Location
London

Hours
Full Time (hours not specified)

Salary
Negotiable

About the Role
We are seeking a Cyber Operations Analyst to join the central Information & Cyber Security team at the Harris Federation Head Office. This mid-senior technical role is ideal for candidates with prior industry experience and a strong working knowledge of networking and security concepts. However, excellent junior applicants will also be considered and supported through a supplementary training plan. The new Information & Cyber Security team is responsible for security operations, governance, risk, and compliance within the Federation. This is a unique opportunity to join and shape the future of Information and Cyber Security at a highly successful multi-academy trust.

As part of the role, you will manage security events alongside a 24x7 MDR partner, primarily using the Microsoft Security Stack and industry-standard response lifecycles. You will configure and refine alerting, leverage automation and orchestration, and collaborate closely with Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) and Infrastructure teams to deploy controls, respond to security events, and recommend infrastructure hardening.

Additional responsