Job summary
- Main area
- Cyber Operations
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8a
- Contract
- Fixed term: 14 months (until 31/10/2026. Secondment only for current NHS Employees)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 990-TD-TFN-14983-E
- Employer
- NHS England
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Any NHSE office
- Town
- Leeds/London/Exeter: Other locations could be considered
- Salary
- £66,828 - £75,218 Per annum (exclusive of HCAS). Includes a RRP payment of 20%.
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 28/08/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Senior Cyber Security Advisor
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Our Organisation
The NHS is building a culture that is positive, compassionate and inclusive – and we all have our part to play.
As employers we are committed to protecting and promoting the physical and mental health and wellbeing of all our colleagues. This underpins our values as set out in the NHS Constitution and supports us to be an Employer of Choice, while helping our colleagues to deliver high quality services for our patients and communities.
As a flexible employer, we want to support you to work in a way that is best for the NHS, our patients and you. Talk to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time, hybrid working or another flexible pattern. In addition, although the role advertised may have a ‘home’ office base indicated, we remain committed to supporting flexibility around workplace locations. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
We are an accredited Living Wage Employer which means that every colleague working for our organisation and third-party contractors will earn a real Living Wage. We are one of over 15,000 organisations, who voluntarily chose to pay the real Living Wage.
Job overview
Are you a self-motivated cyber security professional with sharp situational judgement, a growth mindset, and a proven ability to navigate complex technical challenges? Do you thrive in high-impact environments where your work directly supports mission critical systems and healthcare delivery?
NHS England’s CISO Portfolio Office (CPO) is seeking an exceptional individual to join our industry-leading cyber security function. Reporting directly to the Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, you will lead and deliver a diverse range of innovative and high-profile technical projects across the organisation, with the opportunity to directly influence key initiatives.
The CISO team at NHS England has received national and international recognition from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Gartner, and other leading authorities, for its pioneering work in areas such as risk remediation, quantum computing, and third-party risk management.
At NHS England, your work will have direct impact on the availability and security of systems relied upon by thousands of clinicians and millions of patients across the country. You will be joining a forward-thinking, inclusive, and collaborative cyber security team that is pushing boundaries and shaping the future of public sector security innovation.
Main duties of the job
As Senior Security Advisor within the CPO, you will:
- Act as the Deputy CISO’s technical subject matter expert across a portfolio of strategic cyber initiatives.
- Lead and drive the delivery of key innovation programmes, including those focused on quantum computing, data-led security, and the CISO Cyber Resilience Programme.
- Collaborate closely with delivery, programme, and policy colleagues to ensure that all initiatives are technically robust, aligned to strategic objectives, and enable secure, resilient healthcare operations
Working for our organisation
The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:
- Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
- Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
- Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
- Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
- Delivering value for money.
If you would like to know more or require further information, please visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
NHS England hold a Sponsor Licence; this means that we may be able to sponsor you providing the Home Office requirements are met. To be eligible for sponsorship through the Skilled Worker route you’ll usually need to be paid the ‘standard’ salary rate of at least £38,700 per year, or the ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher. You can find more information on the Government website.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information about the role and responsibilities.
Please ensure your supporting statement includes demonstratable evidence and specific examples on how you meet the criteria for each of the key skills specified. This will be used in both the shortlisting and interview processes
We are looking for a dynamic individual with:
- Excellent situational judgement and a pragmatic, solutions-focused approach to complex technical challenges.
- Strong appreciation of broader business disciplines such as project management, finance, commercial operations, or experience transitioning from one of these into cyber security.
- Confidence in engaging and influencing stakeholders at all levels, translating technical concepts into plain English and articulating the importance of cyber security in enabling patient care and operational continuity.
- A growth mindset, with the initiative to seek out knowledge, collaborate effectively, and drive outcomes even in the face of ambiguity.
Desirable Experience
- Experience delivering technical projects within a cyber security, engineering, digital, or critical infrastructure context.
- Familiarity with NHS, public sector, or regulated environments is advantageous but not essential.
- Understanding of how businesses track progress, report on key success metrics, and make evidence-based decisions.
Important: Please be aware there are residency requirements you need to meet:
All NHS England Cyber Security personnel must hold Security Clearance level as a minimum. To meet National Security Vetting requirements, SC clearances require 5 years continuous UK residency. In certain cases, this can be reduced to three years continuous UK residency, with additional overseas checks for the previous two years. Candidates who were posted abroad for service with HM Government, Armed Forces or within a UK government role - will still be considered.
Please make sure you meet these requirements before applying for this role. You don’t need to have SC already, however, failure to achieve the requirements for SC after offer will result in the job offer being withdrawn. For further advice please check https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels#security-check-sc
The post of Senior Security Advisor has been awarded a Recruitment and Retention Premia (RRP) in response to current labour market conditions. In recognition of this, the role attracts an additional monthly RRP payment equal to 20% per annum.
Please be aware that RRP is non contractual and subject to review.
Please be aware that should you be successful in this position, you will be hired to the job title of Senior Security Advisor.
Please note that the reason for the fixed term of this contract is short term vacancy
If you like what you have read and think you have the skills and experience, we need then don't delay, apply today! We get lots of applications for our roles and so we sometimes have to close our posts early. Don't miss out!
Secondment
Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable knowledge of and the ability to protect information and information systems while ensuring their confidentiality, integrity and availability.
Desirable criteria
- Familiarity with NHS, public sector, or regulated environments.
- Understanding of how businesses track progress, report on key success metrics, and make evidence-based decisions.
Skills and Experience
Essential criteria
- Proven knowledge of technologies and technology-based solutions dealing with information security issues; ability to apply these in protecting information security across the organisation.
Desirable criteria
- Experience delivering technical projects within a cyber security, engineering, digital, or critical infrastructure context.
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Masters degree in cyber security/ engineering/ computer science, or equivalent experience.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dulcie Herreros
- Job title
- Deputy Director of Security
- Email address
- [email protected]
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