Technical Security Lead

Manchester Digital; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 55,000; Full time

Job description

£42,593pa-£48,245pa, with potential for further progression to £54,317pa with our pay progression scheme.
Published on 11 April 2025 Deadline 2 May 2025

This post is responsible for leading technical security delivery for the ICO linked to our obligations of the UK Government Cyber Security Strategy and based on the outcomes defined in Functional Standard “GovS 007 – Security”.

Focused on key areas of technical controls, Security by Design, security engagement for new development and system changes, staff education and ensuring the adherence to corporate policies, controls, and industry best practices.

You will lead and deliver technical security engagements across the ICO providing Security requirements, Advice and Guidance, technical leadership and oversight of security controls for all new developments, or technical changes to existing systems or services.

In collaboration with the wider Cyber Security team, the ICO Digital, Data and Technology product owners; you will review all areas of technical security and best practices, including ensuring our high value assets are secured and controlled in line with the corporate, business and technical risk appetites, and the production of security opinion reports on gaps, risks and mitigation recommendations.

You will also lead the delivery of secure by design, through the production, review and publishing of baseline security requirements aligned to relevant security frameworks and other guidance. e.g. NCSC CAF, NIST CSF, CSA CCM and Gov Functional Standards. This will include providing technical security advice guidance and oversight to Technical Design Authority, Change Advisory Board and Data Protection Impact Assessment forums.

As part of the Cyber Security Team, you will provide technical expertise and practical experience to drive ICO processes, policies and education, and to deliver appropriate and proportionate direction, on technical security issues and challenges.

You will be cognisant of the threat landscape across the regulatory sector and at national levels; and that our technical controls for our key systems and assets are appropriately secured, assessed and monitored.

Supporting the creation and updating of technical baseline security requirements, for the core ICO services, will be a key delivery of the role.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the delivery of secure by design principles and guidance
• Delivery of technical security requirements in collaboration with the wider DDaT and Cyber Security team.
• Align Project and change security governance with the relevant security frameworks
• Lead the delivery of security opinion reports providing specialist advice and technical leadership
• Technical security collaboration both internally to the ICO and with external partners

Person specification

Essential criteria assessed at application stage:

• Experience relevant to the role requirements, as described in the role responsibilities and person specification, and accumulated through any combination of academic or vocational qualifications or experience
• Desirable: CISSP in good standing or equivalent proven level of experience. CCSP, CISM, CEH
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in a similar role
• Experience of defining and refining security controls and standards
• Proven experience of implementing or reviewing technical security controls
• Cloud technical security knowledge & experience relating to the CSA-CCM Security Domains and controls objectives
• Strong knowledge of the Cloud shared responsibility security model
• Desirable: Experience in working in a public sector or highly regulated organisation.
• Track vulnerabilities in software, systems and networks
• Identify and assess cyber threats and cyber security risks, and recommend measures to manage them
• Design security controls, including those affecting the selection and development of systems
• Test and report on the security of an organisation’s systems and networks
• Brief and train non-cyber staff on cyber security awareness and safe practice
• Work with managers in other teams to ensure effective cyber security across the organisation
• Self-motivated and dynamic with the skills to identify issues and willingness to own remediations

Essential criteria assessed during interview:

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in a similar role
• Experience of defining and refining security controls and standards
• Proven experience of implementing or reviewing technical security controls
• Cloud technical security knowledge & experience relating to the CSA-CCM Security Domains and controls objectives
• Strong knowledge of the Cloud shared responsibility security model
• Desirable: Experience in working in a public sector or highly regulated organisation.
• Track vulnerabilities in software, systems and networks
• Identify and assess cyber threats and cyber security risks, and recommend measures to manage them
• Design security controls, including those affecting the selection and development of systems
• Test and report on the security of an organisation’s systems and networks
• Brief and train non-cyber staff on cyber security awareness and safe practice
• Work with managers in other teams to ensure effective cyber security across the organisation
• Self-motivated and dynamic with the skills to identify issues and willingness to own remediations
• Excellent verbal, communication and interpersonal skills, with people at all levels.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

The ICO is committed to promoting and enhancing equality, diversity, and inclusion. We are focused on developing a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve and together we are building an inclusive workplace where all of our colleagues have the opportunity to make a real difference. We are championing this through our Equality Diversity and Inclusion Board together with a number of staff networks. Read more about our commitment on our website.

Candidates with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for this vacancy will be invited to interview as part of the ICO’s commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme.

If you are disabled or have an impairment and require an alternative application method, please email the HR team at [e-mail]

Closing Date

Please submit your CV detailing your suitability to the role by 23:59, Friday 2nd May

We reserve the right to close this vacancy before this date should we receive sufficient applications. Please apply as soon as possible to ensure your application is considered.