Lead Cyber Security Consultant in Guildford

As a Lead Cyber Security Consultant at Actica Consulting, you will have the opportunity to lead multiple, small Actica teams in their support to a wide range of high-profile UK public sector and defence organisations. Your help enables our customers to protect their ICT investments, and in doing so you will play a key role in nationally critical projects which make a real difference to people’s everyday lives. You will be joining an established business practice with multiple in-flight projects and a continued demand for our services.

This role will be responsible for the outputs of several small Actica teams, engaging senior customer stakeholders, supporting Actica personnel in the execution of their roles, supporting the mentoring and development of staff as well as growing the business through engaging with our established customer base and seeking new opportunities.

Projects require the skills and experience to:

• Provide advice and guidance on Information Assurance topics
• Develop IA strategies, policies, guidance and awareness
• Plan and manage the delivery of a security work programme
• Define security requirements
• Design and implement security architectures
• Oversee the secure development and accreditation of information systems.

Our position as both client-side advisor and at times working with industry delivery teams means that your role will involve significant stakeholder engagement, dealing directly with the client, including in resolving day‑day issues involved in assignment delivery and developing follow‑on opportunities, so excellent interpersonal and influencing skills are essential.

Locations: London, Guildford, Bristol, M4 corridor

Roles and Responsibilities

Leading one or more Actica teams, you will undertake a number of varying consultancy assignments. Due to the potential variety in assignments your responsibilities will range from developing security architectures, to providing guidance on GRC activities. Other responsibilities will include:

• Providing security expertise for major system procurements and Agile programmes to ensure secure delivery;
• Identifying, analysing and evaluating information risks across a range of programmes, projects and systems;
• Explaining to risk owners the causes, likelihood and potential business impacts of information risks;
• Identifying and presenting options for treating or transferring information risks;
• Authoring and/or supporting the development of security assurance documentation;
• Developing or reviewing new security architectures;
• Scoping security testing activities, and explaining the results and required remediation.

As part of the management team for the security practice your responsibilities will also include:

• Managing the delivery of security services by Actica teams across several live projects;
• Working with our client‑side customers to manage contract delivery;
• Working with our industry‑side customers to develop compelling, winning proposals and ultimately deliver projects into UK Defence or Public Sector;
• Coach, mentor and help develop junior Actica staff.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

The following attributes and areas of experience will make you particularly suited to this role with Actica:

• Experience of complex ICT systems security in a technical delivery or consulting capacity in the UK Defence sector or Public Sector;
• The ability to present and justify conclusions to project teams and business stakeholders;
• Proven abilities in delivering to client expectations and requirements;
• Strong verbal and written communications skills.

Knowledge of the following is highly desirable for the role:

• Structured security frameworks, such as HMG SPF and ISO27001;
• Security, technical and enterprise architecture methods such as TOGAF and SABSA;
• Technical risk assessments;
• Software development methods and techniques e.g. Agile methods such as SCRUM;
• Enterprise security packages, security enforcing software and devices, such as identity management and federation, cryptography, public key infrastructure, firewalls, SIEM, vulnerability scanning, etc.

Additional Requirements:

• Must be eligible and willing to obtain UK Government Security Clearance.

Key Attributes for Success:

• Ability to engage effectively with stakeholders, including resolving issues and identifying new opportunities.
• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills.
• Adaptability to a fast‑paced, ever‑changing environment.

Working Arrangements:

Hybrid working model, with an office base in Guildford, Surrey and access to our other offices in London, Swindon and Cheltenham. Typical working week might involve 2-3 days working at clients’ premises or other locations and the remainder at home or at one of our offices. Some projects may require up to 5 days per week on‑site with colleagues. The practicalities of some project work means that individuals may need to stay away from home during the working week. Team‑based project environment with opportunities to participate in internal initiatives.

Career Development

You will have the opportunity to further your career in consulting, specialising in the application of information assurance and cyber security expertise to a wide range of business problems. We provide substantial training leading to nationally recognised certifications, such as chartered or principal status with the UK Cyber Security Council, or certifications such as CompTIA, NIST, PCiIAA, CISMP, CISSP, CREST, ISO27001 Lead Implementer/Auditor, SABSA, and TOGAF. A Mentor will be on hand to provide support and guidance throughout your journey with Actica. You will also work with a Performance and Development Manager, often outside of your project line of control, who will conduct regular reviews based on project feedback to set career objectives and identify training courses which are both relevant to your current project work, and aligned with your planned career progression.

Our Commitment to Diversity

Actica aims to nurture a diverse workforce through inclusive working practices, promoting equality in our recruitment activities, and by employing candidates on the basis of merit. Discrimination against individuals on the grounds of protected characteristics is not permitted and we take steps to ensure that our staff are made aware of their legal responsibilities when making hiring decisions. We offer a competitive suite of benefits.