About the job

Job summary

The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) is a part of the Ministry of Defence responsible for the procurement, in-service support, and disposal of the UK’s nuclear submarines. Our work is of unparalleled strategic importance nationally and internationally, ensuring the security of the UK’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent, and delivering some of the most technically complex programmes in defence.

Here you’ll find a community to belong to – whether that’s alongside project teams with a shared vision or as part of an employee network of like-minded individuals. We believe that, by celebrating different backgrounds and perspectives, together we’ll achieve the extraordinary.

We offer 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of around 27%, to help work for you.

Job description

Are you looking for a new opportunity within Information Assurance? Here at the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA), we are currently recruiting for a Cyber Security and Information Assurance Manager to join our team. The Cyber Security and Information Assurance (IA) role is about the management of Cyber Security and ensuring that cyber risks to systems is managed in accordance with applicable standards. As an Information Assurance Manager, you will support the delivery of the Information Assurance strategy, policy, and governance by providing advice to senior colleagues on strategic issues and liaising with stakeholders on complex matters. You may lead a team that delivers large projects and support the business by providing Subject Matter Expertise. This role will be working within large teams of circa 100+. 

The Information Assurance roles for this campaign may include the following:

• Act as the lead Information Assurance point of contact for Cyber Security, supporting platform systems, whole boat security cases and (where appropriate) advisor for all Sensors, tactical weapon systems or Platform Equipment in the SDA.
• Lead system risk identification, mitigation and security accreditation processes and activities across a broad range of stakeholders and regulators on complex manufacturing and engineering programmes.
• The role will provide leadership of the secure by design framework and will allow candidates to input into the development of a robust security management framework for major systems comprising 90+ projects across the Submarine fleet including future tri-nation projects.
• Oversight and management of the implementation stages of technical and security associated products that are required to support the SDA enterprise and deliver an assured service to the Senior Responsible Person (SRO).

For security reasons this role is open to sole UK nationals only. A ‘sole UK national’ refers to an individual who holds citizenship solely in the UK, without dual citizenship or nationality from another country. We’re unable to offer visa sponsorship.  

This role requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 10 years and obtain Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you have been recruited for. If it isn’t obtained or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining DV security clearance can be a lengthy process. You’ll join us once Security Check (SC) clearance is obtained, and then the more enhanced DV checks will continue after you’ve started your employment. If SC clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months, we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made.

At the SDA, we champion flexible ways of working. Regular in-person attendance is required to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.

Whilst on the Abbey Wood site, you’ll experience our impressive range of on-site facilities including a restaurant and coffee bistros and free parking. Our sports facilities include a fully equipped gym and sports hall with bookable classes, as well as a squash court, tennis courts and a football pitch.

What you’ll be doing

• Provide expert advice and guidance in supporting the delivery of Information Assurance strategy, policy and solutions relevant to specialist area.
• Act as Cyber Security Lead to ensure all networks and systems are compliant with policy. Providing appropriate advice and guidance when gaps are identified and escalate where appropriate.
• Undertake information assurance reviews and lead audits and provide management information on reviews, both internally and externally with Industry Partners, presenting the findings across stakeholder groups.
• Manage the controls to ensure Information Management activities is managed in accordance regulatory and relevant legislation.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• CompTIA Security+, or CISMP, or relevant experience.
• Relevant experience in Information Assurance in an organisation

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Information Assurance – Practitioner
• Knowledge and Information Management – Supervised Practitioner
• Communicating and Influencing – CSBC 3
• Making Effective Decisions – CSBC 3

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,500, Ministry of Defence contributes £12,015 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift - We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.

2. Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills

Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.

3. Interview - If you're invited to interview, you'll be assessed against the Sift categories listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (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.