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Security Architect

  • Public sector
  • Manchester
  • 06/05/2025
  • £52,082.00 - £61,084.00 /yearly
  • Full Time & Permanent
Job expired!

Job Overview

Location

Manchester

Job Type

Full Time & Permanent

Salary

£52,082 - £61,084 yearly

Date Posted:

06/05/2025

Expiration date:

25/05/2025

Additional Detail

Job ID

26062

Work Location

Office-based

Job Description

Manchester, M2 or Cardiff, CF10

Job summary

To ensure that DCMS can deliver its mission, the department has established the DCMS Cyber Security Group (DCMS-Cyber). A new multidisciplinary cross-departmental cadre of cyber security and intelligence specialists, DCMS-Cyber leads activities to understand, identify and respond to cyber threats.  From cyber threat intelligence analysts, to operational policy experts, DCMS-Cyber plays a central role in ensuring that vital services are protected from current and near-future threats. 

This is an incredibly exciting time to be part of a new cyber security capability. As a security or intelligence professional, you will have an unparalleled opportunity to apply your skills, shape team activities, and gain significant exposure to senior decision-makers. What's more, your work will make a real difference in protecting both UK citizens and society as a whole, through the use of your skills to protect vital services. 

Are you ready for a challenge?

Job description

This represents a unique opportunity for the right candidate to be developed to undertake an exciting, influential and highly visible role, with significant scope for impact.

Like any organisation, DCMS depends on reliable and effective IT systems and services to deliver its mission in driving growth, enriching lives and levelling-up society. However, in the face of a broad range of  cyber threats and increasingly complex IT services, there is more need than ever before for security to be at the heart of what we do.

As the Security Architect, you will be a driving force for cyber security best-practice. Through your technical expertise and driven by your understanding of both cyber threats and risks, you will proactively enable key decision makers to make effective cyber security-related decisions. Additionally, you will ensure the implementation of proportionate controls that keep DCMS safe, while enabling it to meet mission and operational requirements.

Person specification

Essential Requirements:

  • Analysis. Practitioner. Monitor the analysis of a technical solution and ensure analysis is reused for similar problem sets; reviews solutions and identifies areas for change; drives the collection of information that is used and analysed; feeds back on policies and requirements
  • Communication (security architect). Practitioner. Demonstrates a deep understanding of security concepts and can apply them to a technical level; effectively translates and accurately communicates security and risk implications to technical and non-technical stakeholders; successfully responds to challenges; manages stakeholder expectations and be flexible, adapting to stakeholder reactions to reach consensus.
  • Designing secure systems. Practitioner. Designs and reviews system architectures through the development of patterns and principles.
  • Research and innovation. Practitioner. Contributes to and informs developments on security properties in technology; identifies new technologies and designs the use of these in the business context across the organisation; engages with the broader security community
  • Security technology. Expert. Explains complex system architectures; identifies and explains how easy or difficult it will be to exploit vulnerabilities; leads and influences security technology in the security industry.
  • Understanding the security impact of transformation. Practitioner. Interprets and applies understanding across a complex area; start influencing policy and process, business architecture, and legal and political implications.

Desirable Skills:

  • A strong existing network, or the ability to forge a network of contacts across government and external organisations.
  • Awareness of Secure by Design principles, with the ability explain the importance of these principles to non-technical audiences.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work across organisational boundaries and cultures. Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate, summarise and describe technical issues for non-technical audiences. 

We fully recognise that the requirements for our cyber roles are demanding and difficult to attain. We encourage candidates to apply, even if it is felt that not all the essential requirements are met. DCMS-Cyber are seeking candidates that demonstrate good values and a willingness to learn.

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by the Head of Cyber Security , and will take place on:

  • Thursday 15 May, 1pm - 1:45pm 

The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department. It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions.

Please register your interest by filling out this Registration form here by 11pm on Wednesday 14 May and you will be sent an invitation. 


Please note that the session will not focus on the DCMS recruitment process - please direct any queries that you have on this topic (timelines, reasonable adjustments, onboarding etc) to [email protected]

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Changing and Improving
  • Communicating and Influencing
Alongside your salary of £52,082, Department for Culture, Media and Sport contributes £15,088 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

DCMS values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. We're committed to developing talent, and supporting colleagues to have great careers in our department. To support with that, some of the benefits we offer include:

  • Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working - DCMS staff work on a flexible basis with time spent in offices, and time spent working from home

  • 26.5 days annual leave on entry, increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years' service

  • A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

  • Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice

  • 3 days of paid volunteering leave

  • Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave

  • Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year

  • Occupational sick pay

  • Access to the Employee Assistance Programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice

  • Active and engaged staff networks to join including the LGBT+, Ethnic Diversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Gender Equality Networks

  • Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day to day work

  • Season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and much more!

Terms and conditions at SCS grades will vary. Those applying for SCS roles should refer to the candidate information pack for more information on terms and conditions.

Selection process details

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

To apply for this vacancy, you will need to submit the following documents which will assessed against the experience success profile

  • A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages and you should insert your CV into the "Job History" section on Civil Service Jobs on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
  • A Statement of Suitability (max 750 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed however these will not be considered in the assessment of your application except in circumstances where there are a high number and calibre of candidates. 

For the shortlist, we will select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability. Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.

For support in writing your application and interviewing, please refer to the 'Application and Interview Guidance' document attached to the job advert.

In most cases interviews will take place remotely via Google Meet video call. However please refer to the Candidate Information Pack to confirm the interview approach.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Department for Culture, Media and Sport from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk   

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the 'Candidate Information Pack' attached.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

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.

Reasonable Adjustment

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process.

In order to request an adjustment, please:

Complete the 'Assistance required' section on the 'Additional requirements' page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or a verbal test rather than a written one. 

Alternatively, contact the Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the 'contact point for applicants' section of the job advert.

Feedback


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

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Recruitment team

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact [email protected] in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/

 
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