Head of Cyber Security

Head of Cyber Security

Location: Manchester

Salary: £66,582 to £77,368 per annum

Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full Time

The closing date is 14 June 2026

Job summary

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 adverts early should we receive sufficient applications, so please don't delay your submission.

Main duties of the job

As Head of Cyber Security, you will lead NICE's cyber security function, providing strategic direction and expert leadership to protect digital services, infrastructure and information assets.

You will act as NICE's senior cyber security specialist, overseeing security operations, managing risk and embedding secure-by-design principles across digital and technology services.

Working closely with senior leaders, technical teams and external partners, you will play a key role in strengthening NICE's security posture and resilience across services.

You will:

• Lead the development, implementation and enforcement of cyber security strategies, policies and standards across the organisation.
• Act as NICE's cyber security subject matter expert, advising senior leaders and technical teams on complex risks, threats and mitigations.
• Oversee security operations, incident response and threat intelligence, ensuring strong protection and rapid response to cyber incidents.
• Manage organisational risk and vulnerability management, including compliance with Cyber Essentials Plus and the Data Security and Protection Toolkit.
• Embed secure-by-design principles into digital services, systems and technology programmes from early design through delivery.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders, NHS partners and suppliers to align security approaches and share intelligence.

About us

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 can offer you a great place to work with good benefits, flexible working, and a supportive, friendly, and inclusive environment.

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 CardTime 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

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
• Hold either Certified Information Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) or Certified Cyber Professional (CCP) qualification.
• Proven experience in a senior cyber security role with direct line management, performance management, and coaching responsibilities.
• Significant practical experience in security operations, vulnerability assessment and threat intelligence.
• Expert-level understanding of core cyber security concepts, infrastructure security, and the modern threat landscape.
• Proficiency in developing and implementing security policies and risk management frameworks based on standards like CAF, Cyber Essentials, ISO27001 etc

Desirable

• Experience working in the Health Sector/NHS

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.

To Apply

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