Service Line Owner – Protect

Job summary

Can you lead a complex service, taking end-to-end accountability for performance, quality and outcomes?

Do you have experience working in protective security, information governance or data protection?

Have you influenced senior stakeholders, led strategic change and established effective processes to deliver organisational objectives?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Lead with confidence. Take ownership of the services which ensure critical security, proper information management and compliance with our legal obligations. Help the Department for Transport protect its people, data and operations while delivering secure, compliant and trusted services across the organisation.

This is an exciting time to join the Digital, Information and Security Directorate within the Department for Transport as we restructure our directorate to ensure we are ready for future challenges, building a more sustainable, skilled and in-house capability.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here

• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday

• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at Department for Transport Central - Department for Transport Careers within the Government Digital and Data Profession.

Job description

As a Service Line Owner you will lead the Protect Service Line, overseeing critical security, information management and rights services that help keep the organisation secure, compliant and resilient. You'll take end-to-end responsibility for service performance, quality and outcomes, ensuring services deliver value while supporting departmental priorities.

As a senior leader, you'll define and deliver the strategic vision for the service line, balancing user needs, legal obligations and policy objectives to drive continuous improvement. You'll ensure robust controls are in place and that services remain effective in a complex and evolving environment.

Working closely with senior stakeholders across the wider organisation, you'll build consensus, influence decision-making and ensure successful delivery of change and transformation initiatives. You'll also be responsible for securing and managing investment, ensuring funding is used effectively to deliver outcomes and value for money.

Leading high-performing teams, you'll foster an inclusive, collaborative culture and support the development of capability across the service. This is an opportunity to shape the future of security, information management and organisational resilience across the Department for Transport.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Defining quality measures for the service, driving continuous improvement towards these measures.

• Informing and influencing stakeholders, getting consensus that enables work to progress.

• Ensuring the delivery of change that realises the outcomes and benefits of your service.

• Prioritising areas of development, balancing user needs, business requirements, and policy.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Experience of working in a protective security environment and working with data of different security classifications.
• Knowledge of legislation and associated guidance in the field of information governance and a willingness to undergo the relevant qualifications.
• Experience of risk management and incident response.
• End-to-end ownership of a complex service, accountable for quality, performance and outcomes.
• Leading change and continuous improvement to realise benefits and outcomes.
• Influencing and building consensus with senior and cross organisational stakeholders.
• Securing and managing funding to deliver value for money.
• Leading and developing high‑performing, inclusive teams.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 35 hours per week.

Travel to other offices will be required, which may involve overnight stays. For candidates based outside of London, there will be an expectation to travel to London on a regular basis to maintain relevant access requirements and provide in-person support when required.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

DfTc does not offer Visa Sponsorship for this role.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Service Line Owner - Applying user-centred insights
• Service Line Owner - Governance and assurance
• Service Line Owner - Life cycle management
• Service Line Owner - Stakeholder relationship management

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £69,501, Department for Transport contributes £20,134 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defin