Cyber Risk & Compliance Lead

Cyber Risk & Compliance Lead
Permanent
Edinburgh/Hybrid
£61,626 - £72,684

The Scottish Funding Council is Scotland’s tertiary education and research authority. Our ambition is to make Scotland an outstanding place to learn, educate, research, and innovate - now and for the future. So, naturally, we have a clear focus on recruiting the best people and developing them throughout their career. We invest around £2 billion every year, and our funding?enables colleges and universities to provide life-changing opportunities for over half a million people.?

By fostering our guiding principles, we are very proud of the inclusive working environment that we have created. We are committed to attracting people of all backgrounds: we want our colleague base to reflect the people and communities that we serve.

Job Summary

As the Cyber Risk & Compliance Lead at the Scottish Funding Council, you will champion our cybersecurity initiatives, ensuring the protection of our operations, data and technologies in alignment with UK-specific cybersecurity standards and frameworks. This role is critical in maintaining the SFC’s reputation for excellence and integrity in the funding of education and research across Scotland.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a cyber risk management framework tailored to the specific needs and challenges of the SFC, focusing on the protection of financial data, personal information of students and staff, and sensitive research data.
• Ensure full compliance with Scottish and UK data protection laws, as well as adherence to specific regulations relevant to our organisation and our internal and external audit obligations.
• Collaborate closely with academic institutions, research bodies, and government agencies to align cyber security practices and foster a culture of shared responsibility and leading practices in data protection and risk management.
• Lead the review and enhancement of policies, procedures, and controls governing data security, risk assessment, and compliance within the funding council’s operations.
• Conduct targeted cyber risk assessments and compliance audits, providing strategic insights and recommendations to the SFC’s senior management and governing board.
• Act as a principal advisor on cyber security matters, offering expert guidance to support the council’s strategic initiatives in funding education and research.
• Stay abreast of emerging cyber threats and advancements in cyber security technologies and practices, ensuring the SFC remains proactive and responsive in its cyber risk and compliance strategies.

Person specification

It is important through your CV / Cover Letter that you give evidence of proven experience of each of the following essential criteria:

Essential Requirements:

• Proven track record in cybersecurity risk management, with a strong understanding of the UK cybersecurity landscape, including Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001 frameworks.
• Familiarity with the NCSC’s guidelines and recommendations for public sector organisations.
• Experience in managing cybersecurity compliance projects within the UK, including the attainment of Cyber Essentials certification.
• Leadership experience with the ability to mentor a team and drive cybersecurity awareness across an organisation.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, capable of engaging effectively with a range of stakeholders on complex cybersecurity issues to ensure change is adopted and sustained.

Professional Certifications:

• Holding or working towards UK-recognized cybersecurity certifications, such as those offered by CREST or Cyber Essentials Plus, is highly desirable.
• Additional certifications such as CISSP, CISM, or ISO 27001 Lead Auditor/Implementer would be beneficial.
  

Additional information

Location
SFC offers hybrid working for its employees. This means that whilst the role is based at our Edinburgh office, there is substantial opportunity to work from home most of the time. As a rule of thumb SFC expects that a minimum of three days a month in the office (on average) will achieve the benefits of its hybrid approach.

Key Rewards and Benefits

• Normal full-time hours of work are 35 per week. We will consider flexible working arrangements. A flexi-time system is in operation.
• Annual leave entitlement of 26.5 days pro-rata, rising to 30 days pro-rata after 4 years’ continuous service. Public and privilege holiday entitlement of 11.5 days pro-rata.
• A flexible approach to hybrid working, giving you flexibility to work from home for some of the time while also maintaining regular in-person contact with colleagues.
• Annual pay review: approved within the framework of the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy and negotiated with our recognised trade union, Unite. Salaries are reviewed annually in April for employees who commence employment prior to 1 October in the preceding year.
• Eligibility to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
• Support for continuous professional development.
• Support for health and wellbeing, including generous occupational sick pay, free access to confidential advice and support through our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, Special Leave (paid and unpaid), a contribution to learning outside work through our Lifelong Learning Fund, free winter flu vaccination, and access to occupational health support.

The Selection Process

How to Apply
To apply, please send your CV and cover letter. The selection panel will use this evidence to assess your application against the selection criteria in the Person Specification section above.

Pre-Employment Checks
As part of our pre-employment process, we will ask you to provide relevant documentation to show that you are eligible to work in the UK and a Basic Disclosure Scotland certificate. You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this role; we do not offer sponsorships. We also take up references as part of this process. Expenses will be reimbursed for Basic Disclosure check. This will only be requested if you are appointed into the role.