Corsham

Job Summary

The Ministry of Defence has an ambition to put modern digital capability at the heart of how it operates to create winning advantage. The effective exploitation of information and supporting technology is a force multiplier – digital technologies, together with the effective capture, analysis and use of information, will enable transformative military and business performance. Strong Digital coherence will enable the frictionless flow of information across all operating domains, thereby enabling multi-domain integration.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Head of Cyber and Crypto Service to join the Ministry of Defence. This is a strategic and high-impact position within Defence Digital’s Service Delivery Directorate, with responsibility for safeguarding critical national infrastructure and driving transformational change in the cyber and cryptographic landscape.

As the Service Executive for Crypto and Defensive Cyber, you will oversee a portfolio of live services and development programmes across all classifications. You’ll be at the forefront of shaping and delivering vital services such as the Joint Crypt Key Programme, Defensive Cyber Operations, and the Cyber Resilience Programme collectively supporting the UK and its coalition partners.

Job Description

• Lead a multidisciplinary team of c.400 civil servants, military, and contractors.
• Direct delivery of a £350m+ annual portfolio of strategic defensive cyber and cryptographic services.
• Serve as the MOD Programme Director for the GMPP Joint Crypt Key Programme.
• Ensure alignment with MOD priorities, NCSC standards, and HMG strategy.
• Develop and manage relationships with senior stakeholders across government, military and industry.
• Own the Crypto & Defensive Cyber service offering end-to-end, ensuring legal, commercial, and security compliance.
• Lead a multidisciplinary team of c.400 civil servants, military, and contractors.
• Direct delivery of a £350m+ annual portfolio of strategic defensive cyber and cryptographic services.
• Serve as the MOD Programme Director for the GMPP Joint Crypt Key Programme.
• Ensure alignment with MOD priorities, NCSC standards, and HMG strategy.
• Develop and manage relationships with senior stakeholders across government, military and industry.
• Own the Crypto & Defensive Cyber service offering end-to-end, ensuring legal, commercial, and security compliance.

Person specification

• Extensive experience in leading crypto and cyber security programmes and/or implementation of security infrastructure services on a large scale.
• Extensive knowledge of cyber and crypto security requirements of the UK government and future ambitions in this critical area of UK Defence.
• Experience in procurement of multi-million-pound services or equipment across government or with industry.
• Experience leading significant change whilst maintaining business as usual activities.
• Understands government acquisition, treasury rules and how government commercial services works.
• Experience leading a mixed disciplinary team with both technical and strategic awareness and by empowering all team members to achieve shared aims.

Alongside your salary of £117,800, Ministry of Defence contributes £34,126 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Selection process details

GatenbySanderson, an executive search agency, has been appointed to assist with this appointment. To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process accessed via the advertisement listed for this role. This should be completed no later than 23:55 on 1 June 2025 and will involve providing the two documents outlined below via the Civil Service Jobs portal:https://www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe122036/Head-of-Cyber-and-Crypto-Service/

• A CV (no more than 2 pages) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
• A Personal Statement (no more than 2 pages) explaining how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role.

Both documents are weighted equally in their scoring, so it’s important to consider this when uploading your application. Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

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

This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : Martyn Brereton
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact [email protected] in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

https://www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe122036/Head-of-Cyber-and-Crypto-Service/