Credit: Mohamed Hassan/Pixabay

The Department for Work and Pensions is seeking to recruit a senior manager to oversee the creation and implementation of security practices to protect the organisation’s infrastructure, data, and people.

The role as head of security policy and standards comes with the responsibility to “lead the development, delivery and maintenance of a framework of security policies, standards and associated guidance” to be applied throughout the department’s operations.

This framework must ensure that the DWP’s processes and rules comply with all statutory and legal requirements, as well as keeping pace with new threats and other technological developments. Policies and standards applied across the department should also “help to protect DWP, its infrastructure and its staff from physical, personnel and cyber threats”, according to the job advert.

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“The head of security policy and standards is a critical and high-profile role protecting the UK’s biggest public service department from organised and developing threats to its people, data and services,” it said. “We’re looking for someone with a real strategic mindset, with excellent communication and influencing skills, who can lead and develop this already high functioning team. You don’t necessarily need a security background, but you must have a good strategic understanding of how policies and standards can be used to effectively shape behaviour across an organisation.”

The advert added: “The DWP holds data on the majority of citizens in the UK and provides essential services to the most vulnerable in society. As the UK’s biggest public service department, we operate on a scale that is almost unmatched anywhere in Europe and most people in Britain come into contact with us at some point in their lives. The security of citizens’ data is of paramount importance to allow DWP to effectively provide its primary objective of public service provision in a safe and secure manner.”

Applications for the role are open until 11.55pm on Sunday 27 November. The position comes with a salary of between £66,860 to £80,341 and the chosen applicant will be based at one of the department’s office locations in London, Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Blackpool, or Newcastle-upon-Tyne.