Lead SOC Manager
National Highways · United Kingdom
As part of the development of our Digital Services function, we are recruiting to strengthen internal digital capability within Cyber Security, Digital Operational Services, and Digital Corporate and Shared Services. These roles are central to building sustainable in-house expertise that supports the management, development and delivery of digital solutions across the transport network.
As Lead SOC Manager you will be responsible for leading and managing all activities within the Security Operations Centre (SOC), including security incident response across SOC and National Highways. You will bring together people, processes, and technology within the SOC to deliver operational excellence, while providing leadership and direction to Security Analysts. You will guide and set direction for the escalation and resolution of IT, OT, personnel, and physical security incidents. Coordinate and align SOC efforts to protect National Highways’ personnel, critical assets, and sensitive information.
This is a hybrid role, requiring two days per week in the office, and can be based at any National Highways office location across the UK, with some travel to attend team meetings.
Successful candidates will be required to hold or be willing to obtain SC clearance before starting employment. Five years’ UK residency is normally required for the vetting process, although individual circumstances will be considered as part of the recruitment process.
- Set the overall direction for the SOC, aligning its priorities with organisational objectives and government security standards. Represent the SOC in leadership forums and serve as the primary liaison with senior management, governance, assurance, and key stakeholders.
- Lead the operational day to day delivery of the hybrid SOC delivery model. Manage and lead the delivery of SOC services, providing tactical leadership and oversight for security monitoring, incident response, vulnerability management, and threat intelligence.
- Be a technical security Subject Mater Expert (SME).
- Oversee the detection, analysis, and resolution of security incidents and breaches. Act as the escalation point for major incidents, leading investigations and coordinating response and mitigation efforts.
- Drive security assessments, including penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, and risk evaluations, to identify and address weaknesses within National Highways’ infrastructure and applications. Champion continuous improvement and enhancements to incident remediation processes and provide clear actionable recommendations to senior management to strengthen the organisation’s security posture.
- Provide direction, guidance, and mentorship to Security Analysts. Foster collaborative culture that promotes knowledge sharing across Security Operations, GRC, third-party service providers, and Legal.
About you.
- Proven experience managing diverse teams, including permanent staff, contractors, and third-party suppliers.
- Advanced experience in managing complex, high-impact security incidents and investigations and in leading incident response lifecycle activities through to post-incident reviews.
- Strong technical expertise and proficiency in enterprise SOC tooling including SIEM, SOAR, EDR, IDS/IPS, with experience in the integration across IT and OT estates, people and physical security. Deep knowledge of threat detection, incident response, and vulnerability management, with a foundation in security frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK and Cyber Kill Chain.
- Strong operational capability, with the ability to lead SOC service delivery and coordinate security incident response across IT, OT, people and physical security. Deep knowledge of computer networking principles and security architectures for both IT and Operational Technology environments.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to report the security posture to executives and government bodies. Confidence acting as liaison between SOC and other departments, e.g. Digital Services, Fraud teams, People and Physical security).
About us.
Here at National Highways, we manage and improve England’s motorways and major A roads, helping our customers have safer, smoother and more reliable journeys. Our priorities are safety, customers and delivery, and at the core of this, are our values of passion, integrity, safety, teamwork and ownership.
The Digital Services Directorate is helping to reshape the way National Highways operates by delivering digital, data, and technology services across all areas, from frontline to back office, in a modern and efficient manner. Our vision is to develop integrated information and technology that empowers our colleagues and provides real-time information to our customers, as well as integrating with intelligent vehicle and transport systems as they evolve, to enhance journey safety and reliability.
External candidates will be offered a starting salary at the lower end of the pay scale, while current employees will be appointed in accordance with our established pay policy.
We are committed to creating a diverse environment and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
Why you should join us
At National Highways we believe in a connected country. We are passionate about creating a culture where colleagues feel connected, included and enjoy greater wellbeing to achieve this. We’re proud that as an organisation we are continually striving to do better and actively encourage and support our colleagues to do the same with their careers.
So, if you put safety first, take ownership of your work, show passion for what you do, work effectively in a team, and demonstrate integrity in how you do it – then you’ll be a great fit for our organisation.
A connected and sustainable working approach has been adopted across National Highways. For some roles, this means being able to work in a hybrid way spending up to 60% of time working from a remote location such as home.
We offer many different ways to work flexibly and we’re open to discuss part-time working, job shares, and flexible start and finish times.
Please wait until the interview stage before asking us about flexibility, and we will explore what is possible.
Our benefits package
- Our total reward package includes basic salary, the potential for a performance related bonus
- Contributory pension scheme with employer contribution of up to 10%
- Annual Leave starting at 26 days (plus Bank Holidays) rising by 1 day each year up to 31 days (plus Bank Holidays)
- Flexible hours and an approach driven by connected and sustainable working which includes hybrid working
- Life assurance of 4 times annual salary
- Health and wellbeing support, including an Employee Assistance Programme, available 24/7 365 days and network of mental health first aiders. Plus access to a wellbeing app to enhance your self-care 24/7, Occupational health service and flu vaccines
- A cycle to work scheme for the purchase of a bicycle and equipment for healthy, low carbon travel
- Significant investment in your career development, through learning and development, talent management, coaching, mentoring and on job experience
And we are
- Family friendly with enhanced maternity leave and pay, paternity leave (15 days), shared parental leave, adoption leave. Plus access to financial support for holiday play schemes and paid special leave (up to 5 days pa), eg for caring responsibilities
- Money friendly with access to a discounts platform including over 3000 discounts for supermarkets, eating out, leisure, holidays. Alongside a financial wellbeing programme
- Community friendly – offering paid leave to volunteer, 3 days basic/year
If you are successful, it is key to know all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory completion of our pre-employment checks which include:
- Right to work check
- 3 year employment history references
- DBS criminal record check
- Social media and adverse journalism check
- Driving licence check (if applicable)
- Fit to work questionnaire (for all), followed by a medical check (if applicable)
- Qualifications and/or professional membership check (if applicable)
And finally
We reserve the right to close before the advertisement expires.
As Lead SOC Manager you will be responsible for leading and managing all activities within the Security Operations Centre (SOC), including security incident response across SOC and National Highways. You will bring together people, processes, and technology within the SOC to deliver operational excellence, while providing leadership and direction to Security Analysts. You will guide and set direction for the escalation and resolution of IT, OT, personnel, and physical security incidents. Coordinate and align SOC efforts to protect National Highways’ personnel, critical assets, and sensitive information.