Summary
As Assistant Director of Cyber Security you will lead and manage a busy cyber function, providing direction and ensuring the delivery of an outcome-focused, professional and high-quality service.
You will be responsible for the operation of the Cyber function, shaping the cyber strategy and policies for all staff to work to.
You will build working relationships and work with a diverse group of stakeholders, including the Board, communicating in a clear, concise, timely and effective manner.
You will use your expert and extensive knowledge gained through technical expertise, team management and service management, to oversee and be responsible for the seamless and successful delivery of the service.
You will be responsible for ensuring that all aspects of both technical and people management are carried out, and that cyber is on the agenda from floor to board.
Behavioural Skills
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Ambiguity | Comfortable dealing with ambiguity and operating in environments that evolve and change. |
| Analytical Thinking | Acquiring a proper understanding of a problem or situation by breaking it down systematically into its component parts and identifying the relationships between these parts. Selecting the appropriate method/tool to resolve the problem and reflecting critically on the result, so that what is learnt is identified and assimilated. |
| Conceptual Thinking | Acquiring understanding and insights regarding the underlying issues in complex problems or situations through the development of abstract representations, the identification of patterns and the analysis of hypotheses. |
| Decision Making | Making decisions at the appropriate time, taking into account the needs of the situation, priorities, constraints, known risks, and the availability of necessary information and resources. |
| Delegation | Delegating tasks, responsibilities and authorities effectively. |
| Follow-up and Monitoring | Checking progress against targets, taking action to resolve exceptions/ issues and reporting and escalating where necessary. |
| Goal Orientation | Maintaining focus on agreed objectives and deliverables. |
| Holistic Thinking | The ability to place problems in the context of the wider business landscape or area of interest. Understanding how different business functions work together to achieve shared goals. |
| Influence, Persuasion and Personal Impact | Conveying a level of confidence and professionalism when engaging with stakeholders, influencing positively and persuading others to take a specific course of action when not in a position of authority. |
| Initiative | Being proactive, anticipating opportunities for systems, service or product improvement or development and taking appropriate action(s). |
| Interacting with People | Establishing relationships, contributing to an open culture and maintaining contacts with people from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. Effective, approachable and sensitive communicator in different communities and cultures. Ability to adapt style and approach to meet the needs of different audiences. |
| Leadership | Clearly articulating goals and objectives, and motivating and leading others towards their achievement. |
| Organisational Awareness | Understanding the hierarchy and culture of own, customer, supplier and partner organisations and being able to identify the decision makers and influencers. |
| Providing Direction | Directing others to undertake specified tasks within a defined timescale. |
| Resilience | Demonstrates resilience when working under pressure, displaying a calm and rational approach to the task at hand. |
| Stakeholder Focus | Understanding the needs of internal or external stakeholders and keeping these in mind when taking actions or making decisions. |
| Strategic Perspective | Keeping organisational objectives and strategies in mind, and ensuring courses of action are aligned with the strategic context. |
| Strategic Thinking | Long-term, broad vision perspective, situational analysis and pattern identification to anticipate potential outcomes when considering immediate and future implications of actions and decisions. |
Technical Skills
| Title | Details | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Access Control Systems | Any tool or system which provides security access control (i.e. prevents unauthorised access to systems). | Expert in |
| Analytical Tools | Analytical, statistical and machine learning tools appropriate to the organisational environment. Able to apply these tools and techniques to meet the requirements of stakeholders. | Proficient in |
| Application Systems | Technical or functional understanding of Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) applications and/or other bespoke software deployed within the organisation in order to provide system configuration, audit, technical, and/or functional support. | Familiar with |
| Big Data | The discipline associated with data sets so large and/or complex that traditional data processing applications are inadequate. The data files may include structured, unstructured and/or semi-structured data, such as unstructured text, audio, video, etc. Challenges include analysis, capture, curation, search, sharing, storage, transfer, manipulation, analysis, visualization and information privacy. | Familiar with |
| Business Environment | The business environment relating to own sphere of work (own organisation and/or closely associated organisations, such as customers, suppliers, partners and competitors), in particular those aspects of the business that the specialism is to support (i.e. localised organisational awareness from a technical perspective). | Proficient in |
| BYOD | The policy of permitting employees to bring personally owned mobile devices (laptops, tablets, smart phones etc) to their workplace, and the implications of using those devices to access privileged company information and applications consistent with safeguarding corporate systems and data taking account of security and confidentiality requirements. Also called bring your own technology (BYOT), bring your own phone (BYOP), and bring your own PC (BYOPC). | Proficient in |
