Job detail for Principal Cyber Security Analyst (IAM)

Join Social Security Scotland as a Principal Cyber Security Analyst - Identity & Access Management (IAM) Manager and play a leading role in protecting the systems, services and information that support millions of people across Scotland.

As a senior leader within our Cyber Security function, you will lead a team of IAM specialists and security professionals responsible for delivering and continually improving the organisation's identity security capabilities. You will provide strategic leadership across Identity Governance and Administration (IGA), Privileged Access Management (PAM), identity lifecycle management, authentication and authorisation services, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), identity federation and access governance.

Working in a complex, cloud-first environment, you will shape IAM strategy, manage identity-related risk and ensure our security controls remain effective, resilient and aligned to industry best practice. This is an exciting opportunity to influence organisation-wide security decisions while helping to safeguard the delivery of Scotland's social security services.

Cyber Security Analysts protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of government information and systems. They provide expert cyber security leadership, manage cyber threats and incident response, influence senior stakeholders, and deliver trusted advice on security controls and best practice. They also oversee cyber security operations, including team leadership, prioritisation, quality assurance, budgeting, recruitment and capability development.

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• Lead and develop the Identity and Access Management (IAM) team, establishing governance, standards and performance metrics to drive effective identity security, access control, threat detection, response and continuous capability improvement in line with organisational risk appetite and a cloud-first strategy.
• Own and optimise the organisation's IAM tooling and security platforms, ensuring they are effectively engineered, integrated and maintained to deliver scaleable, automated and high-quality identity governance, access management and security monitoring capabilities across the full lifecycle.
• Initiate and influence relationships with and between key stakeholders, taking forward all aspects of IAM and cyber security, acting as a primary point of contact for senior stakeholders and influencers.
• Operate as a focus for cyber security and IAM expertise for the organisation and the wider central government community, providing authoritative advice and guidance on the application and operation of identity, access management and wider cyber security controls.
• Understand the "voice of the customer" and develop mechanisms to proactively sense adoption and usage patterns of technologies and services so that IAM policies, standards and controls align with business and user needs.
• Deliver specific pieces of work resulting from the Cyber Security Strategy, related to IAM, cyber business risk, access control, identity governance and information protection requirements.
• Champion incident management, incident investigation and response policy and/or incident management and investigation processes, procedures and systems, particularly where identity compromise, privileged access or authentication-related risks are concerned.
• Manage the assessment and response to cyber threats to maintain confidentiality, integrity, availability, accountability and relevant compliance, with particular focus on identity-related risks and threats.
• Deliver comprehensive risk assessments for complicated or novel IAM and cyber security scenarios, using methodologies appropriate to the situation, and understand in detail how risk assessment outputs dovetail into wider risk management processes.
• Lead organisational teams in various stages of security assessment, design, implementation and review activities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Develop cyber security and IAM policies, standards and guidelines appropriate to business, technology and legal requirements and in accordance with best professional and industry practice.

Success Profiles

We use an assessment framework called ‘Success Profiles’ which lists the elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each. Find out more about the framework here.

For this post, the following Success Profile elements will be assessed:

Experience

1. Experience leading teams and developing and Identity and Access Management (IAM) capabilities, for example Identity Governance and Administration (IGA), Privileged Access Management (PAM), Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), identity lifecycle management, authentication and authorisation services, identity federation and access governance processes; or experience identifying the need for, and implementing, new security operating procedures and practices to meet changing requirements.

2. Experience enabling an organisation to deliver balanced and cost-effective risk management decisions on situations with complex scope or significant risk, ensuring risk is embedded into corporate governance through the effective reporting and assessment of all levels of risk.

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing (Level 4)

• Changing and Improving (Level 4)

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here

Technical / Professional Skills

This role is aligned to Principal Cyber Security Analystwithin the Government Digital and Data Profession.

These skills will be tested during the Technical Assessment if you are successful at sift stage. They will not be assessed at application stage.Please review the following to understand the skill expectations: Cyber security: operations - gov.scot

How to Apply

Apply online, you must provide a CV and Supporting Statement(of no more than 750 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the Experience listed in the Success Profiles above.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment

An initial sift may be completed using the CV and Supporting Statement against the first Experience criteria. Candidates who pass the initial sift will have their applications fully assessed.

There may be a telephone interview prior to the final interview stage.

Successful candidates will be invited to an interview which will assess the Experience and Behaviours, and a technical assessment comprising a 10 minute presentation which will assess the Technical Skills.

Full details of the interview and assessment process will be shared with shortlisted candidates once the sift has been completed.

We aim to provide feedback on request. However, where a large number of applications are received, it may not be possible to give feedback to candidates who are not invited to interview or assessment. Feedback will be available on request to all candidates who attend an interview or assessment.

Expected Timeline**(subject to change)**

Sift - w/c 5th October

Interview – w/c 26th October

Location - In Person in either Dundee or Glasgow

Reserve List

In the event that there are more successful candidates than posts available, a reserve list will be kept for up to 12 months.

About Us

Social Security Scotland is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government. Our benefits help people from all walks of life in Scotland. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles. We are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that is representative of the clients we serve. Find more about us here.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

GDD Pay Supplement

This post is part of the Government Digital and Data (GDD) profession and currently attracts a £4,000 annual GDD pay supplement, which is paid monthly. Pay supplements are reviewed regularly.

Working Pattern

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options, depending on the needs of the role. We embrace a hybrid working style where all colleagues will spend time in either our Glasgow or Dundee offices. There is an expectation of a minimum 2 days per week in your assigned location, which will be either Glasgow or Dundee.  If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.

Security Checks

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).

You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.

This post requires the successful candidate to clear additional National Security Vetting clearance (Security Check) before a start date can be offered. Further information regarding National Security Vetting clearance can be found here - United Kingdom Security Vetting: Applicant - GOV.UK.

Equality Statement

Social Security Scotland are committed to equality and inclusion, and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

Social Security Scotland are a Disability Confident Employer. We will consider and implement any reasonable adjustments you may require throughout the recruitment process and during the course of your employment, should you be successful in securing a post. If you feel you may require assistance with any part of our recruitment process, please contact us at Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Right to Work in the UK

Social Security Scotland is an approved sponsor under the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. Please note that UK immigration guidance, including skill and salary thresholds and eligible occupations, is reviewed regularly and subject to change. If you require visa sponsorship, you should check the latest criteria to confirm whether this role meets current requirements before applying. You can find further advice at Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK

Further Information

Social Security Scotland’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the recruitment principles of the Civil Service Commissioner, which outline that selection for appointment be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition - Recruitment - Civil Service Commission

If you feel at any time your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, you can make a complaint, by contacting Social Security Scotland at recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commissioner.

The successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 3 years unless successful in gaining promotion to a higher Band or Grade.

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.

If you experience any difficulties accessing our website or completing the online application form, please contact the Resourcing Team via recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot

Apply before 23:55 on 1st October 2026

Contact Name - Resourcing Team

Contact email – Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot