Cyber Assurance Specialist

Cyber Assurance Specialist

Division - Operations

Department - Cyber and Information Resilience (C&IR)

Salary: National (Leeds and Edinburgh) ranging from £55,200 to £65,000 and London from £60,000 to £75,000 per annum

The FCA regulates the conduct of 45,000 firms in the UK to ensure our financial markets are honest, fair and competitive. Follow this link to find out more About the FCA.

Cyber and Information Resilience (C&IR) is responsible for the management of cyber security at the FCA. 'Cyber security' means the protection of the FCA's data and systems from malicious activity, including theft, damage and disruption, in order that the FCA can deliver its key business functions. C&IR is now part of a new formed Directorate lead by our CISO, Director of Cyber & Operational Resilience Division.

​​​​​​The role is based in Operational Assurance team, who are responsible for the FCA & PSR's cyber assurance activities working to determine that correct cyber governance and control measures are in place.

The team conducts thorough reviews and testing to confirm the appropriate application (whether through technology, process, or behaviour) of the policies and the secure operation of the FCA/PSR’s systems and the information and data there on.

What you will be doing?

• Conduct cyber security assessments and evaluate the effectiveness of the FCA defence strategies, incident response plans and control measures

• Analyse existing cyber security policies, procedures, and frameworks to ensure that compliance with applicable regulations, best practices, and industry standards

• Scope and Manage Pentest Engagements, identify vulnerabilities, threats and risk exposures that may pose a threat to the FCA data security and operational stability

• Collaborate with internal Audit, Risk and Policy and Governance and Compliance teams to establish effective guidelines, compliance, and good practices to enhance the cyber security posture

What you will get from the role?

• Working for the FCA allows you specialise in the unique cyber security challenges faced by the financial services industry

• Through your role as cyber assurance professional, you will develop comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity principles and practices that can be applied to across various environments covering emerging security technologies

• Working for the FCA can provide networking opportunities with professionals across the financial services sector as well world leading cyber security vendors

• You will have the chance to collaborate with industry leaders, attend conferences, and participate in working groups and forums, which can contribute to your professional growth and expand your network

• Career progression is paramount to the success of the FCA, as there will be potential opportunities to progress to more senior roles as you develop

• Overall, a cyber assurance role at the FCA offers a unique blend of industry-specific expertise, regulatory knowledge, and professional growth opportunities that can significantly enhance your cyber security career

Which skills are required? 

We are a Disability Confident Employer; therefore, disabled people or individuals with long-term conditions who best meet the minimum criteria for a role will go through to the next stage of the recruitment process. (To learn more about the Disability Confident Scheme Click Here) 

Minimum 

• Demonstrable experience working across multiple security domains as well having a good understanding of security best practices

• Demonstrable experience developing and implementing security policies, processes, and guidelines to ensure the protection of information systems, networks, and data

• Direct experience of carrying out audits, risk assessments, documenting findings and providing sound recommendations to management

Essential

• Good understanding of cybersecurity frameworks and regulations (e.g NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ISO27001, PCI-DSS, CIS etc)

• Proficient in performing cyber security risk assessment, vulnerability assessments, scoping and managing the end-to-end pen test engagements with key stakeholders, post incident analysis and be able to understand penetration testing reports

• Good Knowledge of network and system architecture, cyber security technologies and best practices in securing sensitive financial data

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify vulnerabilities, analyse complex threats, and propose appropriate mitigation strategies

• Demonstrable experience to prepare concise Cyber reports, deliver effective presentations and produce well-structured security procedures and standards

• Strong influential and communication skills to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders and build effective working relationships

We are proud to be an inclusive employer and our ambition is to cultivate a culture for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe that our differences and similarities enable us to be a better organisation – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation, and delivers better regulation. 

Within the workplace you will have access to various employee resource groups which aim to promote and achieve a healthy work / life balance and support our diversity ambitions. 

Did you know? 50% of our Executive Committee were the first in their family to attend university

The FCA is committed to achieving greater diversity across all levels of the organisation. Given this, we particularly welcome applications from women, minority ethnic, disabled, and neurodivergent candidates for our Senior Associate role.  

Benefits of working at the FCA 

• 25 days holiday per year plus bank holidays

• Hybrid working (work from home up to 60% of your time) 

• Private healthcare with Bupa 

• A non-contributory Pension of at least 8% of basic salary each month (there are several contribution levels that increase depending on your age – up to 12% a month once you reach age 35) 

• Life assurance of eight times your basic salary 

• Income protection 

We also have a competitive flexible benefits scheme which gives you the opportunity to create a personalised benefits package, tailored to suit your lifestyle. 

We welcome applications from candidates who are looking for flexible arrangements.  Many of our staff work flexibly including working part-time, staggered hours, and job shares.  We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want but we can explore what might work best for both sides. 

Follow this link to see what life is like at the FCA - Life at the FCA 

Application Support 

We are dedicated to removing barriers and ensuring our application process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible.  

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition requiring changes to the recruitment process, please contact your recruiter using the details below and they will be happy to discuss this further with you. 

Useful information  

• This role is graded as Senior Associate – Regulatory

• SC Clearance is required for this role -  SC Guidance  The successful candidate will hold or will be required to obtain Security Clearance (SC) level vetting. 

• Advert closing date: 3rd February

• CV Review/Shortlist: 5th/6th February ​

• Screening calls: w/c 10th Feb

Your Recruiter will discuss the process in detail with you during screening for the role, therefore, please make them aware if you are going to be unavailable for any date during this time.  

Got a question?    

If you are interested in learning more about the role please contact: 

• For internal applicants, please contact Katie Ayling at Katie.Ayling@fca.org.uk 

• For external applicants, please contact Asha Gladis at Asha.Gladis@fca.org.uk

Applications must be submitted through our online portal. Applications sent via email will not be accepted.