Cyber Security Specialist

Cyber Security Specialist (Operational)

Salary: £57,528 - £64,750 per annum

Location: Manchester

Vacancy Type: Permanent

Closing date: 21/06/2026

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance and advice on promoting high quality health, public health and social care.

We have modern offices in Manchester city centre and Stratford, London.  Please take into consideration that you may be required to commute to one of our offices for business purposes if necessary.

Job overview

Do you want to do meaningful work that makes a genuine difference to society? Our main purpose here at The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is to improve health and wellbeing by putting science and evidence at the heart of health and care decision-making. 

As an organisation we all collaborate to achieve this goal by empowering our workforce to do great things! 

Please note that this role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. Please refer to the DirectGov website for more information on eligibility.

We reserve the right to close the advert early should we receive sufficient applications, so please don’t delay your submission.

Main duties of the job

As a Cyber Security Specialist (Operational), you will play a key hands on role in protecting NICE’s digital platforms, systems, and data from cyber threats. Working as part of a collaborative cyber security function, you will investigate security alerts, manage vulnerabilities, respond to incidents and help ensure our services remain secure, resilient and compliant. The role combines technical expertise with clear communication, supporting both operational delivery and the continual improvement of NICE’s cyber security posture.

What the candidate will be expected to do / bring

• Act as a hands on cyber security specialist, investigating security alerts, responding to incidents and supporting day to day operational cyber resilience
• Configure, manage and maintain security tooling and infrastructure across on premise and cloud environments, embedding secure by design principles
• Carry out routine vulnerability assessments, threat analysis and horizon scanning to identify and mitigate emerging risks
• Serve as a technical escalation point for complex security issues, contributing expert analysis and practical solutions
• Support compliance with recognised security standards and frameworks (e.g. Cyber Essentials, ISO27001), maintaining clear and auditable records
• Communicate complex technical risks and findings clearly to both technical and non technical stakeholders

Person specification

Essential:

• Holds highly developed specialist knowledge and expertise acquired through master’s degree level or equivalent qualification/experience. Additionally holds specialist knowledge of the relevant area(s) of expertise as outlined in the person specification, acquired through relevant practical experience and training/development
• Proven hands on experience in cyber security operations, such as working as a Security Analyst, SOC Analyst or in a similar technical cyber security role
• Demonstrable experience of incident response and security configuration, with the ability to systematically analyse issues, identify root causes and implement effective solutions
• Strong technical knowledge of cyber security tooling and techniques, including vulnerability management, incident investigation and monitoring tools such as SIEM, EDR and vulnerability scanners
• Practical understanding of core cyber security concepts, including network, infrastructure and system security across Windows and Linux environments, with awareness across networking, operating systems and cloud platforms

Desirable:

• One or more of the following qualifications, or equivalent experience, is desirable for this role: FEDIP Senior Practitioner, Cyber Security Professional (ACSP) ,BCS Certificate in Information Security Management Principles (CISMP), SSCP Systems Security Certified Practitioner

Working for our organisation

The Infrastructure, Cyber & IT Operations team plays a critical role in ensuring NICE’s digital services are secure, resilient, and reliable. The team is responsible for safeguarding systems and information, supporting users across the organisation, and maintaining operational stability with minimal risk or disruption.

As part of this team, you will help protect nationally important digital services while enabling NICE to deliver trusted guidance and information to health and care users across England.

We are passionate and proud of the work we do and the impact we make. NICE offer:

• Generous NHS Pension – Secure your future with one of the most rewarding pension schemes in the UK
• Flexible working – Enjoy a healthy work-life balance with options like remote working, compressed hours and flexible start/finish times
• Exclusive discounts – Save on shopping, dining and more with a Blue Light Card
• Time to recharge – Start with 27 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays
• Inclusive staff networks – Join supportive communities like Women in NICE, Race Equality Network, Disability Advocacy and NICE and Proud – we celebrate diversity
• Tailored development – Grow your career with personalised learning and development opportunities

If you feel this is the type of environment you will enjoy working in, apply today!

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application.