Lead Cyber Security Analyst

Job summary

Across government, cyber security is fundamental to protecting critical services, safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining public trust. As cyber threats continue to evolve in scale and sophistication, organisations must strengthen their ability to detect, analyse and respond to potential incidents in real time. Ofgem plays a vital role in the UK’s energy system, protecting consumers and enabling a more secure, fair and sustainable energy future, and effective cyber security operations are essential to ensuring resilience and continuity of services.

Ofgem is on a significant transformation journey. Within the Digital, Data and Security Services (DDSS) directorate, we are strengthening our cyber security capability to support a modern, digitally enabled organisation. This includes enhancing monitoring, threat intelligence and incident response processes to ensure that risks are identified early and managed effectively.

As a Lead Cyber Security Analyst, you will play a critical role in protecting Ofgem’s systems and services. You will lead the monitoring and analysis of security events, drive improvements to detection capabilities and support the effective investigation and response to incidents. You will work across security operations, threat intelligence and vulnerability management, ensuring that the organisation remains resilient against a dynamic threat landscape.

This is a technically demanding and high-impact role, requiring strong analytical capability, experience in security operations and the ability to lead activity across complex environments. You will act as both a subject matter expert and a leader, supporting the development of capability and driving continuous improvement across cyber security operations.

Job description

You will be responsible for:

• Leading the monitoring and analysis of security events, ensuring threats are identified, investigated and responded to effectively.
• Managing the development and implementation of the monitoring roadmap, enhancing detection capabilities across the organisation.
• Overseeing the triage and investigation of security alerts using SIEM and other monitoring tools, ensuring appropriate escalation and response.
• Leading the development of automated monitoring and detection processes, improving efficiency and accuracy of threat detection.
• Managing vulnerability assessment and remediation activities, ensuring risks are prioritised and addressed using a risk-based approach.
• Leveraging threat intelligence to inform security operations, identify risks and enhance preventative controls.
• Leading incident response activities, including investigation, containment and recovery, and contributing to continuous improvement through lessons learned.
• Providing expert advice to stakeholders on security risks, mitigations and best practice.
• Supporting resilience through preparedness exercises, red teaming and continuous capability development.
• Producing reporting and insight on security posture, risks and trends for senior stakeholders.

We are looking for:

A skilled and experienced cyber security professional who can operate effectively in a complex, fast-moving environment. You will bring strong technical expertise in security operations, along with the ability to lead and influence across teams.

You may come from a security operations, threat intelligence or cyber defence background, but you will demonstrate:

• Experience working within a Security Operations environment
• Strong experience in incident detection, analysis and response across complex systems
• Expertise in intrusion detection, threat intelligence and vulnerability management
• Experience working with security tools, including SIEM and monitoring platforms
• The ability to communicate complex security issues clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders

Relevant certifications such as SANS, GIAC or CISSP are expected (or willingness to achieve).

Experience working in government or regulated environments, and familiarity with threat landscapes relevant to energy or critical infrastructure, would be beneficial.

This is an opportunity to play a key role in safeguarding Ofgem’s digital environment. You will help ensure that systems and services are secure, resilient and capable of responding effectively to cyber threats, supporting the organisation’s mission at a time when cyber security has never been more critical.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Demonstrable experience in analysing incidents across a complex environment. (Lead Criteria)
• Experience in intrusion detection and analysis. (Lead Criteria)
• Experience in a Security Operations environment.
• Previous exposure to IT and network security and networking technologies and with system, security, and network monitoring tools.
• Either holds, or can achieve, SC clearance.
• SANS or GIAC Security Operations Modules or CISSP.

Desirable Criteria

• Sound awareness of the threat environment faced by government, regulatory departments and the energy industry.
• Experience with M365 and Azure-related Security tooling.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• You will also be asked to conduct a Technical Test. Full details of the Technical Test will be disclosed if you progress through sift stage.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £49,452, OFGEM contributes £14,326 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).Ofgem can offer you a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which includes; 30 days annual leave after 2 years; Excellent training and development opportunities; The opportunity to join the generous Civil Service pension which also includes a valuable range of benefits; hybrid working (currently 1 day a week in the office but this is kept under review), flexible working hours and family friendly policies. Plus lots of other benefits including clean and bright offices based centrally, engaged networks and teams and an opportunity to contribute to our ambitious and important targets of establishing a Net Zero energy system by 2050. This exciting blend of professional challenge and personal reward identifies career opportunities at Ofgem as something to get excited about.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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