benefits package

Job summary

GBV Ltd is seeking a Head of Digital Security, Risk & Governance to own the security strategy across a £1.5bn international infrastructure organisation. You will lead four managers and a broader team of about 20 professionals, guiding governance, risk, privacy and assurance across UK, ANZ and the US.

The role emphasizes governance, trust and business enablement alongside cyber operations, with senior stakeholder engagement at board level and a proactive, transformation-focused mindset.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership of multidisciplinary security functions within a large organisation.
• Experience directing SOC/MDR and security supplier relationships.
• Translating security risks into commercial/board language.
• Strong knowledge of ISO 27001 and NIST CSF frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Own and execute the enterprise-wide security, risk and governance strategy.
• Lead senior managers across Security Operations, Cyber Security, IAM and Digital Trust.
• Provide advice to Executives, Audit Committee and Board on cyber risk.
• Own the relationship with a 24x7 SOC partner.
• Lead during significant cyber/security incidents.
• Drive improvements in detection, response, vulnerability management, threat hunting and tooling.
• Establish security policy, controls, governance and assurance standards.
• Drive secure-by-design practices with Engineering.
• Ensure capability keeps pace with growth and client requirements.

Skills

Security leadership

Cyber Security Operations

Identity & Access Management

GRC

Digital Trust

Privacy

Audit & Assurance

Board communication

ISO 27001

NIST CSF

Job description

Head of Digital Security, Risk & Governance | £95k + 20% Bonus + Car + Benefits

An exceptional opportunity for a senior Cyber Security leader to own and shape the complete security, risk and governance strategy for a £1.5bn international infrastructure organisation.

Operating across the UK, Australia/New Zealand and United States, the business employs approximately 6,000 people across 125+ locations and is continuing to grow both organically and through acquisition.

This isn't a role focused purely on cyber operations.

We're looking for someone capable of leading a broad, multidisciplinary function spanning:

Cyber Security | Security Operations | Identity & Access | GRC | Digital Trust | Privacy | Assurance

You’ll lead four manager-level direct reports and, through them, a wider security organisation of approximately 20 professionals.

The Opportunity

You’ll take overall ownership of the organisation's digital security, risk and governance strategy, building a world-class security capability capable of supporting continued international growth.

You’ll operate as a senior member of the Digital Technology leadership function and work closely with Engineering, Transformation, Infrastructure, Operations and executive leadership.

Your remit will include:

• Owning and executing the enterprise-wide security, risk and governance strategy.
• Leading senior managers across Security Operations, Cyber Security, Identity & Access and Digital Trust.
• Providing clear advice to Executive, Audit Committee and Board-level stakeholders on cyber and information risk.
• Owning the strategic relationship with a 24x7 managed SOC partner.
• Providing senior leadership during significant cyber/security incidents.
• Driving continuous improvement across detection, response, vulnerability management, threat hunting and security tooling.
• Establishing security policy, controls, governance and assurance standards.
• Driving secure-by-design practices alongside Engineering.
• Ensuring security capability keeps pace with international growth, acquisitions and increasingly complex client requirements.

You’ll have overall accountability for the organisation’s information-security governance framework, including policies, standards, controls, risk management and audit readiness.

You’ll oversee compliance and assurance across frameworks including:

You’ll also provide leadership across privacy, data protection, supplier security, client assurance, regulatory readiness and M&A security due diligence.

This is therefore an opportunity for someone who understands that modern security leadership goes far beyond operating a SOC – governance, trust, identity, risk and business enablement are equally important.

Leadership & Culture

A major part of this position is people leadership.

We’re looking for someone who can build and develop a high-performing security organisation – setting clear standards while creating an environment built around ownership, curiosity, continuous improvement and accountability.

You’ll develop the four managers reporting directly to you while creating structured career and capability pathways across the wider team.

You’ll also help embed security thinking across a workforce of approximately 6,000 people.

What We're Looking For

You’ll ideally already be operating at Head of Security / Head of Information Security / Head of Cyber / CISO or equivalent level within a sizeable, complex organisation.

Essential experience will include:

• Leadership of multidisciplinary security functions.
• Managing and developing manager-level direct reports.
• Cyber Security Operations and incident response.
• Identity & Access Management.
• Digital Trust, audit and assurance.
• Working knowledge of major security frameworks including ISO 27001 and NIST CSF.
• Managing strategic SOC/MDR/security supplier relationships.
• Leading or directing major security incidents.
• Translating complex security risks into commercial and Board-level language.
• Strong collaboration across Engineering, Infrastructure, Transformation and Operations.
• Operating effectively within a complex, geographically distributed organisation.

Particularly advantageous

Experience within utilities, energy, telecoms, infrastructure or another Critical National Infrastructure environment would be highly attractive.

Likewise, we’re interested in people with experience of M&A security integration, GRC platforms, client security assurance, physical/converged security and Board/Audit Committee engagement.

Senior certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CRISC, CISA or ISO 27001 Lead Auditor/Implementer would also be advantageous.

Why consider it?

This is an opportunity to take genuine ownership.

The organisation has significant scale today but also substantial growth ambitions. Security is viewed as a business-critical capability and an enabler of growth, rather than simply a technical control function.

You’ll inherit an established team but have the mandate to raise the bar, develop the capability and shape what a world-class security function looks like as the organisation continues to scale internationally.

If you’re an experienced senior Cyber Security leader who enjoys building teams, raising standards and translating security into genuine business value, I’d be keen to speak confidentially.