Job summary
- Main area
- Cyber Operations
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8b
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job share
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 990-TDD-CY-EC6266-E
- Employer
- NHS England
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Wellington Place, Leeds / Hexagon House, Exeter
- Town
- Leeds / Exeter
- Salary
- £86,556.60 - £100,578.40 Per Annum (this includes a RRP payment of 30%)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 24/11/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Cyber Security Lead
NHS AfC: Band 8b
Our Organisation
We share the core values set out in the NHS Constitution, which all colleagues are expected to demonstrate.
We support you to work in a way that is best for the NHS, our patients and you and your colleagues. 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.
As part of our commitment to improving patient safety and maintaining safe and trusted services, all successful candidates will be subject to Baseline Personnel Security Screening (BPSS), which includes a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. By submitting your application, you are confirming your agreement to these checks being undertaken as part of the recruitment process.
Anyone who has received a voluntary or compulsory redundancy payment from NHS England since the start of the 2026/27 financial year is not eligible to apply.
Job overview
NHS England’s Cyber Operations works to strengthen cyber resilience across the NHS, supporting the safe delivery of care and maintaining public trust in the health and care system. This role sits within the Service Integration and Ownership (SIO) team, part of Cyber Operations, which oversees a portfolio of nationally provided cyber security services.
The SIO portfolio spans technical security, assurance and training services, helping NHS organisations identify and manage cyber risks, address security gaps and improve operational resilience.
As Cyber Security Lead, you will provide cyber security expertise, service leadership and assurance across the portfolio, leading the development, delivery, performance and continual improvement of assigned services. You will work closely with service owners, technical teams, suppliers and stakeholders across NHS England and the wider health and care system to manage risks, strengthen service effectiveness and support organisations in improving their cyber resilience.
The role also involves providing proportionate advice and constructive challenge, producing meaningful performance and assurance reporting, managing supplier relationships and leading team members to deliver agreed objectives. You will contribute to the wider SIO portfolio as priorities evolve, applying your cyber security knowledge, leadership skills and professional judgement to support effective national cyber security services.
Main duties of the job
As a Security Lead you will:
- Lead the development, delivery, performance management and continual improvement of assigned SIO cyber security services
- Provide specialist cyber security advice, assurance and constructive challenge to support risk management and effective decision-making
- Work with service owners, technical teams and NHS organisations to identify, assess, manage and remediate cyber security risks
- Monitor service performance, risks and dependencies, producing meaningful metrics, reports and assurance updates for senior leaders and governance forums
- Manage relationships with suppliers and service providers, addressing performance issues, risks and dependencies to support effective service delivery
- Build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders across NHS England and the wider health and care system
- Support NHS organisations to improve their cyber resilience, strengthen security practices and maximise the value of nationally provided cyber services
- Identify opportunities to improve service effectiveness, user experience and operational resilience across the SIO portfolio
- Deputise for the Head of SIO as required, providing leadership and supporting the effective management of the wider portfolio
- Line manage and develop team members, setting objectives, monitoring performance and supporting professional development
- Contribute to the delivery and improvement of wider national cyber security services, adapting to changing priorities across the portfolio
Working for our organisation
NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.
Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms — enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.
In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department.
If you currently work within the NHS and if successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in our offices.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
We cannot offer visa sponsorship for external candidates.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information about the role and responsibilities.
It is desirable for the successful candidate to hold ITIL foundation qualification or have an equivalent qualification in Service Management.
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
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
Please be aware that should you be successful in this position, you will be hired to the job title of Security Lead and this job title is advertised to attract the right skills needed for the role.
The post of Security Lead 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 30% per annum.
Please be aware that RRP is non-contractual and subject to review
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!
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Detailed knowledge of the processes, tools and techniques of information security management, ability to deploy and monitor information security systems, as well as detect, resolve and prevent violations of IT security, to protect organisational data.
- Specialist knowledge of and the ability to utilise tools and techniques for assessing the effectiveness of information security measures, identifying potential risk exposures, and protecting the availability, confidentiality and audit trails of information from destruction or manipulation.
- Extensive knowledge of techniques, roles, and responsibilities in providing technical or business guidance to clients, both internal and external; ability to apply this knowledge appropriately to diverse situations.
- Detailed knowledge of tools, techniques, approaches and processes of cybersecurity risk management; ability to ensure organisational network operation and minimise negative effect by cybersecurity risks.
- Extensive knowledge of the strategies, accountability framework, organizational structure and processes used to encourage proper behaviour in IT activities and operations, and ability to implement IT systems and controls to meet business needs and requirements.
Qualifications & Experience
Essential criteria
- Masters level degree in Cyber Security, or relevant subject, or equivalent level of experience.
- Evidence of continuous professional development.
- CISSP Certification 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
- Ed Purcell
- Job title
- Cyber Security Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
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