Lead Cyber Security Risk Manager Head of Secure Design
Role Description & Technical Scope
Job summary
Please notethis role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. For further information, please see 'Selection process details'.
Within Working Age Services Digital, weare responsible forseveralexisting services which support the core of society and is the departments highest profile benefit service, Universal Credit. We are looking for an outstanding Lead Cyber Security Risk Manager- Head of Secure Design who can make a positive impact and want to contribute to one of the most demanding and important Government services for the UK.
Letsbe clear about the impact of your work,the products we build are changing the face of public services with the potential to dramatically transform the future of millions of people.Our services need to have security strength in depth principalsat its core both from cyber,fraudand errorviewpoints.
We need someone who enjoys a challenge. Working Age Services is undergoing a period of technical change in line with our strategy aiming to become more consistent in our ways of working, more standardised in oursecuritystacks and transforming some of ourservice'smonolithic architectures into microservices.
Youwilloverseethe teamthatidentify controls and make recommendations to address security vulnerabilities and control weaknesses in products, projects and programmes, working with product owners and Subject Matter Experts to enable them to make well informed risk-based decisions whilst leading and influencing the management of tactical and strategic risks.
This role will play a vital role in the management of overall technical and fraud risk operations and the oversight of our security tooling framework. Your primary responsibilities will include the development and maintenance of security protocols, the mitigation of fraud risks and the actionable oversight of our various security tools. This position requires an individual with extensive experience in information security,web enabledfraud risk management.
You will be a hands-on leader spanningthe secure designdeliveryteam butalsoworking withmultiple multidisciplinaryserviceteams to ensure that the Working Age Servicessecuritystrategy, that you help shape, is being enacted. A key aspect of this role will be towork with wider (Department for Work and Pensions) DWP Digital Security Risk Management ( DSRM) functions to ensure we have alignmentof cyber controls approach.This will also need to ensure weprovidecontrols metrics to enabledepartmental views of cyber rigour and clear and transparent.
Job description
As Lead Cyber Security Risk Manager- Head of Secure Design, you will consider applicable standards for Security technical and fraud roadmaps, ensuring that high quality, secure and consistent solutions for Working Age Service benefits (incorporating Universal Credit) are delivered that meet the needs of our agents and claimants. Were looking for an outstanding security leader, who wants to play a major role in the design and implementation of exciting modern digital services for the UK Government. Youll be part of a team dedicated to the creation of Universal Credit which is actively delivering for 8.6 million citizens every day.
- Provide leadership to ensure effective security and fraud Riskexpertise, advice and support is delivered to include business managers, Senior RiskOwnersand theWorking Age Services SLTwithin DWP.
- Establish and manage theWorking Age Servicessecurity posture and initiatives, ensuring the protection of information assets from internal and external threats.
- Develop, manage, and enhance the fraud risk management framework to minimize the departments exposure to fraud risks.
- Oversee the implementation, management, and proper utilisation of security tools such as intrusion detection systems,vulnerabilitymanagement, anti-virus software, and data encryption.
- Assess and manage the identification and mitigation plans of existing and emerging security threats, vulnerabilities, and risks.
- Maintain ofawarenessin information security technologies and fraud risk management methodologies, applying best practices and drive knowledge throughWorking Age Services.
- Lead security awareness and education programs to encourage all employees tomaintaina high levelof vigilance.
Person specification
See selection process for further details.
If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact .
Technical skills
- Strategic Security & Fraud Risk Leadership
Benefits
Alongside your salary of 75,026, Department for Work and Pensions contributes 21,735 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:
- Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
- Generous annual leave at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (prorata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
- Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
- Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
- Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 years continuous service.
- Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
- An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.
Hybrid Working
This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.
If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.
If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.
Salary Information
Pay for this role is from 75,026 to 92,522.
The maximum salary for the grade is 80.267, however a Digital Allowance of up to 12,255 per annum is available for exceptional candidates. Digital Allowance is non-salary, and non-pensionable, and is classed as a temporary allowance. It is reviewed annually where it could beretained, amended or removed.
Pay for this role in London is from 81,406 to 83,957. (Please refer to location details to check eligibility)
Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience asdemonstratedat interview.
Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer willmaintaintheir current substantive salary.
Civil Servants who gain promotion will move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or receive a 10% increase applied to their current substantive salary, whichever is greater.
Any temporary allowances that you are currently in receipt of will not form part of the calculation todetermineyour pay. Any allowances that are in payment will cease when you move into your new role.
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements 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, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.
Stage 1: Application
Your application will consist of four parts:
- 1. A Personal Details application form.
- 2. Employment history - this should contain your work experience and any skills, qualifications and accomplishments relevant to the jobs you have completed.
- 3. Personal statement - up to 1000 words. This statement should be used to provide examples of how you meet the essential criteria below:
- Expert knowledge of leadinginnovation in protective security,taking into accountthe need to balancesecurity requirements against service innovation.
- Expert in combining external threat information .
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Key Details
- Date Posted: 27 Oct 2026
- Location: birmingham
- Employment: Part Time
- Workplace: Hybrid
- Domain: IT & Technology
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Department for Work and Pensions
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