Information Security Officer (Headquarters, Chelmsford)

Location of Role: Chelmsford

Advert Closing Date: 04/01/2026

Starting Salary: £49,716.00 (pro-rata for part-time vacancies)

Part/Full Time: Full Time

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Mon‑Fri

Weekend/Evening Working: No

Join Essex Police as the Force’s Information Security Officer – in this specialist role you will play a vital part in protecting the Force’s data and technology. We’re looking for a proactive professional who can confidently manage information security risks and shape secure solutions that keep our systems resilient. In this role, you’ll provide expert guidance on the design, implementation, and operation of security controls across all aspects of our information systems. You’ll lead by example, oversee security accreditation processes, and share your knowledge through training and support. If you’re passionate about safeguarding information and influencing best practice, this is your opportunity to make a real impact in a dynamic and forward‑thinking organisation.

Core Purpose

• To protect sensitive police information and systems and to provide authoritative security direction, advice and guidance to the Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO), senior command leads and Information Asset Owners.
• Ensure compliance with legislation, national standards (e.g. ISO27001, NIST) and force policies.
• Maintain confidentiality, integrity and availability of data.
• Develop security policies, standards and guidelines appropriate to business operations, technology, national compliance and legal requirements.
• Ensure that activities remain current against professional, national and industry standards with respect to evolving cyber threats.
• Conduct regular audit reviews for the full range of information security control types and techniques for the purpose of good information security assurance, highlighting areas of concern and potential risk.
• Produce documentation, report and provide presentations to senior business leads, and where necessary include recommendations for appropriate mitigation action to reduce the impact of breach of security for identified risk.
• Attend Gold Group meetings to provide expertise and advice in the event of a significant incident.

Key Responsibilities

• Risk management – Identify, assess and mitigate information security risks.
• Policy & Governance – Develop, maintain and enforce security policies and procedures.
• Accreditation & Compliance – Oversee accreditation of systems, including national systems and ensure change is identified and reassurance and audit completed.
• Security breaches – Manage response, identify patterns of behaviour and risk. Report and implement corrective actions.
• Advice & Consultancy – Provide expert guidance to senior leaders, projects and staff.
• Monitoring & reporting – Track security measures, produce reports and escalate risk when needed.
• Collaboration – Work with IT teams, other police forces and national bodies – attend boards and working groups.

Essential Skills & Knowledge

• Knowledge of emerging threats and vulnerabilities.
• Demonstrate resilience, good time management skills, workload scheduling and ability to work independently and as a part of the team, with the ability to inspire and lead the team.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Familiarity with secure system design and accreditation processes.

Essential criteria

• Educated to degree standard or can evidence equivalent experience.
• 5 years of working within Information Security environment, with Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) (or equivalent) qualification.
• Knowledge of access control systems, security processes and frameworks (ISO27001, NIST), government policies and procedure legislation in Information Security.
• High understanding and knowledge of system accreditation and auditing frameworks.

Desirable Extras

• Good understanding of privacy requirements and other relevant legislation and regulations.
• Experience with Microsoft 365 security tools and automation (e.g., Power Automate, Copilot).
• Awareness of AI‑driven security solutions.
• Project management and strategic planning capabilities.

For further information contact Data Assurance and Design Lead – Kerry Nicholson who may be contacted initially via email: 42006441@essex.police.uk or Laura Robbins – Head of Information Strategy and Assurance 42074203@essex.police.uk.

Your application for this role will be shortlisted on the content you provide within the reason for application question, within the application form itself. CV’s, covering letters or attachments are not included in the shortlist. Within your reason for application answer, please refer to any experience, skills, and abilities you feel you have that will make you suitable for this role, based on the role criteria stated in the job advert or job description. Please provide as much detail as possible as insufficient content may mean you do not meet the shortlisting criteria, however please note this question is limited to 9000 characters and this system will count spaces and blank lines as characters.

Depending on your current vetting level and security clearances, you may be required to complete additional vetting information during the recruitment process.

Essex Police and Kent Police welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, or employment status. Please let us know if you require extra support at any stage of the application process, or for further information regarding this position, please email us at recruitment.business.services@ecis.police.uk stating ‘Application Support and Adjustments’ in the title of your email. Alternatively, you can call us on 01245 452833. Where appropriate we will make adjustments to the selection process, working arrangements and/or the working environment provided it is reasonable in all the circumstances to do so.

If you’re not from the UK, you must be a resident in the UK and have lived here continuously for the last three years. You must also be free from restrictions with indefinite leave to remain. If you’re from the UK you must have lived here continuously for the last three years. This doesn’t apply to those serving abroad in the British Armed Forces.

As a Disability Confident Leader we:

• Have subjected our Disability Confident self‑assessment to external challenge and validation.
• Are taking an active leadership role in encouraging and helping other employers on their journey to becoming Disability Confident.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion are central to the values of our organisation. At Essex Police we value and embrace the unique experiences, identities and abilities that each of us bring to our roles. We strive to empower everyone to bring their authentic self openly and safely to work. Through the dedicated commitment of our support networks, DE&I team and wider HR departments, we are on a journey to embed our DE&I commitments, ensuring Essex Police is an employer of choice; where everyone feels included. Essex Police and Kent Police are an equal opportunities employer.

Communications may be recorded for monitoring purposes.