Department wishes to hear from security leaders who have previous experience of working for organisations specifically targeted by cyber attackers and leading efforts dedicated to ‘identifying, containing, and remediating incidents’

The Home Office is seeking a senior security professional to lead the department’s efforts to identify and respond to cyberthreats.

The role as head of detect and response comes with a responsibility to lead the creation of an organisation-wide strategy for meeting security risks, while also “creating, reviewing and updating response policies, standards and processes”. The chosen applicant will oversee the Home Office’s “full incident-response lifecycle, ensuring effective communication with cross-government stakeholders; leading post-incident reviews and implementing exercising strategies to maintain organisational resilience”, according to the job advert.

The position, which offers a salary of up to £85,690, will take on managerial responsibility for “conducting technical assessments to identify vulnerabilities and threats; using findings to inform strategy and incident response planning”. 

The official main office for the role will be the Home Office’s location in Manchester, but the advert advises that the successful candidate can choose to work from various other cities across the UK.

“Due to the 24/7 nature of the Cyber Security Operations Centre, this role will at times, require some out of hours and on call availability,” the advert adds.

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Applications for the position are open until 11.55pm on Sunday, and the Home Office is particularly keen to hear from security professionals with experience of leading response and mitigation of targeted cyberattacks.

“Cybersecurity Detect and Response at the Home Office plays a vital role in protecting one of the UK’s largest government departments and its nationally critical digital infrastructure,” the advert says. “[This] position demands strong leadership, technical acumen, and clear communication to manage and enhance cyber incident response procedures. The role involves leading a high-performing security function, shaping strategy and policy, and managing incidents in collaboration with senior stakeholders across government.”

It adds: “Working within a team of cyber professionals, the post holder will contribute to safeguarding complex systems, supported by a culture of continuous development. Responsibilities include identifying, containing, and remediating incidents, driving process improvements, and ensuring the organisation remains prepared for evolving threats through regular exercises and robust governance.”