Chief Information Security Officer

The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is a senior role within the Defence Nuclear Organisation (DNO), accountable for providing strategic leadership on cyber security matters. The role holds ownership of information security and cyber risk across DNO and provides strategic influence throughout the organisation, working across boundaries to ensure effective risk management and security practices. The position is critical for mainting a coherent enterprise view of information security risk and strengthening DNO’s overall security posture.

The post-holder will operate in a challenging and evolving cyber threat environment, facing risks from hostile states, criminals, ransomware groups, and others. As DNO becomes increasingly digital and data-led, the expanding attack surface underscores the importance of strong cyber leadership to protect critical systems, information, and services.

• Provide strategic leadership and accountability for cyber security across DNO, including policy framework, secure-by-design principles, and alignment with government and MOD requirements.
• Lead and develop a specialist cyber security team, managing resources, budget, capability while providing clear and trusted advice to senior leaders and governance boards.
• Deliver independent oversight and assurance of cyber and technology risks, ensuring effective risk management and escalation of material risks.
• Lead and coordinate senior responses to major cyber incidents, ensuring effective escalation, operational decision support, and post-incident learning.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including MOD CISO, Product Owners, and CIO leads, to embed security into digital, data, technology, and transformation initiatives.
• Ensure cyber risk transparency through evidence-based reporting to support informed decision-making on resilience, mitigation, and investment.
• Manage cyber security resources effectively to deliver value for money and maintain organisational resilience amid evolving threats.

Open to UK nationals only.

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process accessed via the Civil Service Jobs portal. This should be completed no later than 23:55 on Sunday 15 November 2026 and will involve providing the two documents which are weighted equally:

• A CV (no more than 2 pages) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.​
• A Personal Statement (no more than 2 pages) providing tangible examples that clearly evidence how you meet the essential criteria for the role.​

External candidates who join the MOD and are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.​

For further information about the role and full application process, please refer to the candidate pack attached below. If you wish to receive any material in a different format for accessibility, then please contact People-CivHR-SCSCandidateSupport@mod.gov.uk.​

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