Head of Digital Security, Risk & Governance

OCU Group; Preston; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

OCU Group in Preston is seeking a Head of Digital Security, Risk & Governance to lead the UK and global security strategy from our Preston base. You will own cyber operations, governance, risk, assurance and digital trust across a 6,000+ workforce and 125+ sites.

Reporting to the Digital Technology Director, you will manage four senior managers across Security Operations, Cyber Security, Identity & Access Management and Digital Trust, shaping a world-class security function for growth and

Qualifications

• Senior security leadership experience in a large, multi-region organisation.
• Strong knowledge of security operations, identity, risk, governance and assurance.
• Experience leading teams and major security suppliers.
• Experience with 24x7 SOC/MDR and major incident response.

Responsibilities

• Lead our security strategy and advise Executive and Board-level stakeholders on cyber and information risk.
• Oversee our 24x7 managed SOC and major security incident response.
• Drive Digital Trust, governance, risk, compliance and assurance agenda.
• Champion secure-by-design across Digital Engineering and Transformation.
• Lead strategic relationships with key security suppliers and major clients.
• Build a high-performing, accountable and forward-thinking security culture.
• Support our international growth and M&A activity.

Skills

Security leadership

Risk governance

Incident response

Board-level communication

ISO 27001 knowledge

Job description

Head of Digital Security, Risk & Governance

Department: OCU Digital

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Preston

Reporting To: James Mayers

Description

An exciting new opportunity for a Head of Digital Security, Risk & Governance to be based in Preston.

What if you could take ownership of the security, risk and governance agenda for a £1.5bn global infrastructure business and build a function recognised as genuinely world‑class?

With circa 6,000 colleagues, 125+ sites and operations spanning the UK, ANZ and India, our business is growing, evolving and becoming increasingly digital. We are looking for a Head of Digital Security, Risk & Governance to make sure our security capability grows with it.

This is a role with genuine scope and influence. You’ll lead the strategy that protects our people, data, technology and physical estate, while building the governance, assurance and digital trust capability that gives our customers, regulators and partners confidence in OCU.

In simple terms you will own the Health & Safety of our digital world UK and global.

Reporting to the Digital Technology Director, you’ll lead four senior managers across:

• Security Operations
• Cyber Security
• Identity & Access Management
• Digital Trust

Through these leaders, you’ll shape a wider team of around 20 security professionals covering cyber operations, identity, governance, risk, compliance, assurance and digital trust.

You’ll also hold the strategic relationship with our 24x7 managed SOC partner, work closely with our Digital Engineering and Digital Transformation leaders, and bring digital and physical security together into one coherent capability.

We’re looking for someone who is curious, driven and positively dissatisfied someone who sees an alert as the start of a question, not the end of an investigation; who doesn’t close an audit finding until the underlying problem is genuinely fixed; and who continually challenges themselves, their teams and their partners to raise the bar.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead our security strategy and advise Executive and Board-level stakeholders on cyber and information risk.
• Oversee our 24x7 managed SOC and major security incident response.
• Drive our Digital Trust, governance, risk, compliance and assurance agenda.
• Champion secure-by-design across Digital Engineering and Transformation.
• Lead strategic relationships with key security suppliers and major clients.
• Build a high-performing, accountable and forward-thinking security culture.
• Support our international growth and M&A activity.

We are looking for a proven senior security leader with experience in a large, complex, multi-region organisation. You’ll have a strong understanding of security operations, identity, risk, governance and assurance, alongside experience leading teams and major security suppliers.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Knowledge of frameworks including ISO 27001, NIST CSF, NIS2, CAF and Cyber Essentials Plus is important, as is the ability to translate technical risk into clear business and Board-level decisions.
• Leading manager-level reports and developing high-performing teams
• Managing 24x7 SOC, MDR or other major security suppliers
• Major incident response and executive/client/regulator communications
  ISO 27001, ISO 27701, ISO 22301, NIST CSF, NIS2, CAF and Cyber Essentials Plus
• Translating technical risk into clear business and Board-level decisions Operating across multiple countries, cultures and business functions
  Working collaboratively across engineering, transformation and operational teams

Job Benefits

At OCU, we believe that meaningful work should come with meaningful support. That's the principle behind Careers with Purpose, our commitment to ensuring every person at OCU feels supported, developed, and valued, not just in their role today, but throughout their career with us.

Alongside the opportunity to work on some of the UK's most significant infrastructure projects, we offer a benefits package that we are continuing to develop as we grow, and the kind of career acceleration that only comes from being inside a business moving at this pace.

As a rapidly growing organisation, there are genuine opportunities to progress, broaden your experience, and build a long-term career within OCU Group.