Principal Cyber Security Risk Manager

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA); Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 63,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service Pension 28.97%

25 days annual leave (+1 per year)

8 Bank Holidays + Privilege Day

Staff discount portal

Career development opportunities

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is recruiting a Principal Cyber Security Risk Manager to oversee risk across services and products, embedding assurance and response capabilities. You will lead a small service group of security professionals and collaborate with Enterprise Architecture to influence secure pattern adoption.

The role supports the DVSA Data Strategy and requires Chartered Cyber Professional status or progress towards it, with experience in cloud security (AWS or Azure) and

Qualifications

• Chartered Cyber Professional or willingness to work towards Chartered status.
• Experience in cloud security across AWS or Azure with formal training plans.
• Ability to provide evidenced-based risk recommendations to leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead risk management activities across complex scenarios and regulatory compliance.
• Direct specialist activities and promote development of risk management skills.
• Lead analysis and derivation of complex security needs for services and products.
• Provide governance guidance on Cyber Security related risk management.

Skills

Cloud security

Risk management

Leadership

Tools

AWS

Azure

Job description

479347 Principal Cyber Security Risk Manager

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 28th September 2026

Location:

Bristol, Swansea, Leeds, Nottingham, Newcastle, Oldham (Chadderton), Birmingham Garretts Green) or Uxbridge. (This role is suitable for hybrid working)

Candidates based in Yeading/Uxbridge will receive the London Weighting allowance of £4,000

Plus an additional Government Digital and Data Profession allowance (non-pensionable) up to 24,915

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

The DVSA are continuing to strengthen security capability across the business. This role will form a part of a growing Cyber function continuing to embed and maintain an assurance and response function protecting our Services and customer data.

Our work also supports the DVSA Data Strategy which has recently been refreshed. This sets the direction for making the Agency an evidence based and data driven organisation whilst maintaining an appropriate level of security of our services and data.

You will work with the wider Security function as well as supporting Service Owners and multi-disciplinary teams to ensure that security is built into the service development lifecycle and strategic planning. You will be responsible for providing the consolidated risk picture for the Products within that Service and recommending risk acceptance aligning with defined risk appetites. You will lead a small service group team of security professionals to support the assurance as well as engage as necessary with the Enterprise Architecture processes via the Security Architecture function to influence pattern adoption.

Top Responsibilities

• Lead and undertake risk management activities against the hardest or most novel scenarios, while applying the fundamental principles of risk management to a range of complex scenarios, and lead regulatory or legislative compliance activities.
• Guide and direct specialist activities of others, actively promoting development in the applicable skills, providing leadership to other risk managers, and sharing best practice widely across government, the public sector, and industry.
• Lead the analysis and derivation of complex security needs.
• Lead Cyber Security related risk assessments and other expert risk management activities, including providing guidance on establishing the organisation’s Cyber Security related governance arrangements.

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.

About You

Required experience:

• A Chartered Cyber Professional or be willing to work towards becoming Chartered.
• Demonstrate experience in cloud security across at least one platform of AWS or Azure and be willing to undertake formal training and certifications in this area.
• As a Principal Cyber Risk Manager you are inquisitive and enjoy understanding the context of the full service and product suite you are supporting. You work in a matrix team with roles such as developers, User experience and service design, business analysis to bring a rounded approach to a Service.
• You are good at making evidenced based recommendations to both Service Owners and Senior Security Leadership roles around the level of security risk being managed within each Product.
• You are part of a wider Security profession and support the development of that profession as part of a leadership role in the organisation and are able to bring strategic influence to your local Services and Products.

Government Digital and Data Allowance

The role is part of the Government Digital and Data (or Government Security Profession Career Framework) profession and utilises an enhanced Capability–Based Pay Framework which provides access to a Digital and Data allowance.

The base pay is £57,515. In addition to this the role includes a Digital and Data allowance of up to £24,915.

The value of allowance awarded will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated through the selection process.

This vacancy closes at 23:55 on Monday 28th September 2026