36091 - Thames Barrier and Associated Gates Senior Security Team Leader


Company:	Environment Agency
Salary:	from £54,940 a year
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	London, SE7 8LX
Working pattern:	Hybrid - 4 days remote
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	27 Aug 2026
Closing date:	21 Sept 2026

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Summary

Join the local operations team responsible for protecting and operating one of the UK's most iconic and strategically important pieces of National Infrastructure. This role provides a unique opportunity to shape the security and resilience of the Thames Tidal Defences (TTD), including the world-renowned Thames Barrier, helping safeguard millions of people, homes, businesses and nationally significant assets across London and the Thames Estuary.

As the senior security lead for Thames Tidal Defences, you will provide strategic oversight of security risk across a diverse portfolio of operational sites and assets. You will oversee day-to-day security arrangements, ensuring effective management of physical access, personnel security, information security and the wider security culture. Working across operational, engineering and corporate functions, you will influence decisions at all levels and provide assurance that security risks are appropriately identified, assessed and managed.

You will maintain a strategic view of the threat landscape and lead engagement with key national security partners including the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Counter Terrorism Security Advisors (CTSA) and relevant government departments. You will approve threat response postures, oversee prioritised security improvement programmes and ensure security risks are escalated appropriately.

The role is responsible for setting local vetting standards, supporting complex personnel and protective security decisions, and maintaining long-term maintenance and capital investment plans for physical and electronic security systems. Working closely with Corporate Security and Critical National Infrastructure security specialists, you will help shape the future security strategy for TTD, ensuring alignment with national policy, emerging threats and industry best practice.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a tangible difference at the heart of a nationally significant operation where security, resilience and public safety are critical to everything we do.

The team

The Thames Tidal Defences Department manages the iconic Thames Barrier and its associated gates, protecting 125 km² of London from tidal flooding. This vital system safeguards 1.51 million people, 743,000 properties, and £401 billion of infrastructure. Behind this protection is a dedicated team of asset managers, engineers, forecasters, and security professionals, working together to ensure resilience, reliability, and rapid response across one of the UK’s most important flood defence networks.

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