Cyber Profession Lead

At DSIT were all about improving peoples lives by maximising the potential of science & technology.

We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, research and development.

We use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with the benefits more widely shared.

We are driving forward a modern digital government which gives citizens a more satisfying experience and their time back.

We do all this to enable the Governments 5 national missions: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future.

Above all, we focus on improving peoples lives. Whether its researching new treatments for disease, developing better batteries, reducing burdens through better public services, keeping children safe online, and much more, outcomes for citizens are at the heart of what we do.

Our Inclusive Environment

We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.

Please note:

Former DSIT recruitment campaigns are continuing as usual, but candidates should be aware that following the Governments announcement on the changes to some civil service departments, roles will be subject to the machinery of government moves and will ultimately be in one of the new departments. We will provide more information if you are selected for a role. This work remains of high importance to the civil service, and we thank you for your continued interest.

The Government Cyber Unit's mission is to protect public services from cyber threats and digital resilience failures.

We are working to achieve a step change in our cyber and digital resilience across government, through delivery of the Government Cyber Action Plan, and working closely with departments and national technical authorities including the National Cyber Security Centre to deliver. This is a challenging time to be working in cyber security and digital resilience, but we have an incredible opportunity to make a difference to peoples lives and promote national security by protecting the public services and national infrastructure they rely on. We work at the forefront of shaping the UKs national response to emerging cyber and technology issues - from the increasingly complex range of state-sponsored cyber- attacks and supply chain compromises, through to the transformational benefits and security challenges of frontier AI and quantum computing. 

We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive working environment where people can learn, develop and do their best work. Continuous professional development and a focus on wellbeing is core to our unit culture. We welcome

applications from candidates who share this ethos and are excited by our mission.

The Government Cyber Profession was launched in February 2026 as part of delivery of the Government Cyber Action Plan. This role will lead work to manage and develop the profession, ensuring government has the skills it needs to deliver whilst ensuring a diverse and inclusive workforce.

The successful applicant will lead a small team working to manage the profession, ensuring it is delivering across it's objectives, via a virtual team in both the Government Cyber Unit and the Government Digital Service. This will include work to run the profession on a day to day basis, understanding risks, issues and ambitions and how to use the profession to tackle these.

The Cyber Profession Lead will look at where new opportunities to expand the offer of the profession, working closely with the strategy oversight team skills lead, to develop and implement ways to better attract the right skills to government, share and improve learning opportunities and develop communities and consistency.

• Oversee the day to day running of the government cyber profession, it's day to day activities including engagement, comms, and learning and development