Control Tester – Reading, Berkshire

As a Control Tester, you will play a key role within the Information Security team at Thames Water, supporting the Control Testing & Assurance Manager in delivering cybersecurity control testing activities across multiple security domains. Working closely with cybersecurity leadership, service owners, and control owners, you will help ensure security controls are effectively designed, implemented, and operating as intended across the organisation. This role contributes to the Cybersecurity Control Testing & Assurance programme by assessing control effectiveness, gathering evidence, and supporting the organisation’s wider security and compliance objectives. You will collaborate with stakeholders across the business to ensure testing activities are executed efficiently while maintaining high standards of documentation and reporting.

To be considered for this position, candidates must be eligible to obtain security clearance to a minimum of Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) level.

What you’ll be doing as a Control Tester:

• Assist in the execution of cybersecurity control testing activities in accordance with defined procedures, templates, and standards.
• Support the development and localisation of test scripts tailored to specific control environments.
• Gather and document evidence to assess the design and operational effectiveness of cybersecurity controls.
• Collaborate with control owners and service owners to clarify control objectives and facilitate smooth testing execution.
• Maintain accurate documentation for each control assessment, including test plans, results, and supporting evidence.
• Produce clear and consistent reports detailing testing outcomes and observations.
• Escalate issues, control deficiencies, or delays to the Control Testing & Assurance Manager.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of the control testing framework, methodologies, and documentation.
• Work with key business stakeholders to support the organisation’s cybersecurity and compliance objectives.
• Support the wider cybersecurity assurance programme through structured testing and evidence-based analysis.

What you should bring to the role:

• Experience in IT audit, IT risk, or cybersecurity control testing within an enterprise environment.
• Understanding of cybersecurity control frameworks and assurance methodologies.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to assess control effectiveness.
• Experience working collaboratively with technical teams and business stakeholders.
• Ability to manage tasks independently while contributing to team objectives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including clear documentation and reporting.
• Good planning and organisational skills with attention to detail.

Technical experience and skills:

• Understanding of cybersecurity domains, including Threat Intelligence, Vulnerability Management, Security Testing, Security Architecture, Infrastructure Protection, Application Security, Identity and Access Management, Incident Investigation & Response, and Cryptography.
• Familiarity with information security control frameworks such as COBIT or COSO.
• Ability to gather, analyse, and document evidence related to the design and operational effectiveness of security controls.
• Experience in maintaining structured documentation, including test plans, assessment results, and reports.

Desirable qualifications and experience:

• Experience working in a regulated environment.
• Experience within the water utility industry or other large, complex critical national infrastructure organisations.

Desirable technical skills and qualifications:

• Professional certifications such as CISA, CISSP, CRISC, or ISO 27001 Lead Auditor.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary between £40,000 and £55,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• Annual Leave – 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays).
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Access to benefits to support health, wellbeing, and finances, including annual health MOTs, physiotherapy and counselling, Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else, just let us know – we’re here to help and support.