UK NCSC seeks “team captain” for UK cybersecurity, offers £200k salary for new CTO

The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is recruiting a new CTO to act as a “team captain” for the UK’s cybersecurity sector. The agency is offering a salary of up to £205,000 for what it describes as a “career-defining role” of national significance for someone recognised to be a genuine cybersecurity expert.

The position offers the opportunity to play an instrumental role in shaping and delivering the UK’s approach to cybersecurity, setting the direction for the NCSC’s long-term research, and nurturing and developing a team of cybersecurity professionals across a range of disciplines, the NCSC said.

Last month, the UK’s HM Treasury announced it was looking to hire a new head of cybersecurity to lead a team and protect it from cyberthreats, sparking criticism from the IT and cybersecurity industry over the advertised salary of £57,000.

NCSC CTO will take nationally scaled approach to combating cyber threats

The NCSC CTO will need to take a nationally scaled approach to combating cyber threats now and in the future, understand future technology in depth, and build resilience at scale to ensure the UK can take advantage of the opportunities of the digital world, according to the job post.

The post holder will be recognised by peers and the industry as a thought leader with demonstrable experience and an international network amongst leaders in global cybersecurity. They will also need deep expertise and credibility across a broad range of cybersecurity disciplines.

“As a leader, you will be recognised as someone that others want to work for, who listens to a range of views, nurtures a pipeline of expert talent now and for the future, and helps to retain key technically skilled staff. You will also be committed to diversifying that pipeline of talent to reflect our society,” the listing read.

National security background not a necessity

An intelligence or national security background is not a necessity, as the successful candidate will be supported to build their familiarity with the full range of GCHQ’s expertise and capabilities, according to the job listing. “You will help to sustain our culture of a relentless focus on user need; a bold, self-sustaining, honest and restless drive for improvement; expertise and excellence in everything we do; an evidence-based approach rooted in data; being transparent, trustworthy and open to different perspectives,” it said.

Advertised job responsibilities include:

• Be accountable for recruitment, retention, nurturing, and development of the NCSC’s cybersecurity workforce.
• Play a visible role in promoting and improving diversity and inclusion.
• Lead arbitration of NCSC technical guidance and quality assurance.
• Ensure the nation is prepared for the advent of emerging and future technologies including AI and the development of cryptographically relevant quantum computing.
• Ensure the nation can manage the risks posed by the supply chains of current and future technologies.
• Oversee the establishment of technical policies and standards for high-grade cryptography, used to protect classified information.