Cyber Security Advisor
Job summary
NHS England's Chief Information Security Office (CISO) Function's purpose is to enable safe care and build public trust by strengthening the cyber resilience of the NHS. The CISO supports the Technology Digital and Data Directorate's purpose of delivering the best care and outcomes for patients, and enables faster, safer digital transformation of the NHS.
The Cyber Security Advisor sits in the Secure Consultancy Team and works closely with programmes, project teams and DevOps teams to ensure systems are underpinned by resilient architectures. They provide clear, actionable cyber security guidance, support the identification and management of cyber risk, and influence design decisions to reduce the likelihood and impact of compromise. Often working alongside Security Leads on complex programmes of work.
This is an exciting opportunity to support the delivery of cyber resilient services for the NHS. You'll be given the support and autonomy to grow and use your skills, knowledge, and experience, to make a real impact on improving people's lives.
Cyber Operations purpose is to support safe care and build public trust by building NHS England's cyber resilience and enabling the wider health system to be cyber resilient, supporting Transformation Directorate's purpose of delivering the best care and outcomes for the NHS.
Main duties of the job
As a Cyber Security Advisor, you will support the delivery of expert consultancy to programmes and services, ensuring solutions are secure by design and resilient to evolving cyber threats. You will conduct threat modelling, security assessments and risk analysis, clearly articulating risks and recommending proportionate controls to reduce the likelihood and impact of attacks.
You will provide guidance on security architecture, standards and patterns, embedding effective governance and controls across the technology lifecycle. Working collaboratively across technical and non-technical teams, you will support teams to resolve complex challenges, influence decisions, and strengthen cyber resilience outcomes.
The role requires championing a strong security culture, enabling delivery teams to build secure systems from the outset, and supporting programme objectives through clear security strategies and effective risk management.
You will identify and assess cyber risks, ensuring they are understood, tracked and mitigated in line with organisational and national standards. This is a critical role in maintaining NHS England's alignment with government policy and industry best practice.
You will apply technical expertise and creative problem-solving to protect patient data, support safe care, and maintain public trust.
About us
NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.
Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms -- enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.
In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department.
If you currently work within the NHS and if successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR).This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in our offices.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
We cannot offer visa sponsorship for any vacancies.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information about the role and responsibilities.
Please ensure your supporting statement includes demonstratable evidence and specific examples on how you meet the criteria for each of the key skills specified. This will be used in both the shortlisting and interview processes
Important: Please be aware there are residency requirements you need to meet:
All NHS England Cyber Security personnel must hold Security Clearance level as a minimum. To meet National Security Vetting requirements, SC clearances require 5 years continuous UK residency. In certain cases, this can be reduced to three years continuous UK residency, with additional overseas checks for the previous two years. Candidates who were posted abroad for service with HM Government, Armed Forces or within a UK government role - will still be considered.
Please make sure you meet these requirements before applying for this role. You dont need to have SC already, however, failure to achieve the requirements for SC after offer will result in the job offer being withdrawn. For further advice please check https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels#security-check-sc
Please be aware that should you be successful in this position, you will be hired to the job title of Security Advisor /Analyst and this job title is advertised to attract the right skills needed for the role.
The post of Security Advisor /Analyst has been awarded a Recruitment and Retention Premia (RRP) in response to current labour market conditions. In recognition of this, the role attracts an additional monthly RRP payment equal to 20% per annum.
Please be aware that RRP is non-contractual and subject to review
If you like what you have read and think you have the skills and experience, we need then don't delay, apply today! We get lots of applications for our roles and so we sometimes have to close our posts early. Don't miss out!
Person Specification
Knowledge
- Extensive knowledge of techniques, roles, and responsibilities in providing technical or business guidance to clients, both internal and external; ability to apply this knowledge appropriately to diverse situations.
- Proven knowledge of the processes, tools and techniques of information security management, ability to deploy and monitor information security systems, as well as detect, resolve and prevent violations of IT security, to protect organisational data.
- Working knowledge of the tools and processes for maintaining application security; ability to design and implement security programs to prevent data loss and access intrusion from web and mobile applications.
Skills & Experience
- Working knowledge of tools, techniques, approaches and processes of cybersecurity risk management; ability to ensure organisational network operation and minimise negative effect by cybersecurity risks.
- Specialist knowledge of vulnerability assessment tools, techniques, models, and systems; ability to utilises the knowledge to identify vulnerabilities on network, operating system, mobile application, etc.
Qualifications
- Post-graduate level degree in Cyber Security, or relevant subject, or equivalent level of experience.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details
Employer name
NHS England
Address
Wellington Place, Leeds / Hexagon House, Exeter
Leeds / Exeter
LS1 4AP
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/working-for/