| Cloud/Virtualisation | The principles and application of cloud/ virtualisation (including ownership, responsibilities and security implications). Use of tools and systems to manage virtualised environments. | Proficient in |
| Configuration Management | The discipline that gives precise control over IT assets and components by recording and maintaining information about the 'configuration items', including hardware devices, computer programs, software licences, documentation, network devices, and data centre facilities (virtualised and static). | Familiar with |
| Corporate, Industry and Professional Standards | Applying relevant standards, practices, codes, and assessment and certification programmes to the specific organisation or business domain. | Proficient in |
| Cyber Security Concepts | The understanding of cyber security concepts and ability to effectively translate and accurately communicate security and risk implications across technical and non-technical stakeholders so that they are understood and applied. | Expert in |
| Infrastructure Configuration | Knowledge and understanding of infrastructure configurations. | Familiar with |
| Infrastructure/System Security | The security threats and vulnerabilities that impact and/or emanate from system hardware, software and other infrastructure components, and relevant strategies, controls and activities to prevent, mitigate, detect and resolve security incidents affecting system hardware, software and other infrastructure components. | Expert in |
| IT Environment | The IT environment relating to own sphere of work (own organisation and/or closely associated organisations, such as customers, suppliers, partners), in particular own organisation's technical platforms and those that interface to them through the specialism, including those in closely-related organisations. | Proficient in |
| Middleware | Software which forms part of the operating platform infrastructure. | Familiar with |
| National/International Standards | Current and emerging standards associated with IT practice nationally and internationally, published by authorities such as IEEE, IEC, BSI, ISO. | Proficient in |
| Network Data Security | Network security and threat mitigation, including physical, electronic, firewalling, encryption, access, and authorisation; protecting data at rest and in transit; defending against viruses and malware; the impact of Big Data; and the integration of robust security controls into enterprise services and policies. | Proficient in |
| Network Traffic Analysis | Methods and techniques for the capture of traffic information (packet level) and the forensic analysis of this information into its constituent elements. | Expert in |
| Networking and Communications | The planning and management of the interaction between two or more networking systems, computers or other intelligent devices. | Proficient in |
| Operating Systems | System software that controls activities such as input, output, dynamic resource allocation, and error reporting, within the operation of a computer configuration. | Proficient in |
| Operational/Service Architecture | Knowledge of the IT/IS infrastructure and the IT applications and service processes used within own organisation, including those associated with sustainability and efficiency. | Proficient in |
| Own Organisation's IT Products and Services | The IT products and/or services supplied to internal and external customers by own organisation. | Familiar with |
| Security Software, Tools and Techniques | Specialist tools and techniques used in the pursuit of vulnerability management, penetration testing , digital forensics and other security management disciplines for bug-hunting, abstract interpretation and program analysis, binary analysis and reverse-engineering, exploit development, source code analysis, and static and dynamic application security testing (SAST/DAST) etc. | Proficient in |
| Third Party IT Products and Services | The IT products and/or services supplied to own organisation by external suppliers. | Familiar with |
Other Skills
| Title | Details | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Appraisal Techniques | Methods and techniques for appraising an individual's performance and potential. | Expert in |
| Budgets | Principles, methods, techniques and tools for the preparation and monitoring of budgets to manage costs and ensure cost-effectiveness and value for money. | Proficient in |
| Coaching Techniques | Methods and techniques for coaching individuals or groups by a balanced combination of support and direction, which could include use of virtual learning environments plus add-ons to augment feedback specific to work items, workflow or career plans. | Expert in |
| Disciplinary Issues and Procedures | Managing episodes of unsatisfactory behaviour or performance in accordance with appropriate policies and legislative conformance. Includes changes to circumstances, such as sickness, disability and other personal issues. | Proficient in |
| Document Management Techniques | Methods and techniques for the organisation, storage and version control of information in both paper and electronic formats. | Proficient in |
| Financial Management | Knowledge of Financial Management and Management Accounting. Competent management of costs, budgets and cash flow. | Proficient in |
| Legislation | Relevant national and international legislation. | Expert in |
| Literature Search | Methods, techniques and tools for searching and obtaining relevant knowledge from published literature. | Proficient in |
| Network Data Gathering Techniques | The selection, implementation and application of network data gathering methods, tools and techniques that are appropriate to the information required and the sources available. | Expert in |
