Working hours: 35 hours per week (full time)Contract type: Permanent
Closing date: 11.59pm, 31 March 2026
Interview method: in person
Applicants must have existing right to work in the UK, as visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
This role will require regular on‑site working at the Town Hall Extension in Manchester. Limited remote working may be available, but on‑site attendance will be essential, especially during the probation period.
This role is subject to:
- Legal right to Work - in accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment.
- 2 references - where possible, we require 3 years' history
- Qualification - relevant professional accreditation to a recognised Cyber Security standard e.g. CISSP, CISM, CCP, CCSP.
- BPSS (Baseline Personnel Security Standard) clearance - this post is subject to BPSS checks. You will therefore be required to consent to and comply with BPSS checking requirements prior to commencing in this post. This check involves verification of identity; nationality and immigration status; employment history (past 3 years) and basic criminal record check
Help protect the digital services that keep Manchester running
Manchester City Council is looking for a Cyber Security Platform Manager to help protect the systems that support vital public services across the city.
This is an operational role with real impact. Your work will help keep digital services secure, reliable, and available for residents, staff, and partners.
About the Role
You will oversee the day‑to‑day operation and improvement of the Council’s core cyber security platforms.
The environment you will support includes:
- Over 8,000 users
- More than 200 business‑critical systems
- Around 1,000 servers
- A wide range of public‑facing digital services
These services support essential activity across Manchester, including social care, housing, waste collection, and frontline response.
Your role helps ensure that:
- Digital services remain available and resilient
- Sensitive information is protected
- Cyber threats and incidents are managed effectively
- Security supports service delivery and digital change
Technical Environment
You will work in a large, enterprise‑scale environment with a mix of cloud‑hosted and on‑premise systems.
Your focus will be on operational cyber security, including:
- Network security
- Endpoint protection and detection
- Security monitoring
- Vulnerability management
- Secure configuration and patching
This role works closely with live services. You will manage change carefully, support incident response, and follow established service management and governance processes.
What You’ll Do
You will be responsible for the effective operation of cyber security platforms across the organisation. This includes:
- Overseeing the daily performance and health of security technologies
- Maintaining stable, well‑documented, and supported platforms
- Coordinating upgrades, changes, and new capabilities
- Working with ICT colleagues and third‑party suppliers
- Supporting security monitoring, incident response, and recovery
- Providing clear technical advice, assurance, and reporting
You will balance keeping services stable with improving capability, helping the organisation respond safely to change.
Why This Role Matters
Manchester City Council operates a large and complex digital estate. Cyber threats continue to evolve, and public services must remain available and trustworthy.
This role helps embed security into everyday operations and future service design. By working closely with operational and delivery teams, you will help ensure that security is built in from the start, not added later.
Your work supports the Council’s legal, regulatory, and governance responsibilities while enabling safe digital transformation.
Is This Role Right for You?
This role may suit you if you:
- Have experience working in cyber security operations
- Are comfortable supporting live systems
- Understand operational risk and incident response
- Enjoy working with others to improve services
- Communicate clearly with both technical and non‑technical colleagues
You do not need experience in local government. You do need to be comfortable working in an environment where services are critical and outcomes matter.
What You’ll Bring
You will bring a strong understanding of cyber security operations and how security platforms support wider IT services.
This includes experience of:
- Security technologies such as firewalls, endpoint tools, monitoring, and vulnerability platforms
- Incident response, service resilience, and operational risk
- Managing suppliers and coordinating technical change
- Working to standards, processes, and governance
You will also bring a practical mindset, a structured approach to work, and an interest in learning and improving services.
Ready to Apply?
This is an opportunity to take on a meaningful role supporting vital public services for Manchester.
If you have experience in cyber security operations and want to help deliver secure, reliable digital services, we encourage you to apply.
We would welcome applications from people with experience leading or managing cyber security operations who are interested in applying their skills in a large, complex public‑sector organisation.
