Title:  Cyber Operations Engineering Manager - NESO

About the Role

National Energy System Operator (NESO) recognises the potential of bright and talented individuals, and we encourage you to join us as Great Britain’s energy system undergoes an ambitious, exciting, and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

Within the scope of the NESO Security team a new CSOC capability is being created, which will provide eyes-on-glass first line security during our transformation and beyond to day-to-day operations. This exciting opportunity will allow the post holder to help design, shape and deliver a world leading Cyber Security Operations Centre, within NESO, and will play a pivotal role in orchestrating its evolution in support of the NESO Security strategy.

The Cyber Operations Engineering Manager will oversee the technical aspects of the security operations centre, such as the security infrastructure, tools and solutions. They are responsible for managing and leading a team of security engineering staff, who design, implement, configure and maintain the security systems and products used by the CSOC. They also collaborate with other managers, analysts and stakeholders to ensure the security operations are aligned with the organizational goals and standards, while championing and supporting the DevSecOps way of working and thinking during software development throughout NESO.

This role can be based from Wokingham or Warwick, and we continue to offer hybrid working from office and home. We are open to full time and part time applicants, as well as flexible working arrangements.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead and manage the Engineering team within Cyber Security Operations to develop and support tooling such as SIEM, TIP, and other essential tools.
• Plan, implement, manage, monitor and upgrade the security engineering measures and solutions for the protection of the organisation’s data, systems and networks within the CSOC. More specifically, the systems that directly support the CSOC, IR and VM.
• Develop, maintain and ensure compliance with security engineering policies, standards, regulations in line with industry best practices.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to understand business needs and translate them into technical requirements and solutions.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimise processes and tools across the Cyber Security Operations function.
• Act as a liaison between the business and engineering team to ensure effective communication and understanding of technical requirements.
• Develop and implement strategies to enhance team performance and set up the team for success.
• Supervise, mentor and develop security engineering personnel and ensure their continuous learning and improvement.
• Coordinate and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, such as IT teams, business units, vendors, auditors and regulators.
• Provide security engineering guidance and leadership on security projects, initiatives and strategies.
• Supporting and championing and improvement of the DevSecOps methodology within the Cyber Security Operations team.
• Develop relationships with government and energy sector peers to improve mutual understanding of industry trends, new technologies and more efficient processes.
• Take active involvement in industry forums and research groups. 

About You

• Proven experience in leading engineering teams within Cyber Security Operations.
• In-depth knowledge and experience in security engineering, operations, analysis and response
• Excellent communication and presentation skills and ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical audiences. Project management skills would be beneficial.
• Awareness of current and emerging cyber threats, trends and best practices 
• Strong technical foundation in cyber security operations, including experience with SIEM, TIP, and other security tools.
• Demonstrated ability to build processes and drive holistic improvements across a function.
• Familiar with various security frameworks and standards, such as NIST, ISO, COBIT, etc.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills and ability to handle complex and dynamic situations.
• Familiarity with industry standards and best practices in cyber security.
• Sound knowledge of IT systems, networks, applications endpoints, and cloud services
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate a team.
• Previous experience in critical national infrastructure or similar sector, involving delivery or support of a CSOC, incident response or similar capability.

Essentials

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, Information Systems, Information Technology or related field, or relevant and equivalent experience

Significant experience in security engineering, operations or related field with strong demonstrable experience in managing or leading security teams or projects

Desireable

Relevant professional certifications, such as CISSP, CISM, GSEC, GCIA, GCED, etc.

About What You'll Get

A competitive salary between £74,000 - £84,000pa – dependent on experience and capability.

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus of up to 15% of your salary for stretch performance, 28 days annual leave as standard, and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%.

As we work towards creating a cleaner, greener, and more affordable future for all, we also work towards creating a place for our teammates to belong, with professional and personal growth and positive well-being.

• Full support and career-development resources to expand your skills, enhance your expertise, and maximise your potential along your career journey.
• A diverse and inclusive community of belonging, where teammates are empowered to bring ideas to the table.
• Generous Total Rewards Plan – comprising of health, finance and wealth, work/life balance, and career benefits.

About Us

National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) mission is to facilitate the decarbonisation of Great Britain’s energy network and ensure the delivery of reliable, affordable, and clean electricity for consumers. We work with stakeholders across the whole energy industry to plan for future network needs, using a wider adoption of technology and changes in consumer behaviour, as well as ensuring we have the right markets, networks, and frameworks in place, to transform the way we operate tomorrow.

Join us, and let’s energise progress.

energy, our future, together.

About The National Energy System Operator (NESO)

In Autumn of 2024, the ESO transitioned to National Energy System Operator, or NESO for short. Previously denoted as the Future System Operator (or FSO), the new National Energy System Operator is the independent body responsible for planning Great Britain’s electricity and gas networks and operating the electricity system.

The ESO, including all of its existing roles, are now at the heart of the new National Energy System Operator. As NESO, we will build on our existing roles, capabilities, and ways of working significantly to create an organisation the energy system and its users’ need. Our new capabilities will enable us to look across vectors, including electricity, natural gas and hydrogen, and crucially consider the trade-offs between them.

The organisation is set up as a public corporation with its own Board of independent directors, with complete operational independence from government, the regulator and any and all commercial interest. As was the ESO, NESO will be licenced and regulated by Ofgem through price control agreements and obligated to identify optimal solutions to system operations and planning in the most sustainable, affordable and secure way for all.

More Information

This role closes on 13th August 2025 at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary.

We work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.

We're committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.

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