CEO National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) at GCHQ Ref. 3152 Full Time

MI5
Job description 1 About NCSC and GCHQ

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) was set up in 2016 as the UK’s National Technical Authority and lead operational body for cyber security. As part of GCHQ, the organisation has unparalleled insight into the current and potential cyber threats the UK faces, but much of the NCSC’s work is unclassified, citizen-facing and focused on acting at scale to build resilience.

Under the National Cyber Strategy the NCSC’s mandate was reaffirmed, to deliver an ambitious, world-leading programme to make the UK the safest place to live and work online. This is part of the UK five pillar approach to the whole of national cyber security – focusing on threat, technology, resilience, ecosystem and international partnerships. The strategy emphasised the importance of balancing the demands of increasing cyber resilience across the UK today whilst prioritising the innovation that will keep us one step ahead in the future.

The NCSC’s current priorities (outlined in the foreword to the Annual Review 2023) are to improve the UK’s cyber resilience to the most significant cyber risks; retain our edge as technology changes, and become the strongest organisation we can be.

NCSC’s success is based on harnessing world-class technical expertise and using this to deliver practical impact at scale, and partnerships are crucial. We work with the rest of the UK intelligence community; the National Protective Service Authority; with central government (Cabinet Office, DSIT, FCDO and Home Office); with defence, and across law enforcement with the National Crime Agency and others. We also collaborate with lead government departments and regulators to improve resilience in key sectors; with the Information Commissioner’s Office, and with a wide range of industry partners. Our partnerships include the UK’s Communications Service Providers; the wider global technology and cyber security industry; and sectors like finance, energy, and defence whose resilience are key to UK prosperity. A key part of the role will be to take partnership with this community to the next level.

We are also proud to demonstrate the UK’s international leadership in cyber security. We build strong partnerships with other capable cyber nations and share our expertise and insight for global benefit.

The enduring cyber security challenge is to incentivise tech companies to build security into their products by design, and to incentivise organisations, companies and the wider public to increase their cyber resilience in a world where many either don’t understand the risk or hope they can postpone or scale back the cost of their response. Cyber crime remains an enduring threat to businesses and citizens, while State actors and the proliferation of capability are an increasing threat to critical national infrastructure and government in particular. 2024 will be an exciting year for NCSC, with the focus on AI and other critical future technology, and a general election by January 2025 which we will help to secure against cyber threats. We are also working with partners (such as the National Protective Security Agency) to develop a cohesive longer-term resilience strategy to help us address the threat from state actors.

NCSC also continues to evolve on its journey to a resilient and recognisable organisation with a clear mandate and focus on user need, with an evidenced, value for money, data-driven offer, a skilled and diverse pipeline of technical talent and an authentic and inclusive culture.

The Role:

CEO NCSC is a fantastic opportunity to lead a respected national organisation, recognised globally as a world-leading cyber security agency and a unique part of wider GCHQ.

The CEO has a pivotal role shaping, delivering and communicating the UK’s national approach to cyber security; managing nationally significant incidents; building partnerships internationally and with industry, and delivering insight and results at scale for national effect. As well as leading NCSC into the future and building its inclusive organisational culture, you will be a key part of GCHQ’s leadership team and Management Board, transforming the organisation for the intelligence and security challenges of the future, and representing it at home and abroad.

Person Specification:

Essential Criteria

As CEO of NCSC, you will lead the organisation on the next stage of the evolution outlined above. Throughout you will advocate, mentor, inspire and role-model inclusive leadership, both in NCSC and wider GCHQ.

You will need:

• Strong leadership skills, including the ability to harness the technical expertise embedded in the NCSC. You will set the vision and strategy for the organisation and embed an inclusive culture.
• Proven, exceptional influencing skills. This includes the networks and ability to deal with the most senior political and official levels of Government at both a strategic and tactical level as well as managing the NCSC’s key relationships, including those with international parties.
• Superb communication skills, including the ability to act as a media spokesperson. In particular the ability to translate complex technological issues into easy-to-understand, actionable messages, regularly for the public on national media, and sometimes to very senior non-technical people under real pressure. Also the ability to command a highly specialised audience with personal credibility, for example at CyberUK, our annual national cyber security conference.
• Crisis management skills. You will need to act as a crisis manager within Government and as the public voice of HM Government in the event of a serious cyber incident affecting the UK.
• Board level leadership skills. As an active member of the GCHQ Board and executive team, you will be part of the collective leadership that helps to inspire and lead GCHQ to succeed in our purpose and our priorities. This includes additional cross- organisational responsibilities – you may be asked to lead across the organisation on particular technologies (like AI), relationships (with key partners) or diversity issues (such as social mobility) to ensure GCHQ remains a great place to work.
• A high level of commercial and international awareness so that the NCSC’s advice is useful to business and sensitive to the commercial realities they face. You will also need to ensure NCSC’s offer remains innovative and value for money, convening rather than crowding out the private sector, and to make tough resource choices.

Competencies

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the potential to succeed in role and have a passion for cyber security.
You will be assessed against the following competences at SCS3/Director General:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leading Inclusively
• Communicating and Influencing
• Driving Innovation and Change
• Delivering Outcomes

Location

This role is London-based (Victoria) with a need to travel regularly to Cheltenham and increasingly to Manchester, with annual visits to other sites and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Regular international travel to meet partners and attend conferences is a key part of the job. It is largely office based but occasional home working will be available

Terms & Conditions

• This role is open on transfer of employment to GCHQ or secondment from another agency if you are already part of the Civil Service.
• £147,323 – £189,120 (depending on experience). London Pay Addition will be applicable. Posting allowance and relocation package will not be included.
• The role requires UK Intelligence Community Developed Vetting which includes validation checks, induction, and drug and alcohol tests.
• This post may be subject to ministerial approval.

Rewards and Benefits

A range of benefits will be available to you, including the following:

• 25 Days Annual Leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service, and an additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays
• Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
• Interest-free season ticket loan
• Excellent pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
• Paid parental and adoption leave.

Equal Opportunities

Diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website:

We’re Disability Confident

We are proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Disability Confident scheme. This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people. Being Disability Confident . click apply for full job details