NHS England is recruiting a Head of Cyber Security Innovation and Improvement to help protect the health service's computer systems, with applications closing on 16 November 2026.

The permanent post was advertised on NHS Jobs on 2 November 2026. It is a Band 8c role paying £103,355.20 to £119,091.70 a year, a figure that includes a recruitment and retention payment of 30 per cent but excludes high-cost area supplements. The successful candidate will be hired to the job title of Head of Security (Lead).

The role is based in Leeds, Exeter or London, at Wellington Place in Leeds, Hexagon House in Exeter or Wellington House in London. It is offered on a full-time, part-time, job-share or flexible-working basis, and colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend at least 40 per cent of their time working in NHS offices.

What the role involves

The post sits in the Cyber Security Operations Centre, known as the CSOC, which supports safe care and builds public trust by making NHS England and the wider health system resilient to cyber attack. The head of innovation and improvement leads a small team that supports the centre's protective monitoring, threat operations, incident management and engineering functions.

The main duties include:

• Leading cross-team initiatives between the engineering, security operations and threat operations functions.
• Line-managing the innovation and improvement team.
• Helping to manage complex incidents and investigations, including coordinating during large-scale incidents across the NHS.
• Identifying and leading improvements to the centre's services, tools and processes.
• Keeping up to date with emerging cyber security threats and the mitigations available against them.
• Maintaining the centre's disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

The role also involves presenting to senior leaders, representing the centre at organisational risk governance meetings and acting as a cyber subject matter expert for external improvement programmes.

Who can apply

Applicants need a master's level degree in cyber security or a relevant subject, or equivalent experience, along with extensive knowledge of security operations centre technologies, security information and event management tools and forensic investigation techniques.

All NHS England cyber security staff must hold Security Check clearance as a minimum. That normally requires five years of continuous UK residency, although in certain cases it can be reduced to three years with additional overseas checks for the previous two years. Candidates do not need to hold clearance already, but failure to achieve it after an offer is made will result in the offer being withdrawn. The post is also subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

NHS England states that it cannot offer visa sponsorship for external candidates for this post.

How to apply

Applications must be made through NHS Jobs using reference number 990-TDD-EC6251-E. Supporting statements should give demonstrable evidence and specific examples of how the applicant meets each of the key skills set out in the advert.

The closing date is 16 November 2026, but NHS England warns that it sometimes closes posts early when it receives a large number of applications, so candidates are advised not to delay. Full details, including the job description and person specification, are on the NHS Jobs advert.