IT Security, Governance, Risk, and Compliance Manager

Job Introduction

We are Forestry England.

We live and breathe forests.

Job title – IT Security, Governance, Risk, and Compliance Manager

Salary – £47,252 - £50,927

Contract type – Permanent

Hours – 37 hours per week

Vacancy closes - 23:58, 21 September 2025

Join us. We're foresters, professionals and experts. We are a passionate team who love to share our enthusiasm and want to make a positive difference for you and the environment.

Together, we’re using our scale and expertise to grow the nation’s forests for everyone. We’re already adapting our landscapes for tomorrow, and getting stuff done today, like creating amazing places and experiences for you to enjoy. We're providing vital homes for wildlife, making our air cleaner to breathe and producing sustainable timber.

What you’ll do…

This exciting role within the wider IT Department/team is responsible for IT SGRC - Security, Governance, Risk and Compliance playing a leading role in ensuring all aspects of this critical function are delivered against strategic direction and align with our obligations as a government department and our duties to HMG and the public. 

You will oversee our IT security strategy, ensuring it supports business objectives and meets legal, regulatory, and government standards. You will identify and manage security risks associated with our IT systems, promote a consistent approach to risk treatment, and embed a security-first culture. As our senior IT security advisor, you will be part of the IT Leadership Team and collaborate closely with internal teams, suppliers, consultants, and partners.

This is a hands-on team lead position where your efforts make a real difference across organisation. You will roll up your sleeves, leading by example, and applying your skills, knowledge, abilities, and experience in this crucial role.

Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.

Where you’ll work…

You must be within commutable distance of our National Office, north Bristol. This is a blended working role - 2 days per week or as required by the role and organisation with flexibility to work from home for the remainder. You will be required to visit sites across England and some overnight stays will be necessary. Other infrequent out of hours work may necessary, e.g. supporting resolution of incidents. You will be required to participate in infrequent planned on call rotas. 

Benefits…

Alongside your salary, Forestry England contributes an average of 28.97% towards your pension. You will become a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.

• 25 days holiday a year, raising by one day every year’s service, up to 30 days (pro-rated for part time employees) plus additional days off such as bank holidays.
• STaR is our employee benefits scheme offering discounts on everyday supermarket shopping, as well as other things such as hotel stays clothes, mobile phones, other electrical items, medical and car insurance, holidays, gym discounts, household bills, Headspace wellbeing app.
• free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury.
• a commitment to lifelong learning through career development. Forestry England will support your career development in a variety of ways, including continual professional development, support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies.

Read more about the benefits on the Forestry England website.

How to apply…

Please provide full career history (please explain any gaps in your career history) and your education including academic and vocational qualifications with dates, subject and grade awarded.

You will be asked to write a 500 word statement on how your relevant skills and experience meet the Essential Criteria of the Job Description.

You will also be asked to write a 500 word personal statement highlighting how you meet the Key Work Areas in the Job Description.

You will be assessed on both during sifting. More details about how to apply are listed on the application form.

You will be assessed on experience and strength based questions during your interview. 

 The Behaviours being assessed at interview are – 

Successful candidates will undergo a criminal record check and the government baseline personnel security standard check.

If you require any reasonable adjustments, please email fcrecruitmentteam@forestryengland.uk.

If you're planning to use AI to support your application, please ensure you've read our guidelines here first. 

Read more about our application process and working with us on the Forestry England website. 

Nationality requirements…

Read more about nationality requirements here. 

Working for the Civil Service…

Forestry England is part of the Civil Service. The Civil Service has a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS). This means candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria during the application process will be guaranteed an interview. We also offer a Redeployment Interview Scheme to current civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the role. This role is also part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans and Prison Leaver Recruitment initiative. 

Within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants should have the ability to provide conversation in accurate spoken English.

Our recruitment process makes appointments based on fair and open competition and merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in in line with/according to these principles and you wish to make a complaint, please email: englandhr.services@forestryengland.uk.