Chief Information & Security Officer (CISO)

The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is an exciting, new role for the Agency. The CISO will provide strategic leadership for information and cyber security across the Agency, ensuring that its information, technology, operational capabilities and people are protected from the continually evolving threats faced by a law enforcement organisation of national importance and scale.

As the Agency’s senior information and cyber security professional, the CISO will provide authoritative advice to the Director Generals, Executive Committee, Audit and Risk Committee, Information, Security and Standards Committee and senior operational leaders on cyber risk, information assurance, resilience and the security implications of strategic and operational decisions.

The postholder will lead the Agency’s cyber security strategy, risk appetite and security architecture, ensuring that security is embedded into the design and delivery of digital, data and technology capabilities rather than treated as a separate compliance function.

The role is particularly important in protecting capabilities that support serious and organised crime investigations, intelligence, covert operations, sensitive law enforcement information and critical national infrastructure.

The CISO will report directly to the Director General Capabilities and will be responsible for circa 25 staff and a multi-year Cyber investment programme.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic leadership

• Develop and lead the Agency’s information and cyber security strategy and risk appetite, aligned with government security policy, the Agency’s strategic objectives and the threat environment.
• Provide clear, independent and authoritative advice to the Director Generals, Executive Committee and Board on the Agency’s cyber security posture and principal risks.
• Ensure cyber security considerations are incorporated into strategic planning, investment decisions, organisational change and operational capability development.
• Operational cyber security and resilience
• Ensure the Agency has the capability to prevent, detect, respond to and recover from cyber-attacks and other information security incidents.
• Lead the Agency’s approach to cyber incident management, ensuring effective escalation, coordination and executive decision-making during significant incidents.
• Maintain effective relationships with relevant national cyber security and law enforcement partners and ensure the Agency can respond rapidly to emerging threats.
• Provide assurance that critical operational systems and services have appropriate security controls, resilience and recovery arrangements.

Security of operational capabilities

• Ensure security is proportionate to the sensitivity and operational importance of the Agency’s capabilities and information.
• Provide security leadership for the development and deployment of new operational technology, applications, data capabilities, cloud services and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.

People and culture

• Build a strong security culture in which every employee understands their responsibility for protecting Agency information and systems.
• Develop and retain high-performing cyber security and information assurance professionals.

Supply chain and third parties

• Ensure cyber security risks associated with suppliers, partners, contractors and technology providers are appropriately assessed and managed.

Government and external relationships

• Develop strong relationships with relevant government security functions, the National Cyber Security Centre, law enforcement partners and other national security organisations.
• Maintain an effective network of professional relationships across the wider cyber security community.

Leadership responsibilities

As an SCS1 leader, the CISO will:

• Provide visible, confident and inclusive leadership across the Agency.
• Set a clear strategic direction and create a high-performing security function.
• Build trusted relationships with operational, corporate and technology leaders.
• Provide constructive challenge to senior colleagues while maintaining a strong focus on organisational outcomes.
• Lead through ambiguity and respond effectively to a rapidly changing threat environment.
• Develop organisational capability and future leadership talent.
• Champion diversity, inclusion and professional development.
• Demonstrate the Civil Service leadership behaviours and values expected of an SCS leader.

The NCA CISO role is part of the Government Digital and Data profession, the Government Security profession and the newly formed (January 2026) Government Cyber Unit.

Open to UK nationals only.

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process, outlined below. This should be completed no later than Sunday 29th November 2026.

• Enter your CV details setting out your career history, including key responsibilities and achievements. It is essential that your CV reflects the role you are applying for. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any employment gaps within the last two years.
• A statement of suitability of no more than two pages A4 font Arial 11 using examples to explain how your skills and experience meet the essential criteria of the person specification on page 12 of the candidate information pack.

In order to monitor the effectiveness of the National Crime Agency’s Diversity & Inclusion strategy, the NCA require certain personal details about you on submission of your application. Please note that this will be treated in confidence and will not impact your application.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a diversity monitoring form. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select ‘prefer not to say’. All monitoring data will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be provided to the selection panel. The information you provide when submitting

your application will help us monitor our progress towards the Civil Service becoming the most inclusive employer.

Your application will be acknowledged within 48 hours of receipt.

Should you encounter any issues with your application please get in touch with our recruitment partner at the following email address: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

The NCA is also currently advertising for a Director International. Candidates may apply for both vacancies but must submit two separate applications.

Shortlist

A shortlisting meeting will be held in the week commencing 7th December 2026.

Assessment

A virtual Staff Engagement Exercise which will be delivered virtually on MS Teams in the week commencing 4th or 11th January 2027.

This stage will not result in a pass or fail decision. They are designed to support the panel’s decision-making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.

Final Panel Interview

The interview will be held in London week commencing 18th or 25th January 2027. The panel will assess your previous experience and professional competence against the essential criteria of the person specification on page 10. You will also be asked to deliver a presentation/in-tray exercise.

Full details of the requirements will be given to shortlisted candidates ahead of their interview.

Shortlisted candidates may also be offered the opportunity to find out more about the role in conversation with the vacancy holder or a member of the senior executive team.

Offer

Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible.

If your application is successful and we are unable to offer you a post immediately, you will be invited to join our reserve list so that we can continue to communicate with you regarding your employment with the Agency, and the incredible work that we do. If over the next 12 months we are able to offer you a position, we will contact you as soon as possible.

If you are not found appointable at the advertised grade you may be offered the lower grade role if you are considered to meet the skills, experience and behaviours for the lower level. The benchmark for appointing to the lower grade is set at the start of each campaign. All offers will be made in merit.

Appointments will be made in adherence to the Civil Service Recruitment Principles and in strict merit order with the highest scoring candidates being appointed first.

The NCA is a law enforcement agency and as such we are part of the Criminal Justice System. Therefore, if you are going into an operational role we need to be aware if any of our officers have, either before they join us or afterwards, any of the following:

• Any criminal conviction (including by Court Martial), or caution or fixed penalty notice for disorder or theft;
• Any adverse judicial findings;
• Any charges or summonses where the proceedings are not complete;
• Any misconduct or gross misconduct findings or where proceedings are not complete.

You will be asked to complete a declaration form covering the above if offered a role with the NCA.

Each case will be considered on its merits and a positive declaration does not automatically mean that your application will not be progressed. However, should you fail to disclose a relevant matter then your application or employment will be adversely affected. If in doubt, please declare it at this stage.’

Indicative Timeline

The anticipated timetable is as follows:

Advert Closing Date - Sunday 29th November 2026

Longlist interviews – if conducted w/c 14th December 2026

Expected shortlist announcement - w/c 18th December 2026

Virtual Assessments - w/c 4th or 11th January 2027

Interviews - w/c 18th or 25th January 2027

Further Information

Pre-employment checks

Pre-employment checks take on average 16 weeks from the point of offer to arranging a start date. This includes vetting, occupational health assessments, employment history checks and substance misuse tests. This is an approximate time frame and is to be taken as a guideline only as this can very between candidates. This is dependent on when all requested documentation is provided.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, which may be likely to some change, and are asked to exercise flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service at: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the ‘assistance required’ section in the ‘personal information’ page of your application form to provide information we should be aware of that will enable us to support you further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

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