Cyber Assurance Lead – Inside IR35 – SC Cleared NEW

SR2 – Socially Responsible Recruitment

Cyber Assurance Lead – Active SC Required Hybrid: 2 days per week into the office Inside IR35: £500 – £560 p/d including fees + VAT

We are looking for a Cyber Assurance Lead to provide pragmatic, architecture-led security assurance across a complex and business-critical telecommunications environment.

This role will sit across technical delivery, supplier assurance, and governance activity, providing independent cyber assurance input to ensure services, solutions, and supplier submissions meet required security, risk, and control expectations.

The successful candidate will bring a strong architecture background, coupled with proven experience in cyber assurance, supplier engagement, and the assessment of technical and contractual submissions. This is a role for someone who can operate credibly with technical teams, suppliers, and senior stakeholders, while translating complex security and architectural issues into clear, actionable advice.

Experience across telecoms, 5G, device security, or handheld/mobile delivery environments would be highly beneficial.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead cyber assurance activity across relevant workstreams, suppliers, and technical deliveries
• Provide independent assurance over solution designs, technical architectures, and delivery artefacts
• Review supplier proposals, technical submissions, and bid responses to assess security suitability, risk, and compliance
• Support the evaluation of contractual documentation and assurance obligations from a cyber security perspective
• Work closely with internal stakeholders and 3rd party suppliers to ensure security expectations are understood and met
• Assess architectures and delivery approaches against applicable security standards, policies, and assurance requirements
• Provide clear, pragmatic advice on security risks, control effectiveness, and assurance outcomes
• Translate technical security and architecture issues into language suitable for both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Support governance and decision-making through well-reasoned, defensible assurance positions
• Track assurance risks, issues, dependencies, and actions through to resolution
• Contribute to the development and improvement of assurance processes, templates, and ways of working

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in a Cyber Assurance, Security Assurance, or similar security governance role
• Strong background in architecture, with the ability to review, challenge, and assure complex technical designs
• Good working knowledge of ISO 27000/ISO 27001 and their practical application in delivery and supplier environments
• Experience working with and assuring 3rd party suppliers and external delivery partners
• Understanding of contractual security requirements, including reviewing contracts or assessing supplier/bid submissions from a cyber/security perspective
• Ability to assess technical and written submissions for security robustness, control coverage, and risk implications
• Strong stakeholder communication skills, with the ability to bridge technical, commercial, and delivery audiences
• Pragmatic approach to assurance, balancing governance requirements with delivery reality
• Confident operating in fast-moving, high-visibility environments where assurance is business-critical

Desirable Experience

• Experience in telecommunications environments
• Knowledge of 5G, mobile technologies, or connectivity/security considerations within telecoms delivery
• Exposure to device security, including handheld/mobile device delivery
• Experience working in regulated, high-assurance, or critical infrastructure settings
• Familiarity with supplier bid evaluation, procurement support, or commercial assessment processes