NHS England is recruiting a Head of Cyber Security Innovation and Improvement to lead work protecting the health service from cyber attacks, with applications closing on 16 November 2026. The permanent post is advertised on the official NHS Jobs service and is based in Leeds, Exeter or London.

The role sits in NHS England's Cyber Security Operations Centre, known as the CSOC, which monitors for new threats and attacker activity around the clock and provides real-time protection for more than 400 organisations across healthcare and the NHS network. The successful candidate will be hired to the job title of Head of Security (Lead).

What the role involves

The post leads the CSOC's Innovation and Improvement team and is responsible for cross-team initiatives between the centre's engineering, security operations and threat operations functions. The role holder will contribute to the management of complex incidents and investigations, coordinate activity during large-scale incidents across the NHS, and lead improvement work that supports the delivery of CSOC services.

Other duties include providing specialist knowledge across threat operations, protective monitoring, security engineering and incident management, keeping up to date with emerging cyber security threats and mitigations, using advanced analytic tools to analyse threat patterns, presenting to senior leaders, and maintaining the CSOC's disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

Pay and working pattern

The post is Band 8c under Agenda for Change, with a salary of £103,355.20 to £119,091.70 a year. That figure includes a recruitment and retention payment equal to 30 per cent a year, which the advert states is non-contractual and subject to review, and it excludes the high-cost area supplement. The advert was posted on 2 November 2026 and carries the reference number 990-TDD-EC6251-E.

The role is offered on a full-time, part-time, job-share or flexible-working basis. Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40 per cent of their time working in NHS England offices. The advert warns that the post may close earlier than the stated date if enough applications are received.

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 information security operations centre modules, processes and technologies, security information and event management, and forensic investigation techniques for IT security violations.

All NHS England cyber security personnel must hold Security Check clearance as a minimum. That normally requires five years of continuous UK residency, although in certain cases this can be reduced to three years with additional overseas checks for the previous two years. The advert states that NHS England cannot offer visa sponsorship for external candidates, and that failure to achieve the required clearance after an offer would result in the offer being withdrawn.

The post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Applications are made through the NHS Jobs advert, and applicants should include demonstrable evidence and specific examples of how they meet each of the key skills in their supporting statement.