Chief Communications Officer, National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)

Chief Communications Officer, National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)
Location: Cheltenham, Manchester, London
Closing Date: 10am Thursday 13 May 2024
Department: Knowledge & Information Management
Home Department Equivalent of SCS1
Salary: £92,363 PA
Reference: 350327.
The 2-year term of the role reflects an expectation we will be required to expand the scope of the role and responsibilities as we define requirements with other Government Departments in the sector.
About NCSC and GCHQ
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a part of GCHQ, was set up in 2016 as the UK’s National Technical Authority and lead operational body for cyber security.
As part of GCHQ, the organisation has unparalleled insight into the current and potential cyber threats the UK faces, but much of the NCSC’s work is unclassified, citizen-facing and focused on acting at scale to build resilience.
Under the National Cyber Strategy, the NCSC‘s mandate was reaffirmed, to deliver an ambitious, world-leading programme to make the UK the safest place to live and work online.
This is part of the UK five pillar approach to the whole of national cyber security – focusing on threat, technology, resilience, ecosystem and international partnerships.
The strategy emphasised the importance of balancing the demands of increasing cyber resilience across the UK today whilst prioritising the innovation that will keep us one step ahead in the future.
The NCSC’s current priorities are to improve the UK’s cyber resilience to the most significant cyber risks; retain our edge as technology changes and become the strongest organisation we can be.
How We Work
NCSC’s success is based on harnessing world-class technical expertise and using this to deliver practical impact at scale, and partnerships are crucial. We work with the rest of the UK intelligence community; the National Protective Service Authority; with central government (Cabinet Office, DSIT, FCDO and Home Office); with defence, and across law enforcement with the National Crime Agency and others. We also collaborate with lead government departments and regulators to improve resilience in key sectors, with the Information Commissioner’s Office, and with a wide range of industry partners. Our partnerships include the UK’s Communications Service Providers; the wider global technology and cyber security industry; and sectors like finance, energy, and defence whose resilience are key to UK prosperity. A key part of the role will be to take partnership with this community to the next level.
We are also proud to demonstrate the UK’s international leadership in cyber security. We build strong partnerships with other capable cyber nations and share our expertise and insight for global benefit.
Future Focus
The enduring cyber security challenge is to incentivise tech companies to build security into their products by design, and to encourage organisations, companies and the wider public to increase their cyber resilience in a world where many either don’t understand the risk or hope they can postpone or scale back the cost of their response.
Cybercrime remains an enduring threat to businesses and citizens, while State actors and the proliferation of capability are an increasing threat to critical national infrastructure and government in particular. 2024 will be an exciting year for NCSC, with the focus on AI and other critical future technology, and a general election by January 2025 which we will help to secure against cyber threats. We are also working with partners (such as the National Protective Security Authority) to develop a cohesive longer-term resilience strategy to help us address the threat from state actors.
NCSC also continues to evolve on its journey to a resilient and recognisable organisation with a clear mandate and focus on user need, as well as an evidenced, value for money, data-driven offer, a skilled and diverse pipeline of technical talent, and an authentic and inclusive culture.
The Role
The National Cyber Security Centre’s mission is to make the UK the safest place to live and work online – and communications is central to that mission.
We’re looking for an impactful, innovative, and visionary Chief of Communications to lead our communications team and drive the narrative of our nation’s priorities.
The Chief Communications Officer for NCSC is a fantastic opportunity to lead a best-in-class and dedicated team focused on informing and engaging external audiences on cyber security. Whether you are managing the media relations response to a nationally significant cyber incident, or informing the public about improving their personal cyber security, the role will be varied and fast-paced. The role also includes responsibility for the internal communications within NCSC and working collaboratively as part of GCHQ’s communications professional leadership.
Your responsibilities include:
Being an active member of the NCSC Management Board with oversight across the whole portfolio of NCSC’s work to ensure that we use our communications to maximum effect.
To be the lead professional communicator within the NCSC, able to operate in line with appropriate Government Communications Service (GCS) competencies and able to oversee all GCS disciplines, from media relations to marketing, internal communications to social media.
Building a diverse and modern communications team, streamlining communication processes, and leveraging insights and evaluation while enhancing digital capabilities.
Embracing innovation and new technologies, creating an environment that encourages ideas from all and nurtures innovation and creativity.
You will have peer line management of another SCS1 within the communications team
You will be responsible for leading a high-performing communications team to develop and execute a wide range of NCSC communications disciplines, including:
Reactive and proactive media and social media team, including the 24/7 press office function, issues and crisis management.
