Head of information security governance (Deputy CISO)

Deputy CISO / Head of Information Security Governance

Reading – 4 days onsite
⏳ 12-month contract (high likelihood of extension)
£121.77 per hour (Umbrella, Inside IR35) – approx. £901/day
SC clearance required to start | DV highly desirable | Sole British (UK Eyes Only)

Be part of the team building the future of global defence.

✨ Helping define strategy

✨ Building governance foundations

✨ Influencing security culture, architecture, and global collaboration

✨ Leaving a legacy that will shape defence security for decades

This isn’t just another contract — it’s a chance to help build a world-class security organisation from day one.

The Role

As Head of Information Security Governance / Deputy CISO, you will play a pivotal leadership role within a growing 140-person security function, leading a multinational team of 20–30 specialists. 

You will be empowered to drive transformation across the JV, championing Secure-by-Design, threat-led security, cyber strategy, and governance across cutting-edge digital engineering environments and international collaboration platforms.

⚡ What You’ll Lead & Deliver

Key responsibilities include:

Driving adoption and sustainment of the JV cyber security strategy and pioneering new approaches to security.

Designing and deploying a threat-led approach across high-assurance digital engineering environments.

Leading Cyber Policy services and ensuring security is embedded through all project lifecycles.

Facilitating JV cyber incident response activities.

Supporting creation of security policy for product and supply chain cyber security.

Championing and maturing Secure by Design assurance methodology.

Serving as a senior security voice across the JV, promoting visibility, advocacy, and innovation.

Managing internal regulatory documentation related to classified/exclusive information.

Defining the cybersecurity baseline for compliance and managing policy exceptions.

What You Bring

Knowledge & Experience

Exceptional senior stakeholder management skills.

Experience leading technical cyber teams across multiple geographies/time zones.

Ideally, experience operating across multinational government and industry groups.

Qualifications

Professional accreditation such as Chartered Cyber Security Professional (ChCSP) or the experience to attain it.

CISSP, Security+, CISA etc. desirable but not essential.

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent security experience.

Clearance Requirements

DV clearance strongly preferred due to the nature of the work.

Must hold SC clearance to start.

UK Eyes Only → Sole British nationals only