Technical Assurance Lead - Digital/Defence

Our client is a UK cyber security and digital consultancy supporting defence and Critical National Infrastructure clients. They provide secure architecture, assurance and technical advisory across complex, high assurance programmes, helping clients design, deliver and mature their digital estates with security built in from the outset. They are small, technically led, and chosen for the quality of our judgement rather than the size of our bench.

They are hiring a consultant to come in as the Digital and Technical Assurance Lead to set the assurance direction on a major defence equipment programme.

This is broader than a security assurance post. You will build the client's digital assurance capability, own the assurance strategy the programme runs on, and establish the strategic technical baseline that everything else is measured against. You will assure capabilities as they are introduced, from design through test and acceptance, and you will be in the room at formal design reviews and test events giving evidence-based feedback that programme leadership acts on.

It is a shaping role. The client does not have this capability yet. You are being brought in to create it.

What you will do

• Develop the client's digital assurance capability and maturity, leaving behind a function that works without you.
• Own the assurance strategy and assurance plan for the programme.
• Lead assurance of capabilities being introduced across the programme, including at formal design reviews and test events.
• Produce the documentation that sets the strategic technical baseline and gives the client a springboard to keep maturing its digital posture.
• Work across delivery, engineering, commercial, legal, digital and security stakeholders, and hold a consistent line between them.

What you will bring

• Experience leading technical or digital assurance across a complex programme, from design through to test and acceptance.
• A track record developing digital assurance strategies and plans in a UK Defence environment.
• Credibility across both the digital and cyber domains, including working proficiency in JSP 453 (604) and JSP 440.
• The confidence to challenge senior technical stakeholders at formal reviews and hold a position with evidence behind it.
• Strong technical writing, with a track record of producing strategic assurance and baseline documentation.
• The ability to build capability inside a client organisation, not just hand over artefacts.

Desirable

• Programme or project management qualification: APM PMQ, APM Chartered, PRINCE2 Practitioner or MSP.
• Systems engineering background or INCOSE certification, particularly on equipment programmes.
• Secure by Design delivery experience under JSP 440 Leaflet 5C.
• CCP, CIISec membership, or UK Cyber Security Council registration.

Mayflower is acting as an Employment Agency in relation t this vacancy.