Our social media presence, overseeing the NCSC’s channel strategies and ensuring content is high quality and engaging.
Marketing campaigns, including working in partnership across Government to ensure the NCSC’s activity successfully aligns with wider campaigning activity.
Our events team, including overseeing the NCSC’s flagship annual conference, CYBERUK.
The internal communications, including the annual in-person all staff conference and monthly town hall meetings.
Our digital platforms, including continually improving the NCSC website and driving wider digital transformation.
The guidance team, ensuring a regular flow of timely, actionable guidance that meets audience needs, including on technical and cutting edge issues.
Our newly established external affairs team.
The public enquiries team, including integrating AI into how we manage public enquiries.
Person Specification
Essential criteria:
As NCSC’s Chief Communications Officer, you will be responsible for leading the communications team to the next stage of its development and keeping pace with industry best practice. You will need:
Well-developed leadership and collaboration skills. You will be responsible for leading the NCSC’s communications team, driving high standards and innovation across a range of disciplines. As a member of the NCSC management board, you will have NCSC-wide leadership responsibilities and as a senior leader within GCHQ you will need to work well with others to ensure collaborative outcomes are delivered.
Excellent communication skills. As the lead professional communicator within the NCSC, you will be responsible for building the NCSC brand and protecting the reputation of the NCSC through proactive and reactive communications. You will be responsible for owning and evolving the NCSC communications strategy, ensuring that it drives innovation across the team and aligns with the broader NCSC strategy.
Strong influencing skills. You will be the lead communications advisor to the NCSC CEO and NCSC management board. You will also be expected to influence across government and with industry partners.
Excellent delivery skills. You will be responsible for the delivery of complex communications moments and events, such as CYBERUK and the NCSC Annual Review.
Financial management experience. You will be the Senior Responsible Officer for all the NCSC Communications’ directorates spend across several projects.
External media relations experience.
Experience working in a national security environment is preferable.
Competencies:
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the potential to succeed in role and have a passion for cyber security.
You will be assessed against both GCHQ and Government Communications Service competences at SCS1/Deputy Director.
– Seeing the Bigger Picture
– Communicating and Influencing
– Working Collaboratively
– Delivering Outcomes
– Providing Customer Value
We would expect all candidates to be leading inclusively.
Location
This role can be based in either Manchester, London or Cheltenham, with regular travel required to the other sites. Occasional international travel to meet partners and attend conferences is a part of the job. It is largely office based but occasional home working (c.10-20%) will be available.
Equal Opportunities
Diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce.
Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website: www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/about-ncsc/equality-diversity-inclusion
We’re Disability Confident
We are proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Disability Confident scheme. This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain, and develop disabled people. Being Disability Confident, we aim to offer a person-to-person interview to any candidate who self-identifies as disabled and meets the essential criteria for the role. This is our ‘Offer of Interview’ (OOI). To secure an interview for this vacancy, the essential criteria (in order of application process) are:
• Meeting the eligibility criteria
• Meeting the essential criteria for the role at the CV and covering letter sift
What to Expect
Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:
• We’ll sift your application to ensure you meet our eligibility criteria
• We’ll then sift your CV and covering letter to assess your suitability for the role
• If shortlisted you’ll progress to the assessment stage, and may complete one or several assessment exercises designed to further examine your motivations and suitability for the role.
• You’ll then be invited to attend a final interview.
• Should you be successful, you will receive a Conditional Offer, subject to vetting.
Before You Apply
To work at NCSC, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. You can read our full eligibility criteria here. (Penna link to GCHQ website Eligibility sections)
This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It’s something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. You can find out more about the vetting process here. (PENNA link to GCHQ website vetting page).
Please note we have a strict drugs policy, so once you start your application, you can’t take any recreational drugs and you’ll need to declare any previous drug usage at the relevant stage.
The role can be done from London, Cheltenham or Manchester, so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application, as we do not offer relocation costs.
Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application. Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.
To apply for this secondment, you must be a permanent civil servant. If applying on promotion, it will be for your home department to decide whether this can be made substantive, following the secondment. At the end of a secondment, you will be expected to return to your Home Department, rather than move to a permanent role within the NCSC. This is a 2-year secondment. If successful, you will remain on your Home Department Salary (Deputy Director – SCS 1 equivalent), Terms and Conditions.
The closing date for this role is: 10am on Thursday 13 May 2024
Right to Withdraw Statement
Please be aware that we withhold the right to bring forward the closing date for this role from the original closing date once a certain number of applications have been received. Please be mindful of this and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.
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