Programme Security Officer

Job Description:

Salary Range: £66,960 - £97,515

Leonardo UK operates a grade-based salary framework with broad bands. The salary range shown reflects the approved grade band for this role, or a narrower hiring range published within that band, and is benchmarked against the external market. Exceptions above the standard range are managed through governance controls to protect internal equity.

Your impact

Your work at Leonardo UK will see you take the lead in solving customer problems in an agile, innovative and team-centric manner. The role may involve a blended hybrid working model, with a mixture of working from home and working on site at one of our Leonardo offices to ensure close collaboration with the wider team and with our customers.

Leonardo UK is seeking a Programme Security Officer (PSO) to join the Cyber & Security Solutions Division team.

The PSO is the ‘de facto’ Head of Security for the LUK’s Future Combat Air ambitions – both within GCAP and related national FCAS programmes. The programme is of utmost importance to UK PLC and Leonardo and is at the forefront of a range of business transformation activities. The PSO is responsible for ensuring that the programme meets contractual security requirements and LUK policy requirements, by providing security advice to the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) and acting as the focal point for all security activity within the project.

What you will do as a Programme Security Officer:

• Act as the focal point for all security domains pertaining to the Programme, providing advice and guidance to all key stakeholders, but principally to the SRO.
• Identify, measure, record and manage security risks on behalf of the SRO.
• Own key programme security artefacts (e.g. Security Management Plan, Security Risk Register). 
• Ensure compliance with contractual security requirements and support internal and external security audit activity.
• Validate third-party compliance against contractual requirements and oversee supplier risk assurance activity.
• Security reporting, including for project governance boards, KPIs, senior reporting/dashboards, and evidence collation for gate reviews or security cases. This role will report to SVP Future Combat Air who is the SRO for all Future Combat Air activities in the UK.
• Embed and promote a positive security culture in the Programme.
• Develop security initiatives within the Programme, where appropriate and in line with overarching LCSUK/LDOUK policy and intent.
• Work and align with other security functions within the business where appropriate.
• Act as a leader within a community of Security Officers, sharing best practice with other Security Officers within the business.
• Manage a team of security SMEs within the Programme.

What you’ll bring

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of one of the most significant programmes in the UK, during which you will ensure that security outcomes meet the highest standards, in accordance with customer’s requirements and risk appetite. You will be supported in this role as part of a larger team of consultants, engineers and product domain specialists.

In addition to a passion for cyber and information security, you really must have:

• Skills
  • Core consulting skills – building client relations; adaptability to changing schedules; reliability and quality of task delivery; flexibility in working hours and locations; team player.
  • Effective communicator at SRO and MoD 1* and 2* level to ensure key decisions are made with full awareness of security impact.
  • Deep and practical understanding of security’s role as an enabler rather than a compliance tool.
  • Ability to build consensus in culturally diverse and global teams.
  • A proactive leader who takes ownership of problems and actively drives solutions.
• Qualifications
  • Chartership or equivalent level of knowledge in Cyber Security.
• Knowledge and Demonstrable Experience

• An ambitious and creative drive to help safeguard UK national infrastructure.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, with the ability to guide teams and influence senior stakeholders.
• Be expected to act as a point of escalation in the programme.
• Experience as a key point of contact with senior stakeholders (up to and including C-suite and 1*/2* level) with the ability to use these relationships to assist in business winning activities.
• Significant experience managing the pastoral and administrative components of security stakeholders and other People Leaders day to day.
• Ability to proactively contribute to Practice Management activities related to the PSO function.
• Experience working on detachment with allies – ideally Japan and/or Italy.

This is not an exhaustive list, and we are keen to hear from you even if you might not have experience in all the above. The most important skill is a good attitude and willingness to learn.

Security Clearance

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV). For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting

Why join us

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work–life balance. Whether you're looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.
• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee-led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
• Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website.

Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

Be part of something bigger - apply now!

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Primary Location:

GB - Luton - Cap. Green 300

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hybrid Working:

Hybrid