| Performance Monitoring | Identifying, agreeing and monitoring (usually by face-to-face interviews) objectives and deliverables with individuals. Identifying under-performance issues against agreed quality standards and performance criteria. Identifying gaps in capability and causes, disciplinary or ability-related (needing assistance, training or other support). | Expert in |
| Presentation Techniques | Methods and techniques for delivering effective and accessible presentations, either face-to-face or online within various contexts and to a variety of audiences. | Proficient in |
| Process Documentation Techniques | Principles, methods and techniques for establishing, documenting and maintaining processes. | Proficient in |
| Process Improvement Techniques | Methods, tools and techniques to analyse and optimise processes in order to improve the quality of a product or service. | Proficient in |
| Project Planning and Control Techniques | Methods and techniques associated with planning and monitoring progress of projects. | Proficient in |
| Report Writing Techniques | Methods and techniques for writing clear, accessible and persuasive reports. | Proficient in |
| Research Techniques | Methods, techniques and tools for the systematic discovery, analysis, and reporting of knowledge about all aspects of information systems. | Expert in |
| Resource Allocation | The effective and efficient routine deployment of resources, (but also including reassessment and reallocation in a dynamic multi-project environment), to achieve optimum results. | Proficient in |
| Risk Management | Methods and techniques for the assessment and management of business risk. | Expert in |
| Stakeholder Engagement | Establishing relationships, analysing perspectives and managing stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. Adapting stakeholder engagement style to meet the needs of different audiences. The identification of key business stakeholders and an assessment of their level of power and interests, and their perspectives to inform the way(s) in which they should be considered and managed. | Proficient in |
| Standards Writing Techniques | Principles, methods and techniques for establishing, documenting, and maintaining standards. | Proficient in |
| Team Dynamics | Knowledge and understanding of the psychological and environmental forces that influence the direction of team behavior and performance and the tools and techniques to improve team cohesion and performance. | Proficient in |
| Techniques for Effective Meetings | Methods and techniques for running effective meetings and for understanding and influencing the roles played by participants. | Proficient in |
| Threat Landscape | Knowledge and understanding of the threat landscape, regulatory and legislative requirements and awareness of industry good practice relating to information governance, privacy and security. | Expert in |
Training
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Data Protection and GDPR | Data protection legislation, regulatory framework and compliance, including GDPR (General Data Protection Act). |
| Diversity and Inclusion | Raise diversity in-the-workplace awareness in order to better understand how the world looks through the eyes of people of a different age, race, gender, sexuality, etc, improve communications with people from diverse backgrounds and reduce the levels of unconscious bias in decision-making. |
| Forensics | Tools, techniques and facilities available for carrying out security incident response related investigations. |
| Human Resource Planning | Techniques and practices involved in planning the numbers and types of personnel needed over time by a particular skillset, department or function within an organisation. |
| Mentoring | Methods and techniques for providing mentoring support to less experienced individuals. |
| Strategic Planning for Information and Communications Systems | The process of defining the ICT strategic plan of an organisation in a methodical way based on business aims and objectives thereby enabling the specification of options and associated action plans for the use of IT-enabled business processes. |
Professional Development Activity (PDA)
| Title | Details | PDA Group |
|---|---|---|
| Gaining Knowledge of Broader IT Issues | Increasing and maintaining currency of knowledge of broader IT issues through reading, attending and participating in seminars or conferences, special studies, temporary assignments etc. | Increasing Knowledge |
| Gaining Strategic Knowledge of Employing Organisation | Developing a comprehensive understanding of the business environment in which the employing organisation operates and its position, policies and direction in relation to health and care, country and global issues. | Increasing Knowledge |
| General Management | Continuing learning and development in general management skills, such as effective communication, leadership styles and skills, team building and team roles, motivation and delegation, planning and resource scheduling, influencing, persuasion and negotiation, so as to be in a position to accept greater responsibility at senior management or director (including non-exec) level. | Developing Professional Skills |
| Mentoring | Acting as a mentor, advising those for whom there is no direct responsibility, on matters to do with their job role, career and professional development. | Broadening Activities |
| Participation in Professional Body Affairs | Taking an active part in professional body affairs at branch, specialist group, committee or board level. | Participation in Professional Activities |
Qualification Components
| Title | Awarding Bodies |
|---|---|
| Certified Cyber Professional (CCP) | NCSC National Cyber Security Centre |
| CISM Certified Information Security Manager | ISACA |
| CISSP Certified Information Systems Security Professional | (ISC)2 International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium |
| FEDIP Leading Practitioner | The Federation for Informatics Professionals |
The Professional Body Responsible for this job family is BCS. This job role profile was created in collaboration with BCS, using Role Model Plus.