Security Assurance Analyst - DV Cleared - Perm

Sanderson Government & Defence; Farnborough; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary & benefits

Enhanced pension

Flexible working arrangements

Professional development and security

Job summary

Sanderson Government & Defence in Farnborough is seeking a Security Assurance Analyst with DV clearance to join our on-site team. You will lead security design reviews, assess controls and ensure alignment with MOD requirements, supporting certification and accreditation activities.

The role emphasises risk assessment, documentation, and stakeholder communication to senior management, with a focus on defensive security across IT architectures and systems.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of IT security controls across networks, apps and data.
• Ability to model threats and assess risk in complex IT designs.
• Familiarity with MOD security requirements and classifications.
• Understanding of ISO 27001 and NIST CSF security frameworks.
• Experience conducting security risk assessments and mitigation planning.

Responsibilities

• Security design reviews of IT architecture and documentation.
• Verify compliance with Defence Security Policy and MOD standards.
• Create and maintain security assessment reports and matrices.
• Provide stakeholder briefings and executive summaries on findings.
• Support risk management and assurance activities for MOD approvals.
• Validate implemented security controls and evidence for accreditation.

Skills

IT security controls

Threat modelling

MOD security requirements

ISO 27001 / NIST CSF

Security risk assessment

Education

CISSP or CISM certification

Job description

Security Assurance Analyst - DV Cleared

• Location: Farnborough, Hampshire, UK (5 days on-site)
• Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time
• Security Clearance: Developed Vetting (DV)
• Salary: £70,000 - £80,000 + Benefits

Key Responsibilities

Security Design Review & Assessment

• Conduct detailed security reviews of IT architecture and design documentation
• Assess security controls and identify gaps against MOD security requirements
• Evaluate threat models and security assumptions underlying IT designs
• Review security specifications for completeness and MOD compliance
• Identify residual security risks and recommend mitigation strategies
• Support authority leads and advise third parties

MOD Compliance & Standards Verification

• Verify IT designs comply with Defence Security Policy and MOD Classification Guides
• Assess adherence to ITAR regulations and export control requirements
• Review security controls against IS1 (IS1A) and other MOD security standards
• Validate data handling and classification compliance
• Ensure personnel security and vetting requirements are addressed

Documentation & Reporting

• Prepare detailed security assessment reports documenting findings and recommendations
• Document security control specifications and implementation guidance
• Create security assessment matrices and compliance traceability matrices
• Provide executive summaries of security findings for stakeholder communication
• Maintain security documentation for compliance and audit purposes

Risk Analysis & Mitigation Planning

• Conduct security risk assessments using appropriate risk methodologies
• Develop risk matrices and prioritise risks based on likelihood and impact
• Recommend security controls and mitigation strategies for identified risks
• Support risk management processes and evidence gathering for MOD approval
• Track risk mitigation and provide assurance of control implementation

  Security Control Validation

  • Validate implementation of recommended security controls
  • Review security test plans and validation approaches
  • Provide assurance that security controls operate effectively
  • Support security certification and accreditation activities
  • Document security assurance evidence for MOD compliance

  Stakeholder Communication

  • Communicate security findings and recommendations clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Facilitate security discussions between design team and customer security teams
  • Explain complex security concepts in accessible language
  • Support customer understanding of MOD security requirements and implications

  Essential Requirements

  Technical Knowledge

  • Comprehensive understanding of IT security controls and security frameworks
  • Strong knowledge of network, infrastructure, application and data security
  • Understanding of threat modelling and risk assessment methodologies
  • Familiarity with MOD security requirements, Classification Guides and security policy
  • Knowledge of ITAR regulations and export control requirements
  • Understanding of security standards (ISO 27001, NIST CSF, etc.)
  • Practical knowledge of common IT architectures and technologies

  Personal Attributes

  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Excellent leadership skills
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Attention to detail with ability to identify gaps and inconsistencies
  • Collaborative approach to working with architects and technical teams
  • Ability to explain complex security concepts clearly
  • Professional approach to challenging design decisions on security grounds
  • Commitment to security excellence and MOD compliance

  Desirable Requirements

  • Experience with defence or aerospace security programmes
  • CISSP, CISM or equivalent security certification
  • Experience with CESG or MOD security assessment methodologies
  • Knowledge of Common Criteria or other formal security evaluation frameworks
  • Familiarity with joint design team processes and defence programme delivery
  • Background in architecture, infrastructure or systems engineering

  What we Offer

  • Competitive salary and benefits package
  • Enhanced pension and private medical insurance
  • Flexible working arrangements
  • Professional development and security training support
  • Opportunity to work on high-impact defence programmes
  • Exposure to cutting-edge defence technology and security challenges

  Reasonable Adjustments:

  Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients.

  Because you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason, please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.