Army - Information Assurance Lead

Job summary

Join the Army’s Digital Security and Intelligence team in a senior role helping to protect information, manage cyber risk and strengthen security across a complex national organisation. This is an opportunity to lead a specialist team, shape policy, and influence how the Army protects its digital systems and information assets. The Cyber and Security pillar, headed up by a Senior Civil Servant has a diverse and highly capable workforce, with the role working in the Principal Security Advisor's Team working for the Army Information Assurance Lead.

The Army has a vacancy for a motivated Senior Executive Officer to lead our Information Assurance team and work on information assurance activities such as Secure by Design, risk management, policy formulation and compliance. This post delivers improvements on how the Army defends, protects and reduces its information risk, across the digital enterprise. In this role, you are an integral part in protecting the UK against external and internal threats, providing assurance that projects and capability owners fulfil their obligations to appropriately secure the systems they are responsible for.

MOD offers support and development in your career that you can undertake as part of your role. In the Army we are passionate about delivering great things for our people. But we also know you will have a life outside of work; we respect your priorities and are committed to flexible working practices to give you freedom to balance work and life.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The Information Assurance is a senior role at the heart of the Army’s approach to information security, cyber risk and assurance. You will manage the Information Assurance team, helping to protect the Army’s systems, data and digital services by ensuring that security risks are identified, understood and managed effectively.

Working across a complex and high-profile environment, you will provide expert advice on information risk, assurance, compliance and secure-by-design principles. You will work with a wide range of colleagues, including senior leaders, project teams and capability owners, to improve how security is built into systems and services across the organisation.

This is an opportunity to shape policy, influence decision-making and lead continuous improvement in how the Army manages information assurance.

Role Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the Information Assurance team, ensuring priorities are delivered effectively and the team provides high-quality advice and assurance activity.
• Shape and implement information assurance policy across the Army, aligning with wider government and Ministry of Defence security policy and standards.
• Provide senior assurance and risk advice on systems, digital services, programmes and projects, ensuring security risks are identified, assessed and managed appropriately.
• Provide senior assurance and risk advice on systems, digital services, programmes and projects, ensuring security risks are identified, assessed and managed appropriately.
• Support the submission of Risk Balance Cases & Security Risk Decisions to Army Senior Security Risk Co-ordinator.
• Senior IA advisor, giving guidance and support to Army Programs & Projects, Formations and establishments, including operational and overseas IA matters to protect Army Information Capabilities, Systems and Assets.
• Deputise for the Information Assurance Lead, providing leadership and continuity across the team’s work programme.
• Line Management responsibilities.

Person specification

Essential Skills Required:

• Ability to communicate complex security and risk issues clearly to non-technical audiences.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, including working with senior leaders and specialist teams.
• Ability to apply sound judgement and make proportionate, risk-based recommendations.
• Strong information security or cyber risk experience to combine technical understanding with clear communication, sound judgement and effective leadership.
• A continuous improvement mindset, with the ability to identify opportunities to improve assurance processes, governance and ways of working.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a demanding environment.
• Relevant experience in information assurance, cyber security, risk management or security governance.

Desirable:

• Professional certifications such as CISM, CISSP, or other recognised cyber security or risk qualifications are desirable evidence of technical capability.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Technical understanding of information assurance, cyber security risk, governance and compliance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.

Other benefits for Army civil servants include:

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Highly competitive pension scheme
• Personal and professional development of skills
• Alternative working patterns for many roles
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
• Enhanced parental and adoption leave
• 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
• Learning and Development

We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking a modern apprenticeship as part of your role.

A modern apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through the schemes available you will gain a professional qualification, practical experience, and the broader skills required to develop in your current role and pave the way for your future career.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a Personal Statement. (750 words)

At Sift, you will be assessed against your CV and Personal Statement and the following:

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions

Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted based on the evidence you provide in support of Making Effective Decisions.

The remaining elements will only be reviewed if you are successful at this initial sift.

At interview you will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours:

• Working Together
• Leadership
• Communicating & Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Technical Skills

• You will be assessed on your technical understanding of information assurance, cyber security risk, governance and compliance. This includes the ability to apply security principles in practice, advise on risk-based decision making, interpret policy and standards, and support the secure design and assurance of digital systems and services. see framework https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/53/r5/upd1/final

Further Information:

Application sifting will be scheduled to take place within 7 days of the application closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed and will be held in person. We endeavour to keep to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system.
Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Simon Harrison
• Email : Simon.Harrison858@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

SP 800-53 Rev. 5, Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations _ CSRC - technical framework Opens in new window (pdf, 149kB)ADR013810_EVP_Booklet_A5 Opens in new window (pdf, 273kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)