Senior Cyber Business Relationship Manager

Job summary

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

1. joining up public sector services
2. harnessing the power of AI for the public good
3. strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
4. elevating leadership and investing in talent
5. funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
6. committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.

We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need.

Job description

As the Government Cyber Unit, our mission is to protect public services and the wider Government from cyber threats by

• setting strategic direction for Government and the public sector on cyber security (Government Cyber Action Plan)
• managing the portfolio of programmes to implement the strategy across central Government
• establishing standards and policies (Government Cyber Security Standard and the Cyber Policy Handbook)
• supporting government organisations to deliver security digital services via Secure by Design
• assuring system and organisation cyber security via initiatives such as GovAssure
• leading the operational response to cyber threats, vulnerabilities and incidents through the Government Cyber Coordination Centre (GC3)

The Government Cyber Unit Partnering function plays a vital role in strengthening the UK’s cyber and digital resilience. It brings together government departments, industry, international partners, and the wider security community to share insights, identify common challenges, and co-develop solutions. Acting as a trusted connector and critical friend, the function ensures that engagement and collaboration directly support delivery of the Government Cyber Security Strategy and strengthen the protection of the UK’s public services.

The Senior Cyber Business Relationship Manager supports the Partnering Lead in driving strategic engagement across government, industry, and international partners. The role focuses on strengthening relationships, enabling effective collaboration, and ensuring clear and consistent communication that contributes to the Government Cyber Unit’s objectives.

As a Senior Cyber Business Relationship Manager you’ll:

• manage relationships across government organisations, industry, and other key stakeholders.
• maintain accurate and up-to-date information and intelligence on stakeholders to underpin effective stakeholder management.
• plan and deliver workshops, roundtables, and collaborative sessions on cyber security and digital resilience challenges.
• prepare and coordinate briefing materials, partner updates, and other communications to ensure consistent and clear messaging.
• ensure engagement activities are inclusive, productive, and outcome-focused.
• track and report on partnership outcomes, highlighting opportunities for co-creation and collaboration.
• facilitate knowledge sharing across the Government Cyber Unit and partner organisations.
• monitor developments in cyber security policy and digital resilience, risks, and emerging threats to support discussions with partners.

Person specification

In this role we are looking for:

• strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills, with the ability to build trust across government, industry, and international partners
• excellent communication and presentation skills, able to convey complex cyber and digital resilience topics clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
• strong organisational and planning abilities, including managing multiple priorities, events, and deadlines
• proactive and adaptable approach, comfortable working in a fast-paced and evolving environment
• good understanding of cyber security risks, controls, and resilience issues, with the confidence to hold informed discussions
• proven ability to work collaboratively across teams and functions, fostering inclusive and outcome-focused engagement
• strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including effective stakeholder mapping to identify opportunities, user needs, challenges, and practical solutions
• experience using CRM systems or stakeholder databases, with high attention to accuracy and detail

Benefits

There are many benefits of working at GDS, including:

• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
• a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days
• an extra day off for the King’s birthday
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
• death in service benefits
• cycle to work scheme and facilities
• access to an employee discounts scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning

Any move to Government Digital Service 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

Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

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

The standard selection process for roles at GDS consists of:

• a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and to answer 3 application questions.
• a 60 minute video interview which will include a presentation - details of the presentation will be shared with invited candidates prior to the interview

Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.

In the event we receive a high volume of applications, we will conduct the initial sift against the lead criteria which is: Please describe a time you established and then managed relationships with key stakeholders? This question will be assessed based on the Civil Service Behaviour Communicating and Influencing (limit: 250 words)

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours:

• communicating and influencing
• working together
• making effective decisions
• developing self and others

We’ll also be assessing your experience and specialist technical skills against the following skills defined in the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework for the Senior Business Relationship Manager role:

• Stakeholder relationship management (IT operations)
• User focus
• Business analysis (IT operations)
• Continual service improvement

Want to know more about who Government Digital and Data are? Click Here

Recruitment Timeline

Sift completion: Friday 20th February 2026

Panel interviews: Starting from Friday 27th February 2026

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Whilst a lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance, and expectation of UK residency may range from 3 to 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for the role may result in the withdrawal of provisional jobs offers.

Sponsorship

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

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 security check (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.

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.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : gdsrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk
• Email : gdsrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : gdsrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact gds-complaints@dsit.gov.uk in the first instance.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission by email: info@csc.gov.uk Or in writing: Civil Service Commission, Room G/8 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ.