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The Cyber Security Team sits within Technology in the Digital and Information Directorate. The team leads the delivery of Ofsted’s cyber security strategy, ensuring security practices across the organisation are appropriately governed and comply with internal and central government policy, regulatory requirements and recognised security standards. We also provide oversight and assurance to ensure security risks are clearly understood and effectively mitigated.

This role plays an essential part in ensuring that AI systems used across Ofsted are secure, resilient, and compliant. The postholder will provide expert cyber security guidance across projects and programmes, working closely with cross‑functional teams to identify risks, design appropriate controls and ensure compliance with policy and standards. You will act as a subject‑matter expert on AI security, supporting the safe adoption of emerging technologies while maintaining robust governance and assurance.

This role requires Security Check (SC) clearance. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be willing and able to obtain and maintain SC clearance.

This is a fantastic opportunity to further your experience in Ofsted’s well-established team. The post holder will work with high-achieving professionals at all levels, surrounded by a friendly and supportive team. They will have access to amazing benefits, such as flexible working hours, the Civil Service Pension Scheme, and 32.5 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays. We offer a hybrid working model, so you may also choose to spend a proportion of time working from home.

Job description

Please refer to the job specification for further information.

Person specification

Please refer to the job specification for further information.

Qualifications

Appropriate security qualification e.g. CISSP, CCSP, CISM or equivalent demonstrable experience.

Behaviours

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

Seeing the Big Picture
Making Effective Decisions
Communicating and Influencing
Working Together

Technical skills

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

Knowledge and practical experience of application and data security including LLMs, GenAI and Agentic AI; familiarity with OWASP LLM Top 10.
Knowledge and practical experience of applying information security standards, GDPR and other related legislation and frameworks.
Strong understanding of cloud security across common cloud platforms, patterns and services, particularly Microsoft Azure.
Practical experience of threat modelling using industry standard methodologies (e.g. MITRE, STRIDE).
Practical experience of the UK government’s Secure by Design approach and/or the NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework.
Practical experience of working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders, managing conflicting priorities and successfully delivering work activities.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain difficult concepts clearly and concisely to a range of stakeholders.

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

Knowledge and practical experience of application and data security including LLMs, GenAI and Agentic AI; familiarity with OWASP LLM Top 10.
Knowledge and practical experience of applying information security standards, GDPR and other related legislation and frameworks.
Strong understanding of cloud security across common cloud platforms, patterns and services, particularly Microsoft Azure.
Practical experience of threat modelling using industry standard methodologies (e.g. MITRE, STRIDE).
Practical experience of the UK government’s Secure by Design approach and/or the NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £69,322, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills contributes £20,082 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).

Full details of the benefits available can be found in our Ofsted Offer brochure.

Ofsted is devoted to equality, diversity and inclusion. Within our Ofsted Strategy 2023-2027 we have stated that we will improve the representation of under-represented groups across the organisation and publish our progress on this annually. We are always looking to expand on our diverse workforce by recruiting candidates from varied backgrounds and differing experiences. We are proud to be a Disability Confident – Leader, we continually engage with our 5 staff networks for protected characteristics, and highlight the work of our Equalities,Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Group. We ensure all candidates are treated with fair and open competition, with all appointments being made on merit and we use our Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) to provide assurance to all candidates of this.

Ofsted is committed to maintaining employee health and wellbeing, whether it is physically, emotionally, financially or socially, and offers a range of benefits to support employees in this. Such benefits include the option to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme, professional and personal development opportunities, 32.5 annual leave days per annum (plus eight days public holiday) and access to counselling and advisory services.

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.

Application and Shortlisting:

The selection panel will assess your application based on your evidence you have provided against the essential/desirable criteria as set out in the job specification.

Use the STAR model (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to present your evidence.

You will also be asked to provide information within the “Employer/Activity History” section of the application form. This information is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV setting out your career history (this may be used in the sifting process).

Assessment and Interview:

Candidates who pass the benchmark at the shortlist stage will be invited to an assessment and interview where you will be assessed against a mixture of the Civil Service behaviours and on the technical/experience skills as detailed in the job specification.

Assessment and Interviews will be held during the week commencing 10 August 2026 at one of the Ofsted offices, as stated in the advert. The location(s) will be confirmed closer to the date.

Details on the assessment will be provided near the time of the interview.

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

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 : People Services Delivery Team
Email : jobs@ofsted.gov.uk
Telephone : 03000 131 487

Recruitment team

Email : jobs@ofsted.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 email Ofsted recruitment at jobs@ofsted.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recrutiment

Attachments

Job specification - Lead AI Security Specialist Opens in new window (pdf, 199kB)

Salary range

£68,635 - £79,322 per year