Job summary
Cyber Operations purpose is to support safe care and build public trust by building NHS England's cyber resilience and enabling the wider health system to be cyber resilient, supporting Transformation Directorate's purpose of delivering the best care and outcomes for the NHS.
The Cyber Operations sub‑directorate consists of four operational areas:
Cyber Security Operations Unit (CSOU & SIO)
Cyber Delivery Unit (CDU)
Cyber Improvement Programme
Chief Information Security Office Function (CISO)
The National CSOC Incident Management function operates within the NHS National CSOC operational team, working alongside protective monitoring, threat hunting, and intelligence activities. This team is responsible for coordinating the management of cyber incidents across the entire NHS, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and its arm's‑length bodies. Their responsibilities include overseeing incident response capabilities and managing relationships with our internal and external stakeholders.
The Head of Security (Lead) Incident Management, will be accountable for the delivery of key operational services and outputs from the Incident Management function within the Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC). This includes oversight and management of Incidents Management, Incident Response, prioritising tasks, services, resourcing, and outputs.
Main duties of the job
Ensure the objectives and activities of the Incident Management team are aligned with overarching CSOC strategy.
Lead the 24/7 major cyber incident response: triage and categorisation, containment, eradication, service recovery and post‑incident review.
Act as primary Incident Commander during nationally significant incidents, providing clear strategic direction and proportionate, risk‑based decisions.
Own and continually improve national incident playbooks, escalation frameworks and exercised readiness (including cyber incident response exercises).
Provide executive‑level briefings and assurance to NHS England leadership and, when required, cross‑government partners and Ministers.
Establish governance, reporting and metrics for incident preparedness and response; drive lessons learned and maturity uplift programmes.
Ensure integration of incident management with business continuity, disaster recovery, clinical safety and public communications.
Coordinate with regional and local organisations during incidents, ensuring consistent messaging and effective multi‑agency collaboration.
Oversee secure handling of incident information, evidence preservation, regulatory notifications and sensitive communications.
Responsible for the management and production of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for the function.
Responsible for the national cyber incident management strategy aligned to NCSC incident management guidance and government resilience frameworks.
About us
Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms enabling us to design and deliver high‑quality NHS services.
We lead the NHS in England by:
Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities
Making the NHS a great place to work, where people can develop and make a difference
Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
Delivering value for money
Earlier this year, the Government announced that NHS England will gradually merge with the Department of Health and Social Care, to create a smaller, more strategic centre that reduces duplication and waste.
If successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in‑person.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
Important: All NHS England Cyber Security personnel must hold Security Clearance level as a minimum. To meet National Security Vetting requirements, SC clearances require 5 years continuous UK residency. In certain cases, this can be reduced to three years continuous UK residency, with additional overseas checks for the previous two years. Candidates who were posted abroad for service with HM Government, Armed Forces or within a UK government role will still be considered. Please make sure you meet these requirements before applying for this role. Failure to achieve the requirements for SC after offer will result in the job offer being withdrawn. For further advice please check https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels#security-check-sc.
If you like what you have read and think you have the skills and experience, we need then don't delay, apply today! We get lots of applications for our roles and so we sometimes have to close our posts early. Don't miss out!
Retention Premia (RRP) : The post of Head of Security (Lead) has been awarded a Recruitment and Retention Premia in response to current labour market conditions. The role attracts an additional monthly RRP payment equal to 30% per annum. Please be aware that RRP is non‑contractual and subject to review.
Person Specification
Knowledge
Extensive knowledge of techniques, roles, and responsibilities in providing technical or business guidance to clients, both internal and external; ability to apply this knowledge appropriately to diverse situations.
In‑depth knowledge of techniques, approaches and processes of digital threats; ability to detect, monitor, analyse and prevent digital threats.
Desirable
Detailed knowledge of technologies, methods and tools of forensics investigations for IT security violations or potential threats; ability to identify, uncover and evaluate violations, warning reports, suspected incidents and insidious events.
Skills and Experience
Expert knowledge and experience of methods and processes to monitor, analyse and respond to network attacks, intrusions or any unauthorised actions; ability to use techniques and tools to perform network defence.
Desirable
Highly developed specialist knowledge of tools, techniques, approaches and processes of cybersecurity risk management; ability to ensure organisational network operation and minimise negative effect by cybersecurity risks.
Qualifications
Masters level degree in Cyber Security or a relevant subject, or equivalent level of experience.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details
Employer name : NHS England
Address :
Wellington Place, Leeds; Hexagon House, Exeter; Wellington House, London
Leeds/Exeter/London
LS1 4AP
Employer's website
#J-18808-Ljbffr