Senior Data Security Assurance Lead

Financial Conduct Authority; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 57,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Pension

Private healthcare

Volunteer time

Hybrid work model

Flexible benefits

Job summary

Financial Conduct Authority is seeking a Data Security Assurance Lead to oversee the data security framework across FCA data estates, including AI governance and cloud platforms. The role spans governance, assurance, and risk reporting within a hybrid work model across Leeds, Edinburgh and London offices.

You will drive the development of data security controls, lead KPI/KRI reporting, and engage with technology, risk, and governance teams to strengthen the organisation's security posture in

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading a data security, cyber security, information security or assurance capability within a complex organisation, including building, developing and maturing teams, operating models and security capabilities
• Designing, implementing and assuring data security controls and frameworks across SaaS, cloud and enterprise environments, aligned to recognised frameworks such as NIST CSF and ISO 27001
• Strong understanding of data security principles and risks, including data discovery, data lineage, encryption, logging, access control, identity management, data loss prevention and protection against data exposure and exfiltration
• Experience delivering security assurance and risk assessments across applications, cloud platforms, data repositories, AI systems and broader technology environments, supported by continuous monitoring, control health reviews and risk reporting
• Experience establishing governance, assurance and control oversight processes, including attestations, control validation, remediation tracking and risk-based prioritisation
• Strong expertise in Microsoft Purview and Microsoft 365 security and compliance capabilities, including data discovery, classification, sensitivity labelling, DLP, Insider Risk Management, DSPM for AI and related E5 functionality
• Knowledge of regulatory, legal and compliance requirements relevant to data security and experience translating these into practical controls, assurance activities and risk management outcomes
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to work effectively across technology, cyber security, data governance and business teams and to communicate complex security risks and control issues to senior leadership and executive stakeholders
• Experience integrating security tooling, telemetry, APIs and automation to improve assurance, risk visibility and control effectiveness across Microsoft, AWS and interconnected technology platforms
• Strong strategic and analytical capabilities, with experience developing data security roadmaps, identifying emerging risks and driving improvements that strengthen organisational security posture

Responsibilities

• Lead the FCA’s Data Security Assurance Framework, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, availability and appropriate use of corporate data, aligned to the FCA’s Cyber Risk Management Framework, regulatory, legislative and internal control requirements
• Establish and deliver risk-based data security assurance across the FCA’s data estate, including M365 security and compliance, cloud platforms, data lakes, AI systems and data repositories, ensuring the identification, assessment and treatment of security and data risks in line with the FCA’s Cyber Risk Management Framework and associated tooling
• Drive the strategic evolution of the FCAs data security posture management for AI, assessing and assuring technical controls, data exposure and appropriate use across emerging AI capabilities such as MS Co-pilot, Agentic AI and AI-enabled platforms, ensuring security by design, effective data security governance and continuous assurance as the FCAs AI estate evolves
• Produce meaningful KPIs, KRIs, risk assessments and management information to support senior management decision-making, alignment with the FCA’s Cyber Risk Management Framework and effective second-line Risk and Compliance oversight, while leading issue identification, remediation tracking and validation of corrective actions
• Lead and develop the FCA’s Data Security Assurance capability, working across technology, cyber security, risk, compliance and data governance teams to embed effective controls throughout the data lifecycle, integrate assurance into the wider cyber risk management ecosystem and support consistent risk reporting, governance and oversight.

Skills

Data security

Cloud security

Stakeholder management

Governance & assurance

Purview & M365 security

Regulatory compliance

Risk assessments

Security tooling automation

Tools

Microsoft Purview

Microsoft 365 security

Job description

Financial Conduct Authority is seeking a Data Security Assurance Lead to oversee the data security framework across FCA data estates, including AI governance and cloud platforms. The role spans governance, assurance, and risk reporting within a hybrid work model across Leeds, Edinburgh and London offices.

You will drive the development of data security controls, lead KPI/KRI reporting, and engage with technology, risk, and governance teams to strengthen the organisation's security posture in