Head of Information and Cyber Security

Sadler Recruitment Ltd; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 84,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading non-profit organization seeks a Head of Cyber Security to develop and oversee the security strategy. This pivotal role involves managing a small internal team, external partnerships, and ensuring compliance with security standards like Cyber Essentials Plus. The successful candidate will possess strong cyber security leadership skills, experience in risk management, and exceptional communication abilities. A hybrid working model is offered with an opportunity to make a significant impact on the organization's social mission.

Qualifications

• Held Senior / Lead positions in Information and Cyber Security.
• Strong grounding in risk and governance, ideally within regulated environments.
• Experience managing SOCs or third-party security services.

Responsibilities

• Own and evolve the organisation's security strategy and roadmap.
• Oversee a small internal team of privacy specialists.
• Manage all external third-party security contracts.

Skills

Cyber security leadership

Risk management

Governance

Stakeholder management

Technical principles

Job description

Role: Head of Cyber Security

Location: Hybrid 1 day per week in London (flexible)

Salary: £80,000 – £84,000 + benefits

Overview

This is a pivotal leadership role in shaping and strengthening the cybersecurity landscape of a values-driven, non‑profit organisation. The organisation is recognised as a top 100 Employer, historically named as one of the most inclusive employers in the UK.

The Head of Cyber Security will design, develop, and coordinate all aspects of the Information Security strategy, encompassing governance and risk management, incident response, and disaster recovery. The Head of Cyber Security will manage a multitude of third‑party partnerships from the SOC, to vulnerability management, to patching, and network and firewall operations.

The organisation has made significant strides in recent years, establishing its first dedicated security function and partnering with a managed SOC provider. The next phase is about refinement: enhancing capability, strengthening partnerships, and driving strategy.

The Role

Reporting to the Director of Technology, the Head of Cyber Security will:

• Own and evolve the organisation's security strategy and roadmap, aligned to NIST.
• Oversee a small internal team (2 privacy / GDPR specialists).
• Manage all external 3rd party security contracts / relationships - SOC, vulnerability management, patching, and firewall operations.
• Oversee incident response, risk mitigation, and disaster recovery planning.
• Support delivery of Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation.
• Present cyber and data risks at risk, audit, and board level.
• Champion security awareness and training across the organisation (including phishing simulations and user education).

Experience needed

• Held Senior / Lead positions in Information and Cyber Security.
• Strong grounding in cyber security leadership, risk, and governance, ideally within regulated or complex environments (public, charity, or enterprise).
• Experience managing SOCs or third‑party security services.
• Solid understanding of technical principles (firewalls, phishing, vulnerabilities, routing, MFA, etc) - you can challenge, not necessarily configure.
• Knowledge of NIST and experience supporting Cyber Essentials Plus or similar certifications.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills and comfortable presenting to execs, trustees, and end users alike.
• Leadership style that builds trust and collaboration, more about influence than command.
• Strategic mindset with patience for long‑term delivery.

Why Join

This is a genuine opportunity to build and lead something lasting.

Youll inherit a capable foundation, a clear roadmap, and the autonomy to shape how security evolves, from partnerships and tooling to policy and culture.

Youll also play a part in an organisation with a strong social mission, making a real impact on the communities it serves.