Senior Information Assurance Specialist
Senior Information Assurance Specialist
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Senior Information Assurance Specialist with strong technical expertise to play a key role in shaping, assessing, and governing technology risks across a large and complex organisation.
This position sits within a dedicated Governance & Assurance function and works closely with Architecture, Cyber Security, IT Operations and senior stakeholders. You will support major technology initiatives including AI, live facial recognition, and emerging digital platforms—ensuring they are secure, compliant, and aligned with best practice.
This is a highly influential role requiring excellent communication skills, pragmatic decision-making, and the ability to guide others through complex technical risk challenges.
Key Responsibilities
We're looking for someone who brings a blend of technical depth and strong people skills.
Essential Experience
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Senior Information Assurance Specialist with strong technical expertise to play a key role in shaping, assessing, and governing technology risks across a large and complex organisation.
This position sits within a dedicated Governance & Assurance function and works closely with Architecture, Cyber Security, IT Operations and senior stakeholders. You will support major technology initiatives including AI, live facial recognition, and emerging digital platforms—ensuring they are secure, compliant, and aligned with best practice.
This is a highly influential role requiring excellent communication skills, pragmatic decision-making, and the ability to guide others through complex technical risk challenges.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead technical risk assessments, security impact assessments, and third-party supplier reviews.
- Evaluate solutions and designs using secure-by-design principles.
- Produce clear, accessible risk papers and recommendations for senior leadership.
- Support compliance with NIST CSF and other relevant security frameworks.
- Work collaboratively with IT and architecture teams to understand solutions, identify risks, and ensure appropriate mitigations.
- Engage with external assessors and support evidence gathering for security audits.
- Coach and mentor colleagues to uplift capability across the Information Assurance function.
- Contribute to the development of IT security policies, standards, and guidance.
- Balance operational urgency with governance requirements, ensuring IA remains an enabler—not a blocker.
We're looking for someone who brings a blend of technical depth and strong people skills.
Essential Experience
- Advanced technical background in IT, cybersecurity, architecture, or security assurance.
- Strong working knowledge of NIST CSF, security controls, and secure solution design.
- Experience assessing modern technologies such as AI, LLMs, integrated systems, and cloud services.
- Proven ability to work collaboratively across technical teams.
- Experience writing clear, pragmatic risk papers or governance documentation.
- Comfortable working under pressure, especially when supporting operationally critical projects.
- Background in public sector, defence, policing, or regulated environments (e.g., HMG, MOD, PDS).
- Understanding of Microsoft-based technology environments.
- Experience engaging with senior stakeholders and assurance bodies.
- Knowledge of SIRO responsibilities and security governance structures.
- Approachable, supportive, and able to coach others.
- Personable, collaborative, and able to influence without authority.
- Pragmatic, solutions-focused and able to simplify complexity.
- Calm under pressure and adaptable to changing priorities.
- Opportunity to work on high-impact technology programmes with significant societal value.
- Supportive and collaborative team environment.
- Influence the future direction of Information Assurance and Cyber Security.
- Long-term project pipeline with strong stability.