Personnel Security Exercise Lead

The Government Security Function (GSF) oversees the delivery of protective security across Government. Our Mission is to enable the Government to protect citizens and provide vital public services by understanding and managing security risks. We set the strategy and standards for Government Security, monitor departmental security performance, manage pan-government security incidents, support the delivery of key security capabilities and lead the Government Security Profession.

The Government Security Group (GSG) is the centre of the Security Function, based within the Cabinet Office. GSG is transforming the Government’s approach to protective security to ensure it is fit to meet the challenges of the digital age. This role offers an exciting opportunity to work in a fast-paced, dynamic team, with a breadth of stakeholders including in other Government departments, the National Technical Authorities and the Agencies, and to contribute to delivering improved security across Government.

The Government Cyber Directorate in GSG covers all aspects of Defensive Cyber Security for Government from strategy, policy and standards to the operational deliverables of incident, risk and vulnerability management. We manage investment from the National Cyber Security Programme, outreach and engagement across Government and the wider public sector among much else. If you’re passionate about protecting the government and you want to be part of a security evolution, this is the team for you. Come and help make the government stronger.

The Government Security Red Team (GSRT) simulates attacks on UK Government assets in order to improve our security. We are looking for an Exercise Lead who would be responsible for coordinating the Personnel and Insider exercises, as well as providing support to the wider Red Team portfolio. This is an exciting opportunity to join a small, friendly and highly unique team.

We spend our time examining the vulnerabilities in systems, discovering ways to exploit them, and working to make those systems more secure. We are responsible for a range of innovative programs across Government, including a revolutionary insider exercising programme, GBEST - intelligence-lead cyber penetration testing, as well as physical/technical and hybrid exercising.

The GSRT sits within the Assurance and Operations Deputy Directorate in the Cyber Directorate. We work closely with the assurance team and also across the Cyber Directorate. Given this post focuses on Personnel and Insider risk, the post holder works really closely with policy colleagues across wider GSG.

The role also involves working closely with NTA’s such as NCSC, NPSA, UKNACE, the agencies and trusted private sector providers. We are looking for someone who can think creatively, manage complex projects and handle challenging stakeholders. You will be expected to work closely with the Personnel Policy teams in GSG, and across government, when delivering exercises. The post holder also develops and supports other ad hoc exercises, such as with the Horizon Scanning team and Investigations team, where you can expand your skills and knowledge of the wider security disciplines.

This role is advertised based from London. The broader team works in a hybrid work pattern. GSG offers a wide range of training across the security disciplines.

Key areas of responsibility

The post holder will be responsible for:

• Leading the Personnel and Insider exercising projects and programmes, focusing on Insider Risk and Vetting
• Delivering the successful running of these exercises with departments, and manage the delivery to the highest possible standard
• Analyse exercise results to produce reports and work with the security community to identify opportunities for broader policy and security improvement, as well as maximising real world impact of recommendations through advice and support to Personnel and Insider policy leads
• Managing exercise delivery risks, assembling diverse subject experts across Government, and facilitating simulated tests
• Develop strong and trusted relationships with relevant stakeholders in Government Departments and the NTA’s
• Work closely with the Personnel Policy teams to inform exercise design, and ensure knowledge and findings are shared to inform wider security controls and policy
• Lead the Personnel and Insider input into our annual common findings report and any other ad hoc reporting
• Support other GSRT exercises in the cyber, physical/technical and hybrid space
• Work with NTA’s and the security function to identify exercise requirements and likely threats to inform exercise design
• Briefing exercise findings to the senior security forums and senior officials
• Support the delivery of our flagship workshop ‘Let’s Attack the British Government’ at conferences and events such as Civil Service Live, Government Security Conference, or Fast Stream Base Camp

Essential skills and experience:

• Strong communication skills and the ability to communicate security concepts to a wide range of stakeholders
• Experience in managing projects or programmes
• Strong relationship building skills, evidenced through building trusted relationships with a range of stakeholders
• Collaborative working skills demonstrated through working as part of a team to deliver long-term strategic outputs
• Experience working in new and challenging subject areas where you have had to learn on your feet
• Excellent project management skills when often delivering on various exercises and projects simultaneously
• Excellent ability to analyse complex information and distil it to non-technical people

Desirable skills and experience:

• Experience of working in government security, particularly National Security
• A good understanding of Personnel Security and Insider Risk
• Experience of working in Red Teaming, Exercising or Penetration Testing

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and average employer contributions of 27%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.

Job contact :

Name :
Natalie Wright
Email :
natalie.wright@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email :
cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk