Location: Croydon | Liverpool | Manchester | Glasgow | Cardiff
Salary: £76,117 (£80,237 for London) with skills allowance of up to £19,483
Advert Close: Wednesday 22nd April 2026
Home Office Cyber Security (HOCS) at the Home Office plays a vital role in protecting one of the UK’s largest government departments and its nationally critical digital infrastructure.
As the Head of the Home Office Cyber Security Compliance & Assurance Function, you will use your skills, expertise, and experience to lead and inspire a world class security function delivering Compliance and Assurance across the Home Office and its Arm’s Length Bodies. You will support the Home Office CISO and wider HOCS capability, drawing on a range of evidence to proactively provide risk-based advice to stakeholders across the organisation up to the highest levels. Additionally, you will support the departments adoption of ‘Secure by Design,’ embedding it within the full product lifecycle from inception to decommissioning. The role includes managing four sub functions that deliver Cyber Internal Audit, Strategic Assurance, Third Party Assurance, and 2nd Line Assurance.
HOCS is a committed and inclusive team of cyber professionals focused on reducing cyber risk across new and existing digital services, supported by a strong culture of collaboration and continuous professional development.
Recruitment Event
We are hosting a Cyber profession online recruitment event on 15/04/26 at 13:30PM, where you can find out more about our roles, working for Home Office Digital and how to apply. Register your interest here: https://lnkd.in/emSPwb_N.
Your main day to day responsibilities will be:
* Delivering annual GovAssure assessments across the Home Office (HO) and its Arms-Length Bodies, including supporting deep‑dive Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF) reviews for the department’s most critical and CNI services.
* Overseeing HO Cyber Assurance, leading the department’s cyber second line. Provide effective check‑and‑challenge across products and portfolios to ensure compliance with security policies and required controls.
* Maintaining the HO Three Lines of Defence model aligned to the Cyber Assurance Framework, working with the Cyber Policy Team to develop and update assurance policies, standards, processes, and guidance.
* Managing the Third‑Party Assurance (TPA) function, covering regulatory and legislative compliance for HO business areas and suppliers, including ownership of associated tooling, budgets, and contracts.
* Managing the Internal Audit function to deliver cyber reviews and audits, assess control effectiveness, and drive continuous improvement.
* Leading analysis of complex security and information assurance requirements and advise on cyber governance arrangements to maintain organisational security confidence.
* Communicating findings and risk assessment outcomes clearly to senior leaders across government, shaping decisions on security strategy, risk management, and policy. Champion risk‑management policy and ensure alignment with regulation and wider government standards.
* Leading and mentoring a diverse team of security specialists.
* Producing, analysing, or implementing technical or security policies in a large organisation and clearly articulating the business impact while balancing with practicality and effectiveness.
* Championing cybersecurity risk and ensuring ongoing appropriateness or practices. Capability to advocate for cybersecurity while collaborating across business units for effective implementation.
* Developing and implementing cybersecurity risk, assurance or governance processes and procedures including driving continual service improvements through the measurement and challenge of services and processes, tools, and capability.
* Ability to network within the broader security industry, sharing best practice within and beyond the Home Office and the portfolio you lead.
* Advising on NCSC cyber security standards and guidance and working in or with government departments.
Why work for us...
Find out more information at: Benefits - Home Office Careers, but some of the primary ones are:
* A Civil Service Pension with employer contribution rates of at least 28.97%.
* In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
* 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service.
* 8 days of public holidays, plus 1 additional privilege day.
* Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.
Please click on apply now to be redirected to the full job advert and application portal.
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