Head of Cyber Security – CSOC Innovation & Improvements | NHS England


Company:	NHS England
Salary:	£103,355.20 - £119,091.70 Per Annum (this includes a RRP payment of 30%) Excludes HCAS
Hours:	Part-time
Location:	Leeds / Exeter / London, LS1 4AP
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	2 Nov 2026
Closing date:	2 Dec 2026

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Summary

Please be aware that should you be successful in this position, you will be hired to the job title of Head of Security (Lead) and this job title is advertised to attract the right skills needed for the role.

The Head of Cyber Security Innovation & Improvement is on ensuring that the NHS’s systems operate from a cyber resilient architecture, looking at people, processes and technology. The role is part of a small team that supports all functions (Protective Monitoring, Threat Operations, Incident Management and Engineering) within the Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC) with the delivery of technical and innovative solutions and the implementation of processes to support day to day output and services to the health sector. 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 post of Head of Cyber Security–CSOC Innovation & Improvements has been awarded a Recruitment and Retention Premia (RRP) in response to current labour market conditions. In recognition of this, 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

The Head of Cyber Security – CSOC Innovation & Improvement will be accountable for:

• Leadership and management of cross-team initiatives and interactions between teams including the Engineering, Security Ops, and Threat Ops functions within the CSOC.

• Line Management of the Innovation and Improvement team.

Contribution to the management of complex incidents and investigations, co-ordinating activity during large scale incidents across the NHS.

• Identification and leading on the implementation of CSOC improvement activities that support the successful delivery of CSOC services.

• Providing specialist knowledge and expertise in a diverse range of cyber security areas related to Threat Operations, Protective Monitoring, Security Engineering and Incident Management.

• Keeping up to date with the latest security and technology trends, to include researching and evaluating emerging cyber security threats, and mitigations.

• Using advanced analytic tools to help analyse emerging threat patterns and vulnerabilities.

• Presenting to senior leaders.

• Maintaining the CSOC’s Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity plans and for coordinating when enacted.

• Manage the CSOC’s Lessons Learned process and post incident activities.

• Representing the CSOC at organisational Risk Governance meetings.

• Act as a cyber subject matter expert for external improvement programmes.

• Develop and maintain stakeholder relationships across the health sector, X-Gov and suppliers.

NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions,responsibilitiesand regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliverhigh qualitycare, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.

Our staff bringexpertiseacross clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms — enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.

In March 2025,the Government announcedthat NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions,ultimately leadingto NHS England being fully integrated into the department. 

If you currently work within the NHS and if successful at interview, we willinitiatean Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current orpreviousNHS 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 our offices.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.

We cannot offer visa sponsorship forexternal candidates.

The Cyber Operations sub-directorate consists of four operational areas:

• Cyber Security Operations Unit

• Cyber Delivery Unit

• Cyber Improvement Programme

• Chief Information Security Office Function

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information about the role and responsibilities.

Please ensure your supporting statement includes demonstratable evidence and specific examples on how you meet the criteria for each of the key skills specified. This will be used in both the shortlisting and interview processes.

Important: Please be aware there are residency requirements you need to meet:

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. You don’t need to have SC already, however, failure to achieve the requirements for SC after offer will result in the job offer being withdrawn.

For further advice please checkhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels#security-check-scor contact england.securityvetting@nhs.net.

The post of Head of Security (Lead) has been awarded a Recruitment and Retention Premia (RRP) in response to current labour market conditions. In recognition of this, 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.

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!

You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.

This advert closes on Monday 16 Nov 2026

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