Security Assurance Lead - Inside IR35 - SC Cleared

Security Assurance Lead - Inside IR35 - SC Cleared

Rate: £500/day (Inside IR35)
Contract: Initial term to beginning September, strong likelihood of extension
Start: ASAP
Clearance: Active SC required
Travel: Twice a week into Stratford (London) or Bristol

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Security Assurance Lead to support a major central government programme within a nationally critical environment.

This role will be responsible for advising and assuring multiple programme workstreams and technical deliveries through formal security assurance processes. You will guide systems through assurance, conduct structured risk assessments, advise on appropriate controls, and work closely with technical and delivery teams to ensure solutions meet required security standards.

Alongside project-facing assurance activity, there is scope to contribute to the continued development and maturity of the overall security assurance function.

You will join a multidisciplinary security team of approximately 20, working alongside consultants, contractors, and civil servants across assurance, security architecture, and GRC.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support security assurance activities across programme workstreams
• Guide systems and services through formal security assurance and approval processes
• Conduct structured security risk assessments and threat analysis
• Advise on proportionate security controls and mitigations
• Review technical designs and architectures from a security assurance perspective
• Work collaboratively with technical teams and project managers to resolve assurance findings
• Provide clear, pragmatic advice to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Support governance, reporting, and risk tracking activities
• Contribute to improving and maturing assurance processes and artefacts

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience operating as a Security Assurance Lead (or equivalent)
• Strong understanding of GRC principles and risk-based assurance methodologies
• Experience guiding systems through structured security assurance processes
• Reasonable technical understanding of architecture (infrastructure, cloud, applications)
• Practical experience advising on security controls and mitigation strategies
• Strong stakeholder management within complex, multi-supplier environments
• Experience working in governance-heavy government settings