Head of Cyber Security in Abingdon

Overview of Responsibilities

About us Fusion, the process that powers the sun and stars, is one of the most promising options for generating the cleaner, carbon-free energy that our world badly needs. UKAEA leads the way in realizing fusion energy, partnering with industry and research organisations to achieve ground-breaking advancements. Our goal is to bring fusion electricity to the grid by developing the power stations of tomorrow and the skilled workforce to deliver them.

About the job

Shape the cyber security strategy and resilience of one of the UK’s most ambitious national laboratories. UKAEA is seeking a senior cyber security leader to set the strategic direction for our organisation‑wide approach to cyber security, resilience and risk. As Head of Cyber Security, you will act as UKAEA’s principal cyber security adviser and technical authority, setting cyber strategy and providing independent, authoritative advice to executive leadership and governance bodies across a complex environment spanning enterprise IT, scientific computing, research and operational technology. You will lead a multidisciplinary cyber security function, own the cyber governance framework and maintain oversight of UKAEA’s enterprise cyber risk posture, security assurance, resilience and cyber operations. You will influence major technology and investment decisions, embed Secure by Design across organisational change, and represent UKAEA with government, regulators, the NCSC, research institutions and industry partners. This is a senior leadership opportunity for an experienced cyber professional who can operate credibly at executive level across strategy, enterprise risk, governance and assurance, while retaining the technical depth needed to lead cyber security across a highly complex scientific and technology organisation. If you have experience operating in complex or regulated environments and engaging with senior leaders, government, regulators or national cyber security organisations, we would like to hear from you.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Cyber Security Strategy, Governance & Risk: Develop and deliver UKAEA’s cyber security strategy, priorities and multi‑year roadmap, aligned with organisational objectives, Computing strategy and business needs. Lead the cyber security function and own the governance framework, policies, standards and operating principles. Oversee enterprise cyber risk, advising senior leaders, ARAC and Executive Committees on risk appetite, risk treatment, investment priorities and strategic decisions.
• Security Assurance, Compliance & Resilience: Lead cyber assurance, regulatory compliance and security improvement, ensuring implementation of GovAssure, CAF, ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus and Secure by Design. Oversee audits, cyber resilience, disaster recovery and incident recovery, applying lessons learned and ensuring proportionate security across IT, scientific computing, operational technology and research environments.
• Security Operations, Incident & Technology Leadership: Oversee cyber monitoring, detection, response and recovery, providing strategic leadership during major incidents and organisational crises. Embed cyber security and Secure by Design across major technology, infrastructure, scientific and operational programmes, influencing technology decisions, investment and transformation.
• Financial, Resource & People Leadership: Lead cyber security budgeting, forecasting, investment prioritisation and resource allocation, ensuring effective use of internal resources, suppliers and contracts. Act as Head of Profession for Cyber Security, setting professional standards, capability frameworks, career pathways and workforce strategies. Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team, supporting recruitment, succession planning, skills development and continuous improvement while promoting UKAEA values and an inclusive culture.
• External Engagement & Organisational Representation: Represent UKAEA with government, regulators, the NCSC, research institutions, industry partners and relevant national and international forums, building strategic relationships and influencing cyber security policy and practice.

What You’ll Bring

• Essential: Degree qualified or equivalent professional experience in Cyber Security, Information Technology, Engineering, Computer Science or a related discipline. Significant experience leading an enterprise cyber security, information security, technology risk or cyber governance function, with the technical credibility to provide authoritative leadership across a complex technology environment. Experience developing and delivering cyber security strategies and organisational roadmaps, leading multidisciplinary teams and driving organisational change. Experience advising executive leaders, Boards and Audit Committees on cyber risk, risk appetite, investment and strategic decisions, together with experience managing significant budgets, suppliers, contracts and external partnerships. Demonstrable experience delivering organisational security maturity improvement across complex environments. Significant experience operating within regulated, government, scientific research, defence, critical national infrastructure or similarly complex organisations.
• Desirable: Chartered professional status. CISSP, CISM, CRISC, SABSA, CCSP or equivalent advanced cyber security qualification. Experience representing organisations within national or international technical, cyber security or professional forums.

Please be aware that this role is subject to achieving a UK Security Vetting (UKSV) including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions and possibly a search of open source data. For this role the UKSV level is Security Clearance (SC). You must either hold SC clearance with no restrictions or be able to achieve it. Note: the UK residency criteria for SC is a minimum of 2 out of the last 5 years, at least one year of which must be 12 consecutive months. For further information please refer to The UKAEA recruitment process | UKAEA Careers. As the business matures, the role may need the postholder to acquire Developed vetting (DV) at a later stage. UKAEA is an onsite organisation, and this role requires regular onsite presence (usually between 3-5 days in any given week) in line with business needs. We actively support flexible working arrangements where this is compatible with the role.

Benefits

We have a generous range of benefits and highlights include:

• A salary of £81,090 (inclusive of a £7,900 specialist allowance)
• Up to 7% corporate performance bonus
• Final salary defined benefits pension scheme with an equivalent of 21.5% employer pension contribution
• 25 days annual leave plus 2.5 ‘privilege’ days; 8 Bank Holidays
• Additional 3 days of site closure over Christmas break
• Flexible working options plus family-friendly leave provisions

Our commitment to ED&I

UKAEA’s mission is clean energy for all, and we welcome talented people from all backgrounds to help us achieve this goal. We are committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce. Please email if you have any questions or require adjustments to help you participate fairly in our recruitment process, for example changes to the way we interview or share information. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment experience for all candidates. We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and people from diverse ethnic backgrounds. All appointments are made on merit.