Threat Assessment Lead

UK Atomic Energy Authority; West Burton; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Relocation allowance

Flexible working options

Employee Assistance Programme

Generous annual leave

Inclusive culture

Job summary

UK Atomic Energy Authority is seeking an interdisciplinary security lead to provide expert advice and operational support across threat intelligence, personnel security, travel risk management, and governance. Collaborate with senior leaders, partners, and suppliers to anticipate, assess, and mitigate security risks.

You will lead BPSS/NSV administration, develop risk frameworks, and produce executive-level reports to support strategic decision-making, while guiding security awareness and

Qualifications

• Experience in threat intelligence, security risk management, personnel security, or a related security discipline.
• Strong analytical skills to translate risks into clear business-focused recommendations.
• Experience preparing executive-level reports, briefings, and communications.
• Knowledge of BPSS, National Security Vetting, information security, and data protection requirements.
• Understanding of travel risk management, business continuity, and critical incident response.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Monitor global developments and assess emerging security threats.
• Produce actionable intelligence reports and briefings for executive and senior leadership teams.
• Support informed decision-making during live and developing security incidents.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders, partners, and suppliers to ensure effective communication of risks.
• Act as the organisation’s subject matter expert for threat intelligence and risk insights.
• Lead domestic and international travel risk management programmes.
• Develop and maintain travel risk policies, procedures, and employee guidance.
• Provide expert advice on overseas travel, remote working, conferences, public speaking engagements, and export control considerations.
• Collaborate with colleagues to develop security awareness and training programmes.
• Develop and maintain threat assessment frameworks, policies, and procedures.
• Produce dashboards, reports, executive briefings, and key risk indicator (KRI) reporting.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, legal, and security requirements.
• Identify trends and opportunities to strengthen risk management and security performance.

Skills

Threat intelligence

Security risk management

Personnel security

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

As an interdisciplinary security lead, you will provide expert advice and operational support across threat intelligence, personnel security, travel risk management, and security governance. Working with senior leaders, partners, suppliers, and key stakeholders, you will help anticipate, assess, and manage security risks while ensuring appropriate controls and mitigation measures are in place.

Key Responsibilities

• Monitor global developments and assess emerging security threats.
• Produce actionable intelligence reports and briefings for executive and senior leadership teams.
• Support informed decision-making during live and developing security incidents.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders, partners, and suppliers to ensure effective communication of risks.
• Act as the organisation’s subject matter expert for threat intelligence and risk insights.

Personnel Security & Vetting

• Manage all aspects of the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) process and National Security Vetting (NSV) administration.
• Conduct identity, right-to-work, and reference verification activities.
• Prepare and quality assure BPSS documentation in line with government requirements and organisational standards.
• Liaise with candidates, suppliers, government departments, and internal stakeholders regarding security clearances.
• Handle sensitive information in accordance with GDPR, ISO 27001, and security best practice.

Travel Risk & Critical Event Management

• Lead domestic and international travel risk management programmes.
• Support organisational compliance with duty of care obligations and recognised standards such as ISO 31030.
• Develop and maintain travel risk policies, procedures, and employee guidance.
• Provide expert advice on overseas travel, remote working, conferences, public speaking engagements, and export control considerations.
• Collaborate with colleagues to develop security awareness and training programmes.

Governance & Reporting

• Develop and maintain threat assessment frameworks, policies, and procedures.
• Produce dashboards, reports, executive briefings, and key risk indicator (KRI) reporting.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, legal, and security requirements.
• Identify trends and opportunities to strengthen risk management and security performance.

What We’re Looking For

We are seeking an individual who can combine strategic thinking with operational delivery and who is confident working with stakeholders at all levels.

You will bring:

• Experience in threat intelligence, security risk management, personnel security, or a related security discipline.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate complex risks into clear business-focused recommendations.
• Experience preparing executive-level reports, briefings, and communications.
• Knowledge of BPSS, National Security Vetting, information security, and data protection requirements.
• Understanding of travel risk management, business continuity, and critical incident response.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
• High levels of integrity, professionalism, and discretion when handling sensitive information.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to make a significant impact within an organisation delivering world-leading innovation. You’ll work with a wide range of stakeholders, influence strategic decision-making, and help shape a mature and evolving security function.

If you are passionate about protecting people, enabling business success, and driving a proactive security culture, we’d love to hear from you.

• Experience in intelligence analysis, security risk management or a closely related field
• Track record of producing clear, evidence-based assessments
• Strong critical thinking skills, including the ability to identify emerging threats, assess risk and support practical mitigation
• Experience of conducting or supporting security risk assessments relating to people, assets, travel, or business activities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to accurately record keep
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to build credibility and work collaboratively across teams
• Ability to work independently when contributing effectively working in a cross functional team

Beneficial:

• Professional qualifications in travel risk management or personnel security
• Experience in creating or improving reporting through dashboards, trackers, workflows and other lightweight tools that enhance team capability and operational effectiveness
• Experience of working within large-scale, regulated, or major infrastructure programmes

Additional Information

We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly women in STEM and individuals from British black and ethnic minority backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organisation. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.
UKFE is committed to being accessible. Please email [e-mail] if you have any questions or require help or adjustments to compete on a fair basis, for example, changes to the way we interview or share information.
This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions. Whilst not required at this time, there is a possibility of an SC Clearance being required in the future. If a candidate already holds an SC clearance, that clearance can be transferred to UKFE.

As we work towards our mission and goals, guided by our principles, STEP has six behaviours that are intended to capture the spirit of how we work:

• We championsafety
• We allmatter
• We act asone
• We arepioneering
• Wedeliver

For applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom or those who have spent time outside the UK in the last five years, please visit the following link for information on criminal records checks: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants If your country of residence or previous residence is not listed on the website or if the UK Government does not have information on obtaining a criminal records check from that state, we regret to inform you that we cannot process your application.

As an employee of UKAEA you will benefit from:

• Outstandingdefined benefit pension scheme,details of which can be found at the end of this advert.
• Corporatebonus schemeup to7%and aRelocationallowance (if eligible).
• Flexible working optionsincluding family friendly policies.
• Employee Assistance Programmeand trained Mental Health First Aiders,
• Generous annual leaveallowance starting with 25 days, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays
• A vibrantculturecommitted to equality and being fullyinclusive

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What can I expect from the application process at UKAEA?

Once you have submitted a formal application via our website, all CVs will be reviewed shortly after the closing date of the advert.

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