Head of Cyber Defence Centre in Edinburgh

End Date: Monday 17 August 2026

Salary Range: £126,523 - £148,850 (outside London) £146,591 - £172,460 (London)

We support flexible working – click here for more information on flexible working options.

Flexible Working Options: Flexibility in when hours are worked, Hybrid Working, Job Share.

LOCATION: Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, or London

HOURS: Full-time (35 Hours)

WORKING PATTERN: Our work style is hybrid, which involves spending at least two days per week, or 40% of our time, at one of our office sites. Colleagues with disabilities can be supported with workplace adjustments including hybrid working expectations in line with our Flexibility Works policy.

What you’ll be doing… This is a pivotal moment to join Lloyds Banking Group and the Chief Security Office as we transform how security is delivered across the Group. As Head of the Cyber Defence Centre, you’ll lead an engineering-first Cyber Defence Lab responsible for designing, building and operating resilient, large-scale security capabilities that protect the UK’s largest digital bank. You’ll provide strategic direction for cyber defence, detection engineering, threat hunting and incident response, while driving continuous improvement across security operations platforms, tooling and processes. Leading a high-performing team, you’ll strengthen operational resilience, coordinate effective response to cyber threats and incidents, champion a threat-led approach to defence, and help shape a world-class security operation that enables the Group to go faster, safely.

Why Join us? If you think all banks are the same, you’re wrong. We’re a pioneering, fast-changing business that’s shaping finance as a force for good. If you’re after a role where you can have an impact and do the best work of your career, you’ve just found it.

What we’re looking for:

• Deep technical understanding of cyber defence, security operations, detection engineering and incident response.
• Proven experience leading and enhancing security operations across complex enterprise environments.
• Strong security operations management experience, including Continuous Detection and Continuous Response capabilities.
• Demonstrated leadership of large-scale incident response, threat hunting and advanced detection engineering functions.
• Ability to shape strategic direction and lead cross-functional teams towards common outcomes.
• Strong understanding of cyber threats and threat-led defence strategies.
• Experience managing operational risk and collaborating with senior business and technology stakeholders.
• Proven track record of building, developing and leading high-performing teams.
• Ability to drive operational improvements, cultural change and organisational transformation.
• Strong customer focus with a commitment to delivering secure customer outcomes.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical issues into clear business priorities and decisions.
• A collaborative, inclusive leadership style with high levels of integrity and accountability.

And it would be great if you had any of the following:

• Experience leading large-scale security operations within a highly regulated environment.
• Experience driving enterprise-wide security transformation programmes.
• Strong understanding of modern security operations platforms, tooling and automation capabilities.
• Experience shaping engineering-led security operating models.
• Knowledge of industry-leading security resilience, detection and response practices.
• Experience fostering cultures of innovation, continuous learning and operational excellence.

This is a place for you… Our ambition is to be the leading UK business for diversity, equity and inclusion, supporting our customers, colleagues and communities. We are committed to creating an environment in which everyone can thrive, learn and develop. We were one of the first major organisations to set goals on diversity in senior roles, create a menopause health package, and launch a dedicated Working with Cancer initiative.

We offer reasonable workplace adjustments for colleagues with disabilities, including flexibility in office attendance, location and working patterns. As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee interviews for a fair and proportionate number of applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role and have a disability, long-term health or neurodivergent condition, through the Disability Confident Scheme. We provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to reduce or remove barriers - just let us know what you need.

We also offer a wide-ranging benefits package, which includes:

• A generous pension contribution of up to 15%.
• An annual bonus award, subject to Group performance.
• Share schemes including free shares.
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping.
• 30 days’ holiday, with bank holidays on top.
• A range of wellbeing initiatives and generous parental leave policies.

Ready for a career where you’ll learn and thrive? Apply today and find out more.

At Lloyds Banking Group, we're driven by a clear purpose; to help Britain prosper. Across the Group, our colleagues are focused on making a difference to customers, businesses and communities. With us you'll have a key role to play in shaping the financial services of the future, whilst the scale and reach of our Group means you'll have many opportunities to learn, grow and develop.

We keep your data safe. So, we'll only ever ask you to provide confidential or sensitive information once you have formally been invited along to an interview or accepted a verbal offer to join us which is when we run our background checks. We'll always explain what we need and why, with any request coming from a trusted Lloyds Banking Group person. We're focused on creating a values-led culture and are committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the customers and communities we serve. Together we’re building a truly inclusive workplace where all of our colleagues have the opportunity to make a real difference.