Head of Secure Services
- Hiring from
- United Kingdom
- Work type
- Hybrid
- Posted
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Help shape how the Scottish Government protects and operates some of its most sensitive services.
As Head of Secure Services, you will join the National Cyber Security and Resilience Division, which brings together cyber security leadership, operational capability and assurance to strengthen resilience across Scotland and the Scottish Government. You will have the opportunity to work across government, building trusted relationships and helping ensure services operating above OFFICIAL remain secure, resilient and available.
You will provide strategic direction for secure services, lead the response to cyber security incidents and investigations, and use your judgement on security risk, controls and access. Acting as a senior point of contact for stakeholders and network owners, you will influence decisions across organisational boundaries and help ensure these important environments remain secure, fit for purpose and able to meet their assurance requirements.
Responsibilities
- Champion the security of networks operating above OFFICIAL, ensuring services remain secure and available.
- Protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information and information systems used by the Scottish Government and partners across government.
- Responsible for room inductions, appropriate security inductions, and ensuring appropriate vetting is held prior to approving access to rooms.
- Lead cyber security investigations, including the triage and response to security incidents affecting the services you are responsible for.
- Build and influence relationships with senior stakeholders, acting as a key point of contact for working above OFFICIAL and new business requirements.
- Responsible for managing financial costs associated with these environments.
- Has oversight of security administration processes and checks that all requests for support are dealt with according to agreed procedures.
- Help shape security policy, standards and guidance, ensuring they reflect business, technology and legal requirements and recognised professional practice.
- Work closely with network owners and partners across government to support effective cross-government collaboration.
- Ensure secure environments remain fit for purpose and meet the required audit and accreditation standards.
- Provide expert advice on physical, procedural and technical security controls, including appropriate access rights and privileges.
- Explains the purpose of and provides advice and guidance on the application and operation of elementary physical, procedural and technical security controls for your environments.
- Responsible for reporting to the Working Above Official Board (WAO) about services, systems, issues and planned works.
Success Profile
Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of behaviours, experience and technical criteria (if applicable) that candidates will be assessed on.
Experience:
- Experience of secure communications platforms and services
- You have experience of managing incidents, reporting on and bringing investigations to a successful conclusion which allows you to advise on response best practice
- Ability and proven experience of decision making, both tactical/operational and strategic and demonstrable strong communication skills, both written and verbal
- Ability to build strong relationships with a variety of stakeholders and across government, often with conflicting priorities, using judgement to make complex decisions.
Experience is assessed at sift, along with a more in-depth assessment at interview.
Behaviours:
- Managing a Quality Service (Level 4)
- Seeing the Big Picture (Level 4)
You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here.
Behaviours are assessed at interview. Full details will be shared in advance with all candidates invited to this stage.
Technical Skills:
This role is aligned to the Head of Cyber Security Job role within the Cyber Security and Information Assurance Job Family.
Applied Security Capability | Expert |
Information Risk Assessment and Risk Management | Awareness |
Protective Security | Working |
Threat Understanding | Awareness |
You can find out more about the skills required, here: Cyber security and information assurance: career framework - gov.scot
These skills are assessed by technical assessment, designed to represent the role. Candidates reaching this stage will receive a Technical Assessment Candidate Pack which outlines the specific skills to be assessed, plus the method of assessment.
How to Apply
Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 750 words) which provides evidence of how you meet each of the 4 Experience criteria listed in the Success Profile above.
Candidates will have their applications assessed against all Experience criteria.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.
Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.
If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and Government Cyber Profession Technical assessment where the behaviours, experiences and technical skills outlined in the Success Profile will be assessed.
The sift is scheduled for w/c Monday 30th November.
Interviews and Technical assessments are scheduled for w/c Monday 16th November, however these may be subject to change. These will be held in-person in Edinburgh.
Skilled Worker Sponsorship Not Being Offered
Skilled Worker sponsorship is not available for this role. As a result, we are unable to appoint candidates who require Skilled Worker sponsorship now or in the future. Applicants must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK.
Recruitment Principles
As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases.
About Us
The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.
Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service observing the Civil Service Code and working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.
We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.
As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.
Working Pattern
Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role, including Flexi-leave. Scottish Government staff in hybrid-compatible roles should aim to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.
If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact Digitalcareers@gov.scot.
Security checks
This role requires National Security Vetting (NSV) at Developed Vetting (DV) level. Appointment to the post will be subject to successfully obtaining and maintaining DV clearance.
To support the vetting process, candidates will normally need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period to allow the necessary checks to be carried out. In most cases, this means having been resident in the UK for at least the previous five years. Further information can be found here.
Government, Digital and Data Profession
The Government Digital and Data (GDD) Profession is a UK-wide group of over 24,000 civil servants dedicated to driving digital transformation in government through more efficient, data-driven public services. This community oversees a wide range of responsibilities, including architects, data scientists, engineers, and content designers, across different, multidisciplinary teams.
The profession, sponsored by the Government Digital Service (GDS), offers the frameworks, skills, and development routes necessary for these individuals to thrive and produce improved outcomes for the public.
In Scotland, cyber roles are attached to the Profession as an additional job family. Details of these roles and associated skills can be found on the beta site UK Government Cyber Profession.
Pay Supplement
This post is part of the Government Digital and Data (GDD) profession and currently attracts a £4,000.00 annual GDD pay supplement, which is paid monthly – pay supplements are reviewed regularly.
Equality Statement
We are committed to equality and inclusion, and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.
Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.
Further Information
Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.
Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.
Apply before 23:59 - Tuesday 17th November 2026.
If you would like to learn more about the role before submitting an application, or if you have any questions, please contact:
Contact Name: Alan Gray
Contact e-Mail: Digitalcareers@gov.scot