This role is not just about technical expertise. It is about owning operational outcomes, leading services, and working with others to ensure cyber security supports the organisation effectively.
Essential Requirements for the Role
To be successful in this role, you must be able to demonstrate the following experience and capabilities.
✔ Leadership and Operational Management - Experience leading, managing, or coordinating cyber security operations within a complex organisation
- Accountability for the day‑to‑day performance, stability, and improvement of live security services or platforms
- Experience prioritising work, managing competing demands, and responding to operational issues
- The ability to provide clear direction, assurance, and oversight in an operational environment
✔ Cyber Security Operations Experience
- Significant experience working within an IT or cyber security operations function, supporting business‑critical systems
- Experience overseeing or managing enterprise cyber security capabilities, such as: Network security and firewall; Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) or Extended Detection and Response (XDR); Security monitoring and alerting (for example SIEM platforms); Vulnerability identification, remediation, and reporting
✔ Governance, Risk, and Assurance
- Experience contributing to security governance, risk management, or compliance activities
- Ability to produce clear, evidence‑based reporting for technical and non‑technical stakeholders
- Understanding of the importance of controls, documentation, auditability, and assurance in regulated or public‑sector environments
✔ Working with Others
- Experience working effectively with technical teams, service owners, and senior stakeholders
- Experience managing or coordinating third‑party suppliers or partners
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain security issues clearly and proportionately
✔ Service and Change Management
- Experience working within structured service management environments (for example ITIL‑aligned services)
- Experience supporting change, upgrades, or new platform capabilities in live environments
- The ability to balance operational stability with continuous improvement
Desirable Requirements (Useful but Not Essential)
The following experience or knowledge would be beneficial but is not required to apply.
Qualifications and Professional Development
- A recognised cyber security qualification, such as CISSP, CISM, CCSP or an equivalent professional certification
- Working towards a further professional qualification or continuing professional development
Additional Experience and Knowledge
- Experience working in local government, the public sector, or a similarly complex organisation
- Familiarity with Microsoft security technologies, such as: Microsoft Azure security controls, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender platforms
- Knowledge of PSN Code of Connection, Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF) or similar public‑sector compliance frameworks
- Experience coordinating penetration testing, remediation activity, or supplier assurance
- Experience supporting out‑of‑hours or major incident arrangements
- Experience mentoring, coaching, or supporting the development of others
What We’re Looking For Overall
Above all, we are looking for someone who brings:
- Confidence in managing cyber security services in live environments
- A calm, structured approach to risk and operational decision‑making
- The ability to lead through collaboration rather than hierarchy
- Clear communication and sound judgement
- A genuine interest in using cyber security to support public services
We’re the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities.
Working for Manchester isn’t just a job – it’s an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it’s strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you’ll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone.
Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city – a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:
- We take time to listen and understand
- We work together and trust each other
- We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
- We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
- We’re proud and passionate about Manchester
Benefits we offer
- Generous holiday allowance - Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks.
- A buzzing pension - You’ll be enrolled in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum.
- Enhanced parental and carers leave - Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events.
- Brilliant perks - Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more.
- Learn and grow - We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process.
- A Good Employment Charter member - We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life.
- Up to 3 days volunteering leave - Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.
Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council
At Manchester City Council, we’re dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.
Support During the Process
- Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
- Accessible Formats: Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.
Guaranteed Assessment Scheme
We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the recruiting panels shortlisting requirements for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:
- Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
- Current or former care leavers
- Have a disability or long-term condition
When You Join Us
a Disability Confident Employer, offering:
- A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
- Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
- A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.
For more information about the role or any adjustments, email jobs@manchester.gov.uk.
What we will need from you if you're successful
Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.
Pre-Employment Checks
If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre-employment checks required will depend on the role you’ve applied for, see the top of the advert for details.
These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve.
Other relevant information
We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.
For more information about the role, please ensure that you read the role profile attached.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements 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, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.
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