Lead Cyber Security Advisor - 18 Months - £700pd - SC/DV Cleared

Lead Cyber Security Advisor - Front Door - 18 Months - East Kilbride (Hybrid) - Up to £700 per day Inside IR35 - SC/DV Clearance

A major government organisation is seeking a Lead Cyber Security Advisor to join its "Front Door" team, partnering with Delivery Managers, Product Owners and Solution Architects to review and advise on security risk across all incoming change requests. This is a skills-first role - the organisation values genuine cyber security architecture ability and the confidence to justify and defend that advice under challenge, over vetting status alone (though SC is the minimum requirement and candidates must be willing to progress to DV). You'll sit within a small team of three, operating at a senior (G7-equivalent) level, and be expected to hold your own in debate with experienced architecture and technology professionals - concisely, clearly, and without relying on generic or AI-generated answers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide cyber security and risk management advice across change programmes, projects and procurement
• Work closely with Delivery Managers, Product Owners and Solution Architects on security risk within technical solutions
• Deliver and present high-quality risk assessments to the Security Governance Authority, justifying decisions under high levels of risk, impact and complexity
• Respond clearly and concisely to challenge and review from internal governance, Cabinet Office and NCSC stakeholders
• Produce accurate security documentation covering solution costs, licensing, technical resourcing and total cost of ownership
• Assess the robustness of third-party and supply chain cyber risk arrangements
• Provide advice on security strategies, architectures, policies and standards
• Contribute to the ongoing improvement of security posture across the wider Security Group

Ideal Candidate:

• CISSP, CISM or CRISC qualified (essential)
• Comprehensive knowledge of information security risk management, including NIST 800-30/37, ISO 31000
• Experience of working with system, operational and strategic-level risk
• Demonstrable experience of threat modelling system solutions
• Experience working with cyber threat intelligence feeds and turning intelligence into actionable reports
• Experience advising on and assuring documentation against standards such as NIST, ISO 27001, CIS, CAF, HMG GovS 007 and NPSA
• Comfortable operating with limited supervision across multiple projects and senior stakeholder groups
• Strong cyber security architecture background, including IT and mobile technology domains
• Confident, concise communicator able to defend technical positions under scrutiny from senior architects and engineers

Desirable Experience:

• Familiarity with Microsoft Visio, Atlassian Jira/Confluence and standard Microsoft Office applications
• Broad understanding of Business, Data, Application and Technology risk domains

TL;DR
Job Title: Lead Cyber Security Advisor - Front Door
Contract Length: 18 months
Location: East Kilbride/Glasgow (min. 2 days/week onsite), potential for London/wider UK
Rate: Up to £700 per day (£600-£700)
IR35 Status: Inside IR35
Start Date: ASAP
Clearance: SC minimum, willing to work towards DV
Eligibility: Reserved post - Sole UK Nationals only