Head of Cyber Security (London)

Overview
Home. There\’s no place like it. And there\’s no feeling like helping people create the joy of feeling truly at home.
At Dunelm, that\’s what we do.
We\’re the UK\’s number one choice for homewares because we make home life lovelier for our customers. And the caring and supportive culture we\’ve created makes this a place you\’ll feel right at home too.
Working Model:

• Leicester based / hybrid working. We expect candidates to be at our Leicester head office, our central London Tech office, or at partners for around 3 days per week on average.
• On-site presence will be required to support stakeholder meetings, team meetings and programme phases such as workshops, testing, and go-live.
• Travel to other Dunelm sites and partner locations may be expected depending on programme needs.

If you are a proactive and strategic thinker with a passion for information security, we would love to hear from you. Apply now to join our team and help us safeguard our company\’s digital assets.
What you\’ll be doing
As our Head of Cyber Security and reporting into our CTIO, you will play a pivotal role in safeguarding our company\’s digital assets and ensuring the security of our information systems. This is an exciting opportunity to lead our information security strategy and make a significant impact on our organization\’s growth and success. You will work closely with other Technology and company leaders to develop and implement robust security measures, while fostering a culture of security awareness across the company.
Technology is playing an increasingly important role in our success, and we have ambitious investment plans to continue powering our growth through our \’people led, tech powered\’ approach. You will play a critical role in maintaining and improving our security posture through this growth, helping us balancing risk with pace in delivering our ambitious plans.
Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the Cyber Security team to enhance functional capabilities and support the development of team members
• Develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive information security strategy to protect the company\’s data, systems, and networks.
• Lead the design and execution of security policies, standards, and procedures to ensure compliance with relevant regulations and industry best practices, and to reflect the latest advancements in technology in areas such as AI.
• Develop the next stage of our identity management strategy, and lead the resulting projects and system enhancements.
• Conduct regular risk assessments and vulnerability analyses to identify potential security threats and implement appropriate mitigation measures.
• Collaborate with IT and other departments to ensure the integration of security measures and developments into all aspects of the company\’s operations and programs.
• Provide guidance and training to employees on information security best practices and promote a culture of security awareness.
• Oversee the management of security incidents and breaches, including investigation, response, and recovery efforts.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest security trends, technologies, and threats to proactively address emerging risks.
• Manage relationships with external security vendors and partners to ensure the effective delivery of security services.
• Manage the Security budget and investment

What we\’ll look for in you
Qualifications / Experience:

• Proven experience as a CISO or in a similar senior information security role, preferably within the retail industry.
• Strong knowledge of information security frameworks, standards, and best practices (e.g., ISO 27001, NIST, GDPR).
• Excellent understanding of network security, data protection, and risk management principles.
• Experience in conducting security audits, risk assessments, and incident response.
• Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, or CISA are highly desirable.

Behaviours / leadership attributes:
Our shared values of \’act like owners\’, \’keep listening and learning\’, \’long term thinking\’, and \’stronger together\’ help ensure we are always finding better ways of doing things and spending our time focusing on what\’s important.
As Head of Cyber Security, you will be empowered to take the lead on all aspects of our data and information security set up, capabilities and culture. You will bring:

• A strategic mindset with strong tactical execution capability, backed up by a balanced view of security considerations with customer, colleague and company performance considerations.
• Ability to lead, inspire, and manage your team, highly technical partners, and internal tech teams.
• Comfortable leading and influencing broader stakeholder populations including Board, Exec and functional user teams.
• Passion for operational excellence and instilling best practice.
• External curiosity to keep connected to the fast-paced cyber security environment, including representing us on industry and regulatory groups.

D&I statement
Dunelm is committed to becoming a fully inclusive business that is representative of our customers and locations. We recognise the value in diversity and welcome applications from all candidates regardless of sex, age, race, religion, ability, gender or sexual identity, socio-economic background or education. We are committed to making Dunelm a place where everyone can enjoy a successful career and have systems in place to support all our colleagues. We are seeking applications from candidates who share our values and celebrate diversity in all its forms.
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Tech to the future
Meet John, our Chief Tech and Innovation Officer, who shares insights into the exciting things happening in tech, why Dunelm is his happy place, and his unique route into the tech world.
Work your way
We want our colleagues to feel at home wherever they work, so that they are comfortable and can be their best selves. In addition, we want everyone to feel connected to the business, our strategy and the teams they work with.
Where hybrid working is applicable, colleagues need to strike the right balance to fulfil both of these important factors. You will find the right mix of being at home, in the office & out in the business, bearing in mind business needs, job role and level of responsibility.
Wellbeing is more than just a buzzword here
From our Wellbeing Buddies and Mental Health First Aid training to our progressive parental leave, menopause policies and Colleague Support Fund, we\’re committed to supporting our colleagues in every area – and at every stage – of their lives. Through our partnership with the Retail Trust, everyone at Dunelm has free access to a 24/7 Virtual GP, as well as therapy and counselling, plus information, guidance and advice in all areas of financial, emotional and physical wellbeing.
Look in our toy box
Of course, you should never judge a business by its tech stack. But take a peek at the range of technologies our engineers and developers are currently playing with.
At Dunelm, we love every aspect of the design process. We\’re continually researching new developments in packaging, materials and production methods, tapping into new data insights and keeping track of changing lifestyle trends. We\’re hugely collaborative in the way we work. Together, the teams here have a direct impact on our success, creating amazing products that drive sales and delight our customers, as well as providing direction for our wide and varied range of brands.
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Keep on growing
Join us on the tech side and you\’ll have access to a huge array of learning and development opportunities, including a variety of internally created workshops and externally accredited courses. We also have a substantial tech-specific budget to fund e-Learning licenses, conference visits, resources, and qualifications, plus dedicated mentors, well-being buddies and a wide range of network groups to support you as you progress.
Housewarming & Settling In where you can find out more about the wider business, our culture, behaviours, networks and wellbeing support
Thrive, our learning and skills platform which gives you a blended, bite-sized, social learning experience with learning relevant to your role
Our Enterprise Leadership Programme designed specifically for our strong growth potential Heads of Department to help them reach the next level in their career
Our INSPIRE Programme designed for our strong growth potential senior managers across the business to enhance their leadership capability
Our EXPLORE Programme designed to prepare our next generation of Line Managers
Personal Effectiveness workshops and self-led learning, also delivered through Thrive
Apprenticeships opportunities relevant to your role – from level 2 (equivalent to GCSE) through to Level 7 (equivalent to Masters)
Colleague Development Fund to support colleagues in accessing external training relevant to your role
Coaching and mentoring opportunities to support you in your current