Head of Security Policy

DWP’s security policies define the measures that help to protect DWP, its infrastructure and its staff from physical, personnel and cyber threats. These policies are continuously under review to ensure they are fit for purpose, take account of emerging risks and threats, and support the business in achieving its objectives securely.

In addition to ensuring DWP’s security policies are regularly reviewed and updated, and keeping pace with the ever-changing risk landscape, the team works closely with a range of projects and initiatives across DWP, in ensuring compliance with security policies is embedded within new technologies and processes, by design.

Security Policy Team sits within Security Policy and Central Services (SP&CS) area of Security & Data Protection

This role is to develop, adapt, and manage a suite of security policies on behalf of the department, ensuring alignment with other key areas of the security profession (such as Risk Management) whilst also taking into account the evolving requirements of the department to fulfil its strategic objectives.

The role involves working across the security community, Digital and the wider Department to oversee the development, delivery and embedding of our policies , and ensuring compliance with them. A summary of the role requirements as follows:

• Lead the development, delivery and maintenance of a framework of security policies to address each aspect of DWP’s security needs, working with specific internal and external expert domains
• Ensure the Departmental security policy portfolio complies with security obligations, statutory requirements, industry developments, best practice and international standards, and legal obligations and is continually evolving to enable the selection of appropriate security controls and respond to emerging threats and risks
• Lead the policy portfolio review process, ensuring reviews are undertaken as scheduled
• Lead the development, consultation and launch of new policies as required.
• Oversee the governance of security policy and standards, through Policy and Standards Review Groups and regular reporting to Senior Leadership Team and other relevant governance boards.
• Ensure the Security Policy team has the skills, capability and resource to provide advice and support to the business regarding security policy matters.
• Continually strive to improve the profile and visibility of security policies across DWP, working in partnership with business areas and other security functions
• Demonstrate leadership qualities by applying a consistent vision, energy and drive that motivates the team to meet business objectives, setting them in the context of wider security and Departmental objectives
• Create and champion an environment of continuous improvement across the team, where learning from feedback, security risks, events, incidents, investigations and trends becomes integral, “security by design” and processes.
• Build peer and senior relationships that lead to proactively contributing and feeding information into the senior leadership team.

Please note this role may include travelling and occasional overnight stays.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Company:
Government Recruitment Service Salary: £75,026 to £80,267 a year

Hours:

Full-time

Location:

Newcastle-upon-Tyne Job type:
Permanent Posting date: 27 Aug 2026 Closing date: 8 Sept 2026

About Disability Confident Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.