As a supply chain security specialist, youll play a critical role in safeguarding DWPs services by assuring the security posture of contracts and suppliers. Youll lead the identification and analysis of supply chain risks, translating complex data and threat intelligence into clear, actionable insights for decision-makers. Working closely with commercial, delivery, and security teams, youll drive targeted risk management interventions that strengthen resilience, ensure compliance, and protect sensitive assets across a diverse supplier landscape. Your work will directly support strategic assurance efforts and help shape a proactive, risk-aware culture across DWP and its partners. Responsibilities will include: Strategic and team leadership Lead by example, visibly and confidently engaging colleagues and stakeholders to support and deliver effective security risk and assurance capabilities Clearly define priorities, ensuring all risk analysis and assurance activities align with departmental and HMG strategic risk. Reflect priorities in measurable team objectives Identify opportunities for enhanced assurance of DWPs supplier and known supply chain risks Continue to iterate the service to ensure we continue to meet end user needs, stakeholder requirements, and align to wider departmental risk and control assessment practices Inspire and develop team members, ensuring they are equipped with the skills and support needed to deliver high-quality outputs. Pre-contract security assurance Oversee the delivery of timely pre-contract security assurance reviews of suppliers to DWP to inform contract award, risk mitigation and in-contract security risk management requirements. Data-driven security risk analysis Lead and deliver a data-driven analysis to improve both contract- and enterprise-level decision-making, providing holistic and robust opinion on the security posture of people, processes, and technology Oversee the delivery of activities ranging from targeted contract or supplier-focused risk assessments to inform the management of specific risks, through to enterprise-level assessments of DWP exposure to security risk from its vast and complex supply chain Deliver quarterly strategic updates to DG-level customers on supply chain security and timely responses to any urgent and ad-hoc requests, balancing the need for accuracy with the necessity of quick decision-making. Stakeholder engagement Establish and maintain relationships with key stakeholders in Commercial, Digital and other enabling functions to collectively identify and address supply chain security risks Provide input at senior governance levels, ensuring security outcomes are fully understood and considered Clearly communicate analytical results and complex concepts to non-expert audiences, including senior stakeholders, to secure buy-in and support for recommendations Champion supply chain security and risk management services across DWP, particularly within Commercial Directorate Contribute to the development of a cross-government supply chain security and resilience community of practice. We have a supportive and collaborative team culture in ESRM. With a fantastic induction programme and year-round learning opportunities, well provide you with the skills and experience you need to be confident in your role. We welcome applications from skilled and knowledgeable security professionals and can support you in gaining relevant qualifications and certifications (such as ISO27005 Risk Manager, ISO27001 Lead Auditor or CompTIA) if you dont already hold them. Given the geographic spread of our team, DWP customers, cross-government stakeholders and industry suppliers, you'll need to be willing to travel to other DWP locations, with periodic overnight stays required. Person specification We would love to hear from you if you can demonstrate your skills and experience across the following essential criteria: Leadership and delivery Leading by example, visibly and confidently engaging colleagues and stakeholders to support and deliver effective security risk and assurance capabilities. Thriving in a challenging environment, working to tight deadlines while prioritising a large and varied workload. Commercial practice and supply chain security assurance Knowledge and experience of commercial practice, preferably in a public sector context. Demonstrable knowledge and experience of third-party supplier security assurance methodologies and associate standards and certifications. Risk management Solid understanding of the principles of risk management and a proven track record of working on risk management. A comprehensive technical understanding of security risk management processes and controls. Effective decision-making, demonstrable ability to translate evidence, available data and experience into clear, accurate and professional decisions. Engagement and communication Excellent communication skills and the ability to engage and negotiate easily and confidently with stakeholder at all levels. Experience of interacting with senior leaders on security risk/assurance topics to present, escalate and influence decision making. For candidates applying for roles in Wales, the ability to speak Welsh is desirable. Benefits Alongside your salary of 57,946, Department for Work and Pensions contributes 16,786 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. Youll join us in one of our brilliant hub locations: Birmingham, Blackpool, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle or Sheffield. Our team loves the ability to balance their life and their work. We have flexible hours, and hybrid working. We use Flexitime, which means at those times when you might need to work longer to get the job done, you build up flexicredit that you can use to start later or finish earlier. In return for your skills, we offer salary range of 57,946 - 68,205 p.a ., an attractive civil service pension with employer contributions of over 27%, and a generous annual leave package starting at 26 Days, rising to 31 Days over time. Additionally, these posts currently attract a Recruitment and Retention Allowance of 7,000 per annum. The work we do is important, and we know healthy and happy people do better work. We have a great benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes: Volunteering and charitable giving Discounts and savings on shopping, days out and more Interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so its even easier for you to get to work and start making a difference Sports and social activities Learning and development, including coaching, mentoring, progression opportunities and guaranteed 5-days formal learning per year. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Things you need to know Selection process details Your application will consist of the following: A completed Personal Details application form. Completion of the Civil Service Numerical Test. A curriculum vitae including education, professional qualifications and full employment history, giving details of key achievements, including details of the work and projects that you have been involved in Personal Statement up to 1250 words demonstrating your knowledge, skills and experience against the essential criteria set out in the Person Specification above. