Chief information security officer

Band 8d · Cyber security manager · 716 job evaluation points

A chief information security officer has corporate responsibility for cyber security across the organization, and often across partner organizations that share its services.

Responsibilities

Hold corporate responsibility for cyber security, and report on it to the board.
Set the security risk appetite with the board, and make sure it shapes decisions across the organization.
Lead cyber security across shared services and partner organizations, where the organization provides them.
Direct the organization's response to the most serious cyber incidents, working with the executive team and the relevant authorities.
Shape cyber security practice across the health and care sector by working with partners and sector bodies.
Lead the security function and hold budgets across several services.

Skills

Skill	Expected level	What this level means
Strategic cyber security planningUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	Senior leadership skill: the UK GDaD PCF defines it with one statement, not by level. You can: Examples of leadership using this skill: determine the right balance between the organisation's cyber and information security capabilities, acceptable level of risk and speed of technology progress decide areas that need security investment create a security roadmap that enables the organisation to achieve its objectives explaining the mutual benefits of the security strategy to a range of stakeholders and teams to bring them onboard advising other leaders on how to integrate security requirements in their strategies ensuring security is part of all the organisation's initiatives, despite competing priorities gaining support for investment in security from other leaders
Cyber security governanceUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	Senior leadership skill: the UK GDaD PCF defines it with one statement, not by level. You can: Examples of leadership using this skill: develop an effective cyber and information security governance framework that is integrated with overall organisational governance prioritise issues affecting the organisation’s ability to meet security policies and follow standards lead a continuous review process to ensure governance meets changing regulations, legislation and best practices mitigate risks caused by unavoidable exceptions to the governance framework escalating risks to the highest level in the organisation when governance issues do not have defined owners persuading others to use their financial resources for changes needed to comply with the framework helping stakeholders be aware of the risks that are caused when an exception is agreed
Cyber risk managementUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	Senior leadership skill: the UK GDaD PCF defines it with one statement, not by level. You can: Examples of leadership using this skill: maintain a clear understanding of the cyber and information security risks across the whole organisation develop and implement risk assessment processes oversee the assessment of the organisation's partners and supply chain for potential threats or vulnerabilities building a culture where teams have awareness of, and take responsibility for, risks and mitigating them advising programme owners and people running IT services about risks in a way that enables them to act on that advice communicating with senior leaders in a way that enables them to make decisions about accepting or mitigating risk
Cyber incident managementUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	Senior leadership skill: the UK GDaD PCF defines it with one statement, not by level. You can: Examples of leadership using this skill: implement cyber incident management processes that reflect the level of risk accepted by the organisation ensure the organisation is prepared for and can effectively respond to incidents determine the impact of critical incidents on the organisation’s technology lead the response to critical incidents that affect the whole organisation helping the incident management team build relationships with senior leaders leading simulation exercises with the board so they understand their role in incident response processes and the implications of potential incidents assessing what to communicate to the board, ministers or the whole organisation, and when to do it
Changing security cultureUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	Senior leadership skill: the UK GDaD PCF defines it with one statement, not by level. You can: Examples of leadership using this skill: put in place continuous cyber and information security awareness and education programs, for example, training for specific groups use a range of methods to assess whether people’s security behaviour is improving compare the maturity of security awareness and culture in your organisation against others across government to determine effective improvements incentivising the right behaviours across the whole organisation so that everyone knows how they contribute to security persuading senior leadership to represent a campaign personally communicating insights from previous incidents to ensure they are learned from
Information governance and data protectionThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: lead data protection impact assessments and information sharing agreements advise teams on lawful basis, consent, confidentiality, and retention investigate incidents and recommend improvements
Organizational risk managementThis reference	Expert (4)	You can: design the organization's risk management framework and appetite advise the board on strategic risks
Understanding health and care servicesThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: analyze how a service fits into care pathways across organizations work with clinicians, care staff, and patients to shape digital services explain the effect of digital decisions on care, safety, and staff workload
People managementThis reference	Expert (4)	You can: lead managers and shape the culture of a large area design workforce plans and organizational change coach leaders and resolve complex people issues
Budget managementThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: hold and manage a budget, forecasting and explaining variances build a business case with costs and benefits

Typical qualifications and experience

Extensive experience of leading cyber security at board level, or for several organizations.

Band 8d outline

Knowledge: Strategic knowledge across functions and the wider health and care system.
Autonomy: Shapes organization-wide strategy; deputises for a director.
Scope: A major function or several functions.
Leadership: Leads several functions or a large department.
Accountability: Major functions, large budgets, and organization-wide risks.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

Factor	Level	Level summary	Points
Communication and relationship skills	6	Gives highly complex, highly contentious information where there are significant barriers to acceptance, using the highest level of communication skills.	60
Knowledge, training, and experience	8	Advanced knowledge (doctorate plus further training or equivalent), or specialist knowledge across more than one discipline built over a long period.	240
Analytical and judgmental skills	5	Judgments on highly complex facts or situations needing analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options.	60
Planning and organizational skills	5	Forms long-term strategic plans, with uncertainty and effects across the organization.	60
Physical skills	2	Skills gained through practice, such as standard keyboard use or driving.	15
Responsibility for patient and client care	1	Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.	4
Responsibility for policy and service development	5	Implements and develops a range of policies or services for a directorate.	45
Responsibility for financial and physical resources	5	Holds or sets budgets, or manages assets, for several services.	45
Responsibility for people	5	Line manages several departments, or manages training or a large part of HR across the organization.	45
Responsibility for information resources	6	Manages and develops information systems across the organization as the main duty.	46
Responsibility for research and development	2	Regularly does research, development, trials, or equipment and system testing as part of the job.	12
Freedom to act	5	Works within general policies, and in most cases decides how to interpret them.	45
Physical effort	1	Sitting, standing, and walking, with little physical effort.	3
Mental effort	4	Frequent prolonged concentration, or occasional intense concentration.	18
Emotional effort	2	Occasional exposure, or frequent indirect exposure, to distressing circumstances.	11
Working conditions	2	Occasional unpleasant conditions, frequent travel or outdoor work, or near-continuous screen use on most days.	7
Total (Band 8d: 675 to 720)			716

This level fits larger organizations, or those that provide shared digital services to partners. Smaller organizations usually have a head of cyber security at Band 8c as their most senior security role.