Navy Digital Information Security Assessor SO2

Are you ready to work in one of the most interesting cyber security environments and share your experience to support the Royal Navy and national security?

A vacancy exists for a Cyber Security Assessor within the RN team to provide timely, impartial, and consistent assessments and advisory services across the Service and with our departmental and industry partners. The RN Cyber Security Assessor is an integral role protecting the RN against external and internal cyber security threats to maintain and develop strong cyber defences across the RN.  

The department has recently launched a totally new approach to Cyber Security called Secure by Design (SbD). This is an opportunity to be part of what is a transformational approach while providing specialist support to RN project team to enable secure delivery and operation.

This position is advertised full time, at 37 hours per week.

Your knowledge and experience will provide expertise, to ensure an accurate understanding of through-life cyber security risks, to assist in making informed business decisions. You will work with projects that involve complex technical and security challenges, which may include highly sensitive networks, cryptography and next-generation platforms. Along the way, you will strengthen links with other cyber security bodies and business functions, including business delivery partners, who provide project-based assurance activities.

 As an experienced cyber security professional, you will bring a proven ability to communicate at a range of levels within a diverse organisation. Thought leadership will be a key aspect of the role and you’ll need to demonstrate a talent for solving complex problems through innovation. You will have the ability to advise on complex risk balance decisions and explaining cyber security policy, governance, and technology to non-experts. With you on board, we will develop a culture across the Royal Navy which values and protects data.

 As a Cyber Security Assessor, you will be responsible for confirming, in the form of assurance, that a project has provided appropriate evidence to give the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) confidence that the appropriate risks have been understood and the implementation of any system, platform or infrastructure has been adequately secured as a result.

 You will do this by considering any national and departmental regulations and identifying risks that present an unacceptable threat to the RN, Defence and in turn national security. Where such implementations do not conform to policy, as the lead assessor, you will be required to advise the Delivery team on the appropriate escalation process for a decision to be balanced against the overarching business requirement.

 In return, you will benefit from excellent learning and development opportunities tailored to your role and beyond. Whilst in post, you’ll be able to gain industry and MoD recognised qualifications, such as CISSP or CRISC and more including the MoD Cyber Foundation Pathway, and we’ll support you throughout the process. You’ll also be able to take advantage of our excellent benefits package, including flexible working, generous leave allowance and a market-leading Civil Service pension.

 We are a small, highly specialised team, performing a critical role for the Royal Navy, offering an exciting opportunity to join us and become part of our journey!

 Primary Purposes:

• Information assurance and accreditation support and advice to projects and programmes.
• Support to information assurance and cyber security transformation programme, including the application of Secure by Design policy and guidance.
• Lead the promotion of cyber security standards and best practice across the Royal Navy, guiding and influencing project and policy decision making as appropriate and seeking novel solutions to challenging security issues.
• Review risk management and security design evidence, to confirm that risk assessments and risk treatment plans are consistent with business requirements.
• Confirm that residual security risks have been captured and accepted by the appropriate risk owner, in accordance with the risk owner’s delegated authority.
• Recognise risk management and security decisions that have an implication beyond their level of responsibility, experience or delegated risk tolerance and escalate accordingly.
• Development of information security and cyber security policy.
• Managing and driving mitigation of RN cyber risk.
• Explain the project risk assessment to the risk owner, in terms of business objectives threats, risks, vulnerabilities, controls and business impacts.
• Liaises with appropriate subject matter experts across Defence including the NTA, Joint Cyber Unit and, where appropriate other Government Departments and Security Agencies.

 Secondary Purposes:

• Development of information security and cyber security policy.
• Represent RN on information security matters at internal and external meetings.
• Liaise with appropriate subject matter experts across the RN and Defence including the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Cryptographic Service for Defence, Joint and other Services Cyber Units and, where appropriate, other Government Departments and Security Agencies.

Essential: 

• Self-motivated and driven, 
• Actively interested in Information Assurance, Cyber Security, IT and related areas, 
• A logical approach, focusing on the business outputs, 
• A technical understanding, 

Desirable: 

• Cyber Security Governance and Management
• Risk Management
• Operational Security Management
• The ability to build strong working-relationships.
• Great communication skills, able to converse at a wide variety of levels.
• Able to lead both technical and non-technical teams.

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

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

As a civil servant in Navy Command, you will be part of a forward-looking organisation with inclusive workplace policies, excellent career prospects, and a job that makes a difference.  

Navy Command prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.  

Other benefits for Navy Command civil servants include: 

• Days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service.
• A very competitive pension scheme.
• Personal & professional development.
• Alternative working patterns for many roles.
• Access to a confidential, professional support service.
• Discount schemes. 
• Bicycle / season ticket loans.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
• Special paid leave to volunteer up to 6 days a year.
• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%.
• Our headquarters in Portsmouth also offers an impressive range of on-site facilities including a gymnasium, tennis courts, and other sporting facilities, a children’s nursery, a bistro restaurant, a shop and plenty of car parking spaces.   

In Navy Command we believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking an apprenticeship as part of your role.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed. 

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/. 

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.  

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – we may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights. 

Job contact :

• Name : Lt Cdr Dave Craig
• Email : Dave.Craig935@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dbscivpers-resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk