About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.  

Do you want to move into the exciting space of cyber security or are you looking for your next role in cyber?

Can you use your expertise and knowledge to draw out key themes and analysis to support decision making?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

This is an excellent opportunity where you can grow and develop your career in national security. The department supports employees to gain a range of recognised qualifications and certifications in cyber security and beyond.

Job description

The National Security Division (NSD) exists to mitigate current and emerging national security threats to the transport sector. It sits within the department’s Transport Security Directorate (TSD), which leads on national security matters, ranging from state threats, economic security, counter terrorism, and cyber security. 

We are looking for two individuals to work on the key area of cyber security, specifically on strengthening the UK against cyber-attack by ensuring the transport industry is compliant with the Network and Information System (NIS) regulations.   

We’re looking for someone with a background in cyber security or regulation to join our Cyber Compliance Team. This is a fantastic opportunity to become a core member of the growing team and work across a broad area to deliver our cyber regulation and audit compliance programme.

The cyber compliance team, and TSD more broadly, invests significantly in training and developing staff to prepare them not just for an interesting and challenging job, but also for a rewarding career in the Government security profession.  
  
Successful candidates will need SC clearance and may then be required to go through DV clearance  once in post. Due to the need to access higher-classification material, these roles are limited to our Birmingham and London sites. These roles are reserved for UK nationals.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Understanding how transport operators are meeting the cyber security requirements as set out in the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Directive 2018.
• Reviewing information within Cyber Assessment Frameworks and cyber Improvement Plans in line with best practice as set by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
• Developing and maintaining collaborative working relationships with colleagues in the cyber, compliance and inspection teams across DfT and its agencies, as well as with fellow regulators.
• Contributing to and supporting delivery of the team’s Cyber Security Compliance Programme.
• Working on an inspection programme to oversee cyber regulation across our transport operators to ensure the Department meets its legal obligations under the NIS Regulations.
• Developing and updating cyber security policies, standards and guidance consistent with DfT’s role as a cyber regulator.
• Developing and maintaining an up-to-date awareness of technical cyber capabilities, the cyber threat picture and transport specific cyber security issues and mitigations.
• Providing high quality written and verbal advice and briefing to senior decision makers and policy colleagues across DfT and with transport operators.

For an in-depth insight into the role please refer to the Role Profile.

Person specification

About you

To thrive in this role, you will

• Be experienced with working in any of the following, or related, areas: cyber security, regulation, audit, or national security.
• Possess experience of working with diverse stakeholders and building positive relationships.
• Have experience of working with technical information and using technical information to inform decision making.
• Be able to use your own expertise and knowledge of cyber to draw out key themes and be able to present this technical information to a non-technical audience.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Have the ability to work collaboratively with teams.
• B a proactive individual with the ability to identify trends to mitigate risks.

Additional information

A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

Please note that this role will include regular travel across the UK and there may be limited opportunities for international travel.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance. 

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport

This role may attract an additional allowance of up to £5,000 depending on candidate qualifications, skills and experience. This allowance will be non-pensionable and may be reviewed in any contractual agreements

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

How to apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a CV and Personal Statement (750 words). Please tailor your CV to suit the role. For your Personal Statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following:

• Experience working in any of the following, or related, areas: cyber security, regulation, audit, or national security.
• Experience of working with various stakeholders and building positive relationships.
• Experience of working with technical information and using technical information to inform decision making.

The sift is due to take place 19th February 2024.

Interviews are likely to be held from week commencing 26th February 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates. 

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include: 

• An interview

This interview will be conducted online via Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.  

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. 

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. 

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website. 

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.