Senior Security Risk Assurance Manager

Senior Security Risk Assurance Manager£44,447 - £46,547, plus £7000 Recruitment and Retention AllowanceRoles available in: Birmingham, Blackpool, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Sheffield.Job SummaryWe’re looking for Security Risk and Assurance Managers to join the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and help us protect vital public services and support national resilienceIn this analytical role, you’ll help assess and manage information security risks and assurance, supporting the safe and secure delivery of DWP services to millions of people.You’ll deliver impartial, expert security insight to senior leaders and stakeholders, ensuring that strategic security risks are identified, analysed, assured and effectively managed.This is your opportunity to make a real impact, embed evidence based assurance, and strengthen resilience across vital public services.Our Team, and Your RoleYou will join Enterprise Security & Risk Management (ESRM) in DWP’s Security & Data Protection (S&DP) directorate, one of the largest security teams in government. We are responsible for delivering a wide range of specialist security services, solutions and capability to DWP’s 80,000 staff, Arms’ Length and Public Bodies, and industry partners to safeguard the secure and resilient delivery of welfare services.Your work will contribute to the department’s ability to understand and respond to security threats. This is a great opportunity to develop your skills in a high-impact area, working with colleagues across commercial, digital, and operational teams.We’re a huge organisation, which means a real variety of work, challenge and opportunity. We strongly believe that diversity and inclusion help the organisation thrive and succeed. We know that diverse teams bring a wide range of perspectives, experiences and ideas, which lead to better decision-making, creativity and innovation. We have a culture where differences are celebrated and our people feel supported, included and empowered.What will you do in this role?You will deliver security risk assessment and assurance activities across a wide range of contracts, suppliers and internal services.You’ll help identify, analyse and assure risks by leveraging threat intelligence and understanding of critical assets, assessing supplier and internal services security controls, using evidence to demonstrate their alignment with DWP security expectations and their operational effectiveness.Working closely with teams across the department, you’ll help ensure risks are clearly understood and effectively managed. You’ll also assist in preparing reports and briefings for senior stakeholders, helping to inform decisions and strengthen resilience. Alongside this, you’ll promote good security practices and play a part in embedding a security risk-aware culture across the organisation.We’re looking for people who are adaptable and open to learning new approaches. You’ll be a natural problem solver, able to use evidence and judgement to support decisions and suggest practical ways to manage risk. You’ll need to manage competing priorities and stay focused under pressure to deliver high quality work. As an enabler, you’ll support others, share knowledge, and contribute to a positive and collaborative team culture.You will also have excellent verbal and written communication skills, which will help you work effectively with a range of stakeholders.You will bring an understanding of risk management and assurance, ideally with a security focus. Awareness of third-party risk management or commercial processes is helpful but not essential.In return, we offer a flexible, hybrid working environment (DWP operates currently on 60% office attendance) with opportunities to travel to other DWP sites. We offer first rate training and support to help you develop your expertise and you’ll be part of a welcoming and inclusive team where your ideas and contributions are truly valued.Given the geographic spread of our team, DWP customers, cross-government stakeholders and industry suppliers, you'll need to be willing to travel to other DWP locations, with periodic overnight stays required.We would love to hear from you if you can demonstrate your skills and experience across the following essential criteria:Security risk management and assurance: Demonstrable understanding of risk management and assurance principles through a security lens and experience applying them in complex environments.Leadership and delivery: Working understanding of the principles of assurance and a proven track record of delivering assurance activities.Analysis of data and information: Ability to assess threats, vulnerabilities and impacts to inform risk treatment, decision making and assurance.Communication and influencing: Experience translating risk and assurance findings into clear, accurate and professional reports for a range of audiences.DesirableExperience working with enterprise/organisational level risks and contributing to mitigation monitoring and reporting.Ability to assess supplier and internal service security postures using structured techniques available data and security assurance standards and certifications (e.g. ISO 27001, NCSC CAF, Cyber Essentials).BenefitsFor a salary of £44,447, Department for Work and Pensions would contribute £12,876 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.Additionally, these posts currently attract a Recruitment and Retention Allowance of £7,000 p.a.You’ll join us in one of our brilliant hub locations: Birmingham, Blackpool, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle or Sheffield.Our team loves the ability to balance their life and their work. We have a generous leave package starting at 26 Days, rising to 31 Days over time, flexible hours, and hybrid working. We use flexitime, which means at those times when you might need to work longer to get the job done, you build up flex credit that you can use to start later or finish earlier.The work we do is important, and we know healthy and happy people do better work. We have a great benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:Volunteering and charitable givingDiscounts and savings on shopping, days out and moreInterest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so it’s even easier for you to get to work and start making a differenceSports and social activitiesLearning and development, including coaching, mentoring, progression opportunities and guaranteed 5-days formal learning per year.#If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.