Third Party Risk Manager

Job summary

We are MHCLG

Here at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), we work on things that make a real difference to people’s lives. Whether it's through the homes we live in, the work of our local councils, or the communities we’re all part of, our work is at the top of the political agenda. We have ambitious and far-reaching outcomes to achieve this year and, if you’re thinking of joining us, there’s never been a more exciting time.

As the Third Party Risk Manager, you will provide departmental leadership for the management of cyber security risk arising from MHCLG’s third party and supplier landscape. Sitting within the Cyber Security and Assurance function, you will own the Third-party Risk Management Framework, setting direction, defining standards, and ensuring consistent, proportionate assurance across suppliers, partners, and outsourced services.

This is a senior role with significant autonomy and influence. You will work closely with senior leaders across Digital, Commercial, Legal, Risk, and Delivery, providing expert advice and assurance on risk exposure, control effectiveness, and remediation. You will also play a key role in aligning departmental approaches to GovAssure, the Security Policy Framework, and the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF).

Find out more about our Digital teams and what they are working on through our MHCLG Digital blog. Please note that MHCLG do not offer visa sponsorship and applicants will need a valid visa for the duration of your employment.

Job description

As a Third Party Risk Manager, you'll:

• Lead, design, and oversee MHCLG’s approach to third party cyber security risk across the full supplier lifecycle
• Be accountable for ensuring that risks introduced by third parties are identified, assessed, managed, and reported effectively, supporting safe delivery of digital services and protecting departmental assets
• Lead the third‑party risk management strategy, framework, operating model, and associated policies aligned to HMG SPF, GovAssure, and NCSC guidance
• Provide senior, risk‑based advice to Directors, SROs, and Boards on supplier cyber and information security risks
• Oversee and assure high‑risk or business‑critical suppliers, ensuring proportionate assessment, remediation, and ongoing monitoring
• Embed security and assurance requirements across sourcing, onboarding, and contract management in partnership with Commercial and Procurement
• Maintain supplier risk reporting, governance, escalation routes, and engagement with internal assurance functions and external assessors
• Support third‑party related incident response and coach colleagues as a subject matter expert across cyber and digital teams

Person specification

We will assess you against the essential criteria below during the recruitment process. Please ensure your CV clearly demonstrate how you meet them.

As a Third part Risk Manager, you'll have:

• Experience leading third party risk management, cyber security, information assurance, or technology risk at an organisational level
• Proven ability to design, implement, and operate risk frameworks, policies, and governance in complex environments
• Strong knowledge of government and industry standards, including the Security Policy Framework, GovAssure, NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework
• Experience assessing and managing risk associated with cloud services, SaaS platforms, and outsourced technology services
• Proven ability to provide clear, confident advice to senior stakeholders, balancing risk, delivery, and operational realities
• Strong leadership, influencing, and decision making skills in ambiguous or high risk contexts

Desirable criteria:

• Recognised professional qualifications (e.g. CISSP, CISM, CRISC, ISO 27001 Lead Auditor)
• Experience working in government, public sector, or highly regulated environments
• Experience embedding security and risk requirements into commercial and supplier management processes

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,092, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £16,829 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Childcare Voucher and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here.

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

Application and Selection

The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:

Behaviours , Experience , Technical

Please ensure your CV does not contain any personally identifiable information.

Note: We do not consider direct CV applications. All applications must be submitted via the provided application link.

Stage 1: Sift (CV only)

Experience & Technical:

In your CV, please include:
a. why you are interested in the role;
b. how you meet the essential skills and experience required

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.

Stage 2: Interview

• Behaviours: "Changing and Improving", "Making Effective Decisions", "Seeing The Big Picture"
• Experience: Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.
• Technical: Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.

Sift and Interview Dates

Sifting is envisaged to take place the week commencing 20th April 2026.

Interviews are envisaged to take place the week commencing 4th May 2026 and are currently being held remotely via videocall. This could be subject to change.

Group 1 Digital & Data Roles

MHCLG has implemented the Digital and Data capability framework for Group 1 roles. Applicants that are successful and have been offered a position will be required to complete a capability assessment after the interview.

MHCLG will honour completed capability assessments for this role from other Government Departments for existing civil servants on level transfer only.Please provide a copy of your capability assessment to the Hiring Manager when applying. If you have any queries on pay, please contact the Hiring Manager.

Each experience or technical skill is assessed between 1-3, representing working towards, at or above the job level requirements. You are awarded a proficiency level accordingly, and you will be given opportunity to annually re assess your capability and potentially increase your overall remuneration, through payment of allowances, depending on level of assessed capability.

Candidates moving from another government department have the option to retain their current basic pay if this is within our pay band for the relevant grade.

Grade 7 Group 1 Digital and Data salary

• The basic pay for this role will be between £63,483 – £72,287 (London), £58,092 – £66,742 (National). Candidates will usually be recruited to the median of the payscale.
• A digital allowance may also be payable depending on the level of assessed capability, in order to meet the MHCLG overall targeted remuneration rate for the specific grade, location and capability rating.
• For applicants in receipt of existing allowances, we will assess each case individually, but we would seek not to exceed the MHCLG overall targeted remuneration rate for the specific grade, location and capability rating for existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply, subject to the statements above.

How We Recruit

Find out everything you need to know before applying here..

• Applying
• Sifting
• Interview
• Interview Results & Feedback
• Reserve List
• Near Miss
• Civil Service Grades
• We are a DCS, RIS & GPTWV employer
• Reasonable Adjustments

How to Apply

What you need to know before applying.

• Security Clearance Requirements
• Civil Service Nationality Requirements
• Right to Work
• Artificial Intelligence
• Civil Service Code and Recruitment Principles
• CV Declaration
• Sponsorships
• Salary and Grade
• Existing Civil Servants
• Conflict of Interest
• Location and Flexible Working
• Fixed Term Contracts
• Internal Fraud Database - Internal Fraud Register
• Appeals and Complaints
• Conflict of Interest

Security Clearance Requirements

National Office: + SC

London Office: + SC

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.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

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 : Digital Data Jobs
• Email : digitaldatajobs@communities.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : digitaldatajobs@communities.gov.uk

Further information

If you are unsure about any part of the process or require additional information about the post to enable you to progress your application, you should speak to the Resourcing team - Recruitment@communities.gov.uk. Candidates can appeal at any stage of the recruitment process if they believe there has been:
•a procedural irregularity
•an infringement of the Civil Service equal opportunities policy
•exceptional circumstances which were not notified to the interview panel which might have affected performance on the day.
It is important to note that these are appeals about the process not the decision. In the first instance, an appeal should be directed to the MHCLG Resourcing Hub at Recruitment@communities.gov.uk.
If the MHCLG Resourcing Hub is unable to satisfactorily resolve your complaint, you may contact put your complaint in writing to the Civil Service Commission, Room G8,1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ or by email to: info@csc.gov.uk