Cyber Security Consultant

Reading HQ (2/3 days a week when required)

SC clearance is essential

Up to £104 p/h Inside IR35

We are seeking an experienced Cyber Security lead to play a critical role in safeguarding applications, infrastructure, and cloud environments across a complex, high-security programme.

You will act as a key liaison across multiple teams, ensuring that security is embedded from the outset through a Security by Design approach. This is a leadership role combining hands-on assurance, stakeholder engagement, and strategic oversight.

You’ll work closely with technical, security, and delivery teams to define secure solutions, ensure compliance with established standards, and drive a strong culture of IT assurance across the programme.

Key Responsibilities

Security by Design & Compliance

• Ensure applications, infrastructure, and cloud environments are secure throughout their lifecycle, aligned with Security by Design principles and relevant industry standards.

Secure Development

• Define and implement secure development guidelines. Work with engineering teams to embed security controls and mitigate vulnerabilities across development and production environments.

Monitoring & Assurance

• Provide independent assurance across infrastructure and cloud environments, ensuring continuous compliance with defined standards and processes.
• Identify, assess, and manage risks, recommending both tactical and strategic improvements aligned with best practice.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate across technical and non-technical teams to deliver secure, compliant solutions aligned with programme objectives.
• Lead initiatives to enhance security posture, strengthen assurance practices, and drive ongoing compliance improvements.

What You’ll Bring

• Strong experience in IT Assurance, Cyber Security, or Compliance within a complex or highly regulated environment (e.g. defence, government, critical infrastructure)
• Proven expertise in frameworks such as: ISO standards, NIST (800-53, 800-171, 800-172) and NIS2
• Solid understanding of Security by Design across the full system lifecycle
• Experience securing cloud, infrastructure, and applications
• Ability to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities across development and live environments
• Strong stakeholder engagement and cross-functional collaboration skills

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