IT Security Analyst

Brentwood Borough Council; Brentwood; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Brentwood Borough Council is seeking an IT Security Analyst to protect information assets and technology services across Brentwood and Rochford councils. You will lead incident response, vulnerability management and security monitoring, providing practical advice to projects and teams.

You will work in a hybrid arrangement across Brentwood and Rochford offices, supporting security governance and awareness initiatives while ensuring services remain safe, reliable and compliant with UK standards.

Qualifications

• Experience in cyber security operations, including incident response, vulnerability management and security monitoring.
• Ability to explain technical issues clearly to colleagues, suppliers and senior stakeholders.
• Knowledge of cyber risk assessment, security risk registers and cyber security governance.

Responsibilities

• Monitor, investigate and respond to cyber security alerts, threats and incidents.
• Maintain incident response plans and playbooks, coordinating containment and post-incident reviews.
• Lead vulnerability management activities and track remediation through to completion.
• Maintain and improve information security policies, standards and procedures.
• Support cyber risk management and maintain the security risk register.
• Assist with Cyber Essentials Plus, audits and security assurance activities.
• Provide secure-by-design advice for new systems, digital projects and cloud services.
• Advise on identity and access management, MFA and Conditional Access.
• Review supplier security arrangements and assess technical security evidence.
• Support Data Protection Impact Assessments and UK GDPR compliance.
• Deliver security awareness activities and phishing simulations.

Skills

Cyber security operations

Incident response

Vulnerability management

Security monitoring

Identity and access management

Multi-factor authentication

Conditional Access

SIEM

Cloud security

Third-party security risk

Security awareness

Cyber risk assessment

Security governance

Tools

Microsoft 365

Azure

Entra ID security

SIEM technologies

Job description

Do you want to play a key role in protecting the information, systems and services of two ambitious councils? Are you passionate about cyber security, risk management and building resilient digital services? Do you have the technical knowledge and practical experience to identify threats, respond to incidents and help colleagues work securely? Brentwood Borough Council and Rochford District Council have formed a strategic partnership, sharing knowledge, experience and projects for the benefit of both councils. We are seeking a motivated and knowledgeable IT Security Analyst to join our Digital, Data and Technology team. As IT Security Analyst, you will help safeguard the Councils' information assets, technology services and users. You will undertake operational cyber security activities, support the development of our security governance arrangements and provide practical advice to projects, services and colleagues across both councils. You will

• Monitor, investigate and respond to cyber security alerts, threats and incidents.
• Maintain incident response plans and playbooks, coordinating containment, recovery and post-incident reviews.
• Lead vulnerability management activities and track remediation actions through to completion.
• Maintain and improve information security policies, standards and procedures.
• Support cyber risk management and maintain the security risk register.
• Assist with Cyber Essentials Plus, audits and wider security assurance activities.
• Provide secure-by-design advice for new systems, digital projects and cloud services.
• Advise on identity and access management, Conditional Access, multi-factor authentication, privileged access, endpoint protection, encryption and network security.
• Review supplier security arrangements and assess technical security evidence.
• Support Data Protection Impact Assessments and compliance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
• Deliver security awareness activities and phishing simulation programmes.

You will have practical experience of cyber security operations, including incident response, vulnerability management and security monitoring. You will understand cyber security risks and controls and be able to explain technical issues clearly to colleagues, suppliers and senior stakeholders.

You will have knowledge or experience of:

• Microsoft 365, Azure and Entra ID security.
• Security monitoring, endpoint protection and SIEM technologies.
• Identity and access management, MFA and Conditional Access.
• Cyber risk assessment and security risk registers.
• Cloud security and secure system configuration.
• Supplier assurance and third-party security risk.
• Cyber security awareness and user education.

Experience of local government or another public sector environment, together with knowledge of Cyber Essentials Plus, the NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework or ISO 27001, would be advantageous. You will be collaborative, organised and able to balance security requirements with the practical needs of council services. You will promote a positive and pragmatic security culture, helping colleagues to understand that effective cyber security enables safe and reliable public services.

Working arrangements

We offer hybrid working, but the role operates across both councils and you will be expected to work regularly from the Brentwood and Rochford offices. The role may occasionally require work outside normal hours to support the response to significant cyber security incidents.

Why join us?

You will be part of a forward-thinking Digital, Data and Technology team working across two councils. This is an opportunity to influence our approach to cyber security, improve organisational resilience and protect services that make a real difference to residents and employees. We offer flexible and agile working, a supportive working environment, opportunities for professional development and a commitment to equality of opportunity.

(Starting salary dependent upon skills and qualifications, progression subject to satisfactory performance)