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. Online Tests After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete an online Civil Service Numerical Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the next stage of the application. Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended) to ensure you do not experience any technical issue and fail to meet the deadline. The closing date for the application is 23:55 on 20th October 2025. You must have completed the test and submitted your full application in advance of this deadline. Do not leave it to the last minute. If you fail to complete the online test and submit your application before the deadline, your application will be unsuccessful. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website. When you are invited to take the test, you will be sent full guidance and a link to practice tests which provide an authentic test-taking experience, so you can understand how tests work. Application & Sift The next stage of the application will ask you to complete a CV and Personal Statement. The CV is for reference only and will not be scored. A sift will be carried out using your 1250-word Personal Statement. Your personal statement needs to set out evidence of how your experience meets all the Essential Criteria in the advert. We are not looking at how much time you have spent in a job, where relevant, but rather how you have performed. Your Personal Statement must show demonstrable evidence of what you did, how you did it, and what outcome was achieved. This should include the impact of your approach and evidence of your ability to take forward different approaches in different circumstances. The standards detailed in the Person Specification are the minimum expectations for the role and only candidates with the strongest evidence will be invited to interview. Candidates will have to meet the standard for all criteria to progress to interview. If high application volumes are received, candidates may be assessed against the lead criteria ( Leadership and delivery ). The benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may also be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards. Your statement must not exceed 1250 words and you are advised to take advantage of the full word count. The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. If evidence of plagiarism, or sharing of questions, information or answers throughout any part of the selection process is found, your application will be withdrawn. Examples of plagiarism can include: Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own Copying content from an online/published source Using forms of Artificial Intelligence to produce application content which you present as your own. We recognise that AI may be helpful when applying for this role, but it is important to use it in the right way. Read the Artificial intelligence and recruitment, Civil Service Careers to understand how you can make the best use of AI while ensuring your application remains authentic and effective. Interview stage If youre successful at sift stage, you will be invited to complete an analysis, prioritisation and decision-making exercise (sometimes called an in-tray exercise) and a face-to-face interview. These will both take place on the same day. The exercise is designed to simulate the kind of real-world challenges a Lead Security Risk Assurance Manager might face. The task will assess your ability to evaluate data, make sound decisions under time pressure or with incomplete information, and communicate rationale clearly and professionally. The interview will be based on the essential criteria detailed in the Person Specification section above. Interviews will take place at one of our Corporate Hubs listed at the top of this advert. Indicative timelines are: Sift Week Commencing 20th October 2025 Interviews Week Commencing 17th November 2025. Postings Posting will be made in merit order by location, this will be based on the geographical requirement at the time. Successful candidates will be posted to a specific role and will have the opportunity to express a preference as part of the selection process, although final decisions may come down to business need, and the skills and development needs of candidates. Standard promotion rules will apply, and successful candidates will be placed on the pay scale and terms and conditions of DWP. Offers of employment: Following the interview stage, should you not reach the required standard for the advertised G7 role, we may be able to offer you a role which would be a grade below the advertised post under our Near Miss process. Any candidates falling into this category will be contacted once the interview results have been released. You will be asked to indicate if you are interested when completing your application. Further Information At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce. Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub. Reserve List A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note: If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health). If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list. Disability Confident Scheme If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards. Reasonable Adjustments We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. Complete the Reasonable Adjustments section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section. Integrity, plagiarism, Civil Service Principles and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Examples of plagiarism can include: Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check toDisclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicants details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government. If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check will be carried out. For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website. Important New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band. Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks. Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWPs Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions. Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary. Any move to DWP 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 the Childcare Choices Website. Feedback 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 the Civil 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 : Helen Broadhead Email : helen.broadhead@dwp.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : dwprecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk Further information Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: HR.BUSINESSASSURANCE@DWP.GOV.UK. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission. Attachments DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 17kB) Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview-Accessble-Version Opens in new window (docx, 70kB)