Offensive Cyber Lead

Whitetree; West of England; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Flexible working

Pension 6% match

Annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Professional development

Family-friendly policies

Charity time off

Recruitment bonus

Referral bonus

Electric car / cycle to work

Salary sacrifice schemes

Discount vouchers

Job summary

Whitetree is seeking an Offensive Cyber Lead to establish and grow a new capability across defence, government and high-assurance clients. You will define services, standards and tooling while shaping accreditation programs and leading a skilled cyber team.

You will recruit, mentor and guide specialists, build stakeholder relationships, and represent Whitetree at industry events. Expect senior technical influence on bids and strategy.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading offensive cyber teams in defence, gov, or high-assurance environments.
• Strong background in threat-led testing, red/purple teaming, and adversary emulation.
• Experience building, scaling or transforming a cyber capability or service line.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, develop and lead cyber professionals.
• Stakeholder mgmt at senior levels with clients, partners and teams.

Responsibilities

• Define and grow Whitetree's offensive cyber capability, including services, standards, tooling, QA and delivery approaches.
• Provide technical leadership across engagements, ensuring high-quality client delivery.
• Recruit, mentor and develop cyber specialists for a scalable capability.
• Develop and deliver the accreditation roadmap for market credibility and growth.
• Build relationships with NCSC, MoD, prime contractors and industry partners.
• Represent Whitetree externally through client engagement and thought leadership.
• Own and evolve the offensive cyber service catalogue (TP testing, red/blue/purple, attack surface mapping).
• Provide senior technical leadership to bids and proposals to shape solutions.

Skills

Offensive cyber leadership

Threat-led testing

Red/Purple teaming

Breach & attack simulation

Adversary emulation

Stakeholder management

Recruitment & mentoring

Education

CREST CRT/CCT

CHECK Team Leader/Member

OSCP

OSEP

Job description

We’re excited to offer an opportunity for an Offensive Cyber Lead to establish and grow our offensive cyber capability. This is a unique opportunity to build a practice from the ground up, shaping our services, technical standards, accreditations and team while supporting clients across defence, government and other high-assurance environments.

Since our establishment in 2018, Whitetree has been on a mission to empower clients, make lasting impacts, and provide unmatched career growth opportunities. We're passionate innovators driven by our values of Trust, Integrity, Innovation, and Excellence.

To support effective collaboration and client delivery, you will ideally live within commutable distance of Bristol.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Define and grow Whitetree's offensive cyber capability, including services, standards, tooling, quality assurance and delivery approaches
• Provide technical leadership across engagements, ensuring high-quality and consistent client delivery
• Recruit, mentor and develop cyber specialists, building a sustainable and scalable capability
• Develop and deliver the accreditation roadmap required to support market credibility and business growth
• Build relationships with key stakeholders including NCSC, MoD, prime contractors and industry partners
• Represent Whitetree externally through client engagement, thought leadership and industry events
• Own and evolve the offensive cyber service catalogue, including threat-led penetration testing, red and purple teaming, breach and attack simulation, attack surface mapping and adversary emulation
• Provide senior technical leadership to bids and proposals, helping shape solutions and win new business

In your first 3-6 months, success might look like:

• An offensive cyber strategy and accreditation roadmap agreed and underway
• A plan in place to build a cleared offensive cyber capability, with recruitment and partner activity progressing
• A growing cyber opportunity pipeline supported by compelling service propositions and strong market messaging
• Measurable improvements in capability maturity, service offerings and delivery governance

Skills & experience required

• Proven experience leading offensive cyber teams, services or capabilities within defence, national security, government, critical infrastructure or similarly high-assurance environments
• Strong technical background in one or more of the following: threat-led penetration testing, red teaming, purple teaming, breach and attack simulation, attack surface mapping, adversary emulation and offensive security assurance
• Experience building, scaling or transforming a cyber capability, practice or service line
• Demonstrable experience recruiting, developing and leading high-performing cyber professionals
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage credibly with clients, partners and senior leaders
• Relevant industry certifications such as CREST CRT/CCT, CREST CRTS/CRTM, CHECK Team Leader/Member, OSCP, OSEP, CRTO, or equivalent demonstrable experience
• Ideally located within commutable distance of Bristol
• Current right to live and work in the UK
• Current SC clearance, or willing and eligible to undergo Security Clearance
• Willingness and ability to work from home and travel for client engagements, including occasional overnight stays across the UK when required

Life at Whitetree

At Whitetree, we are proud to provide a collaborative and supportive environment in which you can grow and develop your career, with the chance to work alongside some of the best people in the industry.

Whitetree’s success hinges on hiring great people and creating an environment where we can be happy, feel challenged, and do our best work. We hope that excites you enough to apply.

Our competitive benefits package includes:

• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and your birthday off
• Flexible working arrangements with an early Friday finish (client-dependent)
• 6% matched pension contributions
• All-staff annual bonus scheme
• Private medical insurance
• Professional development support, including chartership, mentoring and training budget
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• 4 half-days of paid time for charity work annually
• £1000 employee recruitment and £150 associate referral bonus
• Electric car, cycle to work, tech salary sacrifice schemes and exclusive discount vouchers

Our Commitment to you

We're proud of our Gold Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Award, reflecting our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment and supporting diverse communities, including the Armed Forces.

We are a disability confident employer

We are a disability confident employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email [e-mail].

I don’t meet the criteria?

If you don’t meet the role criteria and are still interested in Whitetree careers, contact [e-mail].

Compulsory National Security Vetting

Whitetree jobs are subject to national security vetting. Your eligibility for Security Clearance may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held, or any time you have spent outside of the UK. Please check your eligibility: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-national-security-vetting-solution-guidance-for-subjects