Head of Cyber Security

This is a senior leadership opportunity to shape and lead cyber security at an organisational level, ensuring that critical systems, data and services remain secure, resilient and trusted. As Head of Cyber Security, you’ll operate at the heart of SYMCA’s digital transformation, setting the strategic direction for cyber security while embedding a practical, risk‑based approach across complex programmes, services and partnerships. You’ll influence how security is designed into everything we do, from infrastructure and platforms to major regional initiatives that impact communities and businesses across South Yorkshire. This is not a purely technical role; it’s about translating cyber risk into clear, informed decisions at senior level, enabling innovation while protecting what matters most.

As Head of Cyber Security, you will provide strategic leadership and enterprise‑wide accountability for protecting SYMCA’s digital, data and technology landscape. You’ll define and deliver a modern, risk‑based cyber security strategy that ensures threats are effectively identified, prioritised and managed, while enabling innovation and transformation across the organisation. Sitting at the centre of key decision‑making, you will influence how security is embedded into systems, services and major programmes from the outset, ensuring a secure‑by‑design approach throughout their life‑cycle. This role goes beyond technical delivery; you will be a trusted voice at senior level, shaping how cyber risk is understood across the organisation, driving resilience, and ensuring the Authority can respond confidently to an evolving threat landscape.

In this role, you will:

• Lead and evolve the organisation‑wide cyber security strategy, embedding a clear and proportionate approach to risk across all digital services
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and governance boards, ensuring cyber risk is a core part of strategic and investment decisions
• Drive a security‑first culture, influencing teams to embed cyber considerations from design through to delivery
• Oversee incident readiness, response and data breach management, ensuring swift, coordinated and effective action when needed
• Strengthen and mature cyber capability, building resilience across systems, infrastructure and third‑party services
• Ensure robust security frameworks, controls and assurance processes are in place and consistently applied
• Manage cyber risks across suppliers and partners, embedding strong governance and oversight
• Work collaboratively across organisational boundaries, partnering with legal, governance and operational teams to deliver secure and effective outcomes

You’re a credible and pragmatic leader who can navigate complexity and bring clarity to cyber risk in a fast‑moving environment. You build strong relationships across teams and are confident guiding others to make informed, balanced decisions. You’ll thrive in this role if you:

• Can influence and engage senior stakeholders with confidence
• Take a practical, outcome‑focused approach to challenges
• Are comfortable working across technical, operational and governance boundaries
• Are motivated by contributing to meaningful, organisation‑wide impact

What sets you apart:

• You enable progress while maintaining appropriate levels of risk control
• You think in terms of outcomes, not just frameworks or theory
• You’re committed to developing capability in others as well as systems

Benefits include access to a Local Government Pension Scheme, enhanced holiday entitlement, hybrid working, flexible hours scheme, training on the job, and professional membership fee reimbursement where applicable. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio‑economic background, religion and/or belief.