Deputy Director Cyber Security

Job summary

UKHSA has an exciting opportunity for a Deputy Director of Cyber Security to strengthen its capability in protecting digital assets. Working closely with internal teams and key stakeholders (Government Security Group, NCSC, CPNI), the role will help build a resilient infrastructure that supports UKHSA’s ambition to become a global leader in health security and a critical component of national security.

You will be part of the Chief Data Officer (CDO) Group senior leadership team, which brings together Trusted Data & Technology, Data & Digital, and Analysis & Intelligence Assessment. The Group harnesses data, safeguards systems, and supports integrated analysis to assess health risks, inform policy, and protect public health.

The Trusted Data & Technology Directorate (TDT) delivers impact by transforming the UK’s approach to public health data, analytics, and surveillance. It comprises four divisions: Information Management & Privacy, Data Strategy & Performance, Technology, and Cyber Security.

As Deputy Director Cyber Security, reporting to the Director of TDT, you will lead and develop an effective, resilient cyber function that protects UKHSA from threats. The role involves leading a mixed team of civil servants and managed service providers, embedding a strong security culture, maintaining robust incident response, and ensuring long-term resilience of networks, systems, and data. You will also manage the division’s budget and contracts, operating in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities.

You will contribute to wider senior leadership, supporting an inclusive culture and playing a strong corporate role across UKHSA.

This role is open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).

Job description

Key responsibilities

• Lead and motivate cyber security teams (civil servants and contractors).
• Horizon-scan and plan for emerging cyber threats in collaboration with NHS England, NCSC, CPNI, and other government bodies.
• Promote a strong security culture across UKHSA.
• Develop cyber capability within the team and wider organisation.
• Ensure robust, tested resilience and incident response plans.
• Embed “secure by design” principles across systems and programmes.
• Develop metrics to inform SIRO governance and risk management.
• Oversee budget, contracts, and financial accountability in line with public sector standards.

Reporting Responsibilities

Reporting to the Director of Trusted Data & Technology, you will:

• Develop and mature UKHSA’s cyber security function.
• Lead a team of around 42 staff and managed services partners.
• Support compliance programmes (e.g. DSPT-CAF).
• Act as senior cyber advisor to the UKHSA SIRO, contributing to governance and risk escalation.
• Provide balanced advice across operational, information, IT, and supply chain security.
• Manage responses to cyber threats impacting services and data.
• Oversee delegated budgets and commercial processes.

You will need to stay current with a rapidly evolving technical landscape and maintain strong relationships across government and industry

Person specification

It is important through your CV and Statement of Suitability that you provide evidence and examples of proven experience of these Essential selection criteria.

• Cyber Security Expertise
  Proven cyber security professional with the credibility to engage technical audiences. Strong practical cyber knowledge, supported by relevant qualifications where applicable.
• Leadership
  Exceptional people leader with a proven track record of building, leading, and developing diverse security teams, supporting both organisational goals and individual career growth.
• Influencing & Stakeholder Management
  Highly effective communicator with strong stakeholder management skills, able to influence at senior levels and build trusted relationships across internal and external partners.
• Decision-Making & Problem Solving
  Able to navigate complex challenges in a fast-changing environment, drawing on expertise from others to manage risk and make sound decisions at pace.
• Risk, Compliance & Governance
  Strong understanding of cyber security legal and regulatory requirements, including GDPR and NIS. Able to balance threats and mitigations to provide clear, risk-based recommendations.
• Commercial & Financial Acumen
  Strong commercial and financial awareness, with a proven ability to drive efficiency and deliver value for money.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £86,000, UK Health Security Agency contributes £24,914 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).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process, outlined below. This should be completed no later than 23:55 Wednesday 29th July 2026.

1. A CV (which is for information purposes only) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
2. A Statement of Suitability (no more than 1250 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification.

Failure to complete both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

UKHSA will be holding an informal information session via MSTeams on Monday 13th July between 13:30 to 14:00 for potential applicants to find out more about the role of Deputy Director Cyber Security. Whether you are contemplating an application or simply want more insight into the role and its potential impact, this session will provide you with a much better understanding of the environment, expectations and ambitions of DSIT’s digital and AI agendas.

Please email scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk by 17:00 on Sunday 12th July 2026 to register your interest in attending. UKHSA will then send you an MSTeams invite.

Security Clearance

For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 10 years as the role requires Developed Vetting (DV) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs. You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/ .

International Police check

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

Internal Fraud Check.

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub, and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for external candidates to the Civil Service.

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careershttps://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

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

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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 : SCS Recruitment Team
• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact the UKHSA Complaints team via email at: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Visit the Civil Service Commission website for further information: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

Attachments

DD Cyber Security Accessibility Pack Opens in new window (docx, 250kB)2026-07-01 Deputy Director Cyber Security UKHSA Candidate information pack Final v3 Opens in new window (pdf, 869kB)