Set the strategic direction for Security and Data Protection in DWP Lead, motivate, and develop the skills necessary in a modern high performing security team (approx. 350), while building the right culture to deliver customer-centric, effective and coherent security arrangements. Set the security and data protection vision, direction, ensuring that Security and Data Protection services are aligned with organisational objectives. Oversee the identification, assessment and mitigation of security and data protection risks while supporting and advancing business objectives. Design and Implement security and data protection policy and culture changes across DWP and wider government by being a credible and visible leader. Provide coherent cross Government services in Security Education and Awareness and recruitment and development for future professionals Deliver innovative, risk-based Security and Data Protection services With Departmental colleagues in the Digital, Property and HR Functions deliver a set of technical security services to internal customers and programmes in a way that is agile, and risk informed. Strengthen DWPs personnel and physical security position by designing and implementing an appropriate security frameworks. Establish and maintain longer term security programmes to ensure that the department and its customers are adequately protected against future threats. Ensure security and privacy is by design and that appropriate controls are in existence throughout the organisation and the wider DWP business. Ensure appropriate response to security incidents and drive continuous improvements by learning from them. Assure Senior Leaders that Security and Data Protection is fit for purpose Facilitate an appropriate security governance structure; provide regular reporting on the current status of security and data protection risks and the effectiveness of our controls to senior leaders. Deliver a second line security assurance function to provide an independent perspective on the delivery of security and data protection controls across DWP. Provide an assurance function for suppliers, ALBs, Local Authorities that ensures DWP assets are protected by partners in the same way that they are within DWP. Person specification The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their knowledge, experience and skills against the following essential criteria: Prior experience of influencing corporate Board-level stakeholders. The post holder will brief Ministers, members of the Executive Board and the Departmental Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee on all aspects of security and data protection including cyber. Evidence of successfully managing security operations at pace, with extensive experience in the security profession. A track record of delivering significant policy and culture change in a large, complex organisation. Evidence of decision making making decisions at the appropriate time, considering the needs of the situation, priorities, constraints, known risks, and the availability of necessary information and resources. Evidence of resilience, including the ability to take a robust stance under pressure where necessary and provide clear and unambiguous advice when called upon. A leader with a track record of successful and inclusive team management. Extensive experience of providing visible and collaborative leadership within a complex organisation with a proven ability to build high performing teams growing confidence and capability, employee engagement, and an inclusive culture. Desirable Criteria Recognised professional accreditation and certifications such as UK Cyber Security Council accreditation, CISSP, CISM, CISA, CCSP, or equivalent are strongly preferred. Familiarity with International security frameworks and standards (e.g., NIST, CAF, ISO 27001) is advantageous. Benefits Alongside your salary of 100,000, Department for Work and Pensions contributes 28,970 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes: Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours. Generous annual leave at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (prorata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave. Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme. Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly). Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 years continuous service. Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes. An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more. Things you need to know Selection process details Application Process To apply for this post please submit the following information no later than 5pm on Monday 27th October 2025. All applications must be submitted by email to DWP@allenlane.co.uk. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years; A personal statement (maximum 1250 words), explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities, and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification. Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification. As part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say. All monitoring data will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be provided to the selection panel. The information you provide when submitting your application will help us monitor our progress towards the Civil Service becoming the most inclusive employer. Reasonable Adjustments At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, especially those that are underrepresented in our workforce. 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 senior.recruitment@dwp.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 additional support or adjustments you might need during the recruitment process. For further information regarding reasonable adjustments, please see following link: Reasonable Adjustments, Civil Service Careers Artificial Intelligence For further information regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within applications, please see following link: Artificial intelligence and recruitment, Civil Service Careers Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise. As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above. 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 developed vetting (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. 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 : Ed Stroud Email : DWP@allenlane.co.uk Recruitment team Email : senior.recruitment@dwp.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: senior.recruitment@dwp.gov.uk DWP@allenlane.co.uk Attachments Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 521kB) Apply at advertiser's site