Cyber Security Lead

Overview of the Interim Cyber Security Lead role

Sellick Partnership is currently supporting an organisation based in Berkshire with the recruitment of an experienced Cyber Security Lead on an interim basis.

This is a key role focused on strengthening cyber security, resilience and assurance across a complex organisation. Working closely with senior stakeholders, operational IT teams and external partners, the successful candidate will lead cyber improvement initiatives, coordinate assurance activities and support the organisation's ongoing cyber maturity journey.

The role combines strategic cyber governance and risk management with practical oversight of incident readiness, response and recovery, making it an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys balancing security assurance with operational delivery.

Key responsibilities of the Interim Cyber Security Lead will include

• Leading cyber security improvement activities and coordinating assessment and assurance programmes
• Managing cyber risk and helping drive improvements in security maturity across the organisation
• Identifying gaps, maintaining improvement plans and ensuring actions are prioritised and delivered effectively
• Working closely with stakeholders, technical teams and service leads to monitor progress and manage security-related risks
• Leading cyber incident response and resilience activities, including preparedness, response, recovery and lessons learned exercises
• Supporting business continuity and organisational resilience planning
• Working alongside operational IT teams and security partners to maintain effective monitoring and threat response capabilities
• Reviewing threat intelligence, vulnerabilities and security alerts, ensuring appropriate investigation and remediation activities take place
• Leading cyber security audits, assessments and follow-up improvement actions
• Reviewing the effectiveness of existing controls and identifying opportunities to strengthen security assurance
• Supporting security governance, policy development and technical assurance activities
• Contributing to security awareness initiatives and promoting a positive security culture across the organisation
• Presenting cyber risks, recommendations and improvement plans to technical and non-technical stakeholders

Required experience/qualifications of the Interim Cyber Security Lead position will include

• Significant experience working within cyber security, information security or cyber resilience roles
• Strong experience of cyber risk management and security assurance frameworks
• Experience leading or coordinating cyber incident response activities and organisational resilience initiatives
• Experience managing security audits, compliance reviews and assurance programmes
• Knowledge of vulnerability management, threat intelligence and security monitoring practices
• Experience working with Security Operations Centres (SOC) and operational IT teams
• Ability to assess security controls, identify gaps and develop practical improvement plans
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and challenge where required
• Ability to communicate technical risks and recommendations clearly to non-technical audiences
• Experience working across multiple teams and managing competing priorities within a complex environment

Desirable experience will include

• Experience working towards recognised cyber security frameworks and standards
• Experience within large or complex public sector environments
• Security certifications such as CISSP, CISM, ISO 27001 Lead Implementer/Auditor, or equivalent
• Experience supporting cloud and hybrid technology environments

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Cyber Security professional who enjoys helping organisations strengthen their cyber resilience, improve security maturity and build practical, risk-based security controls that support wider business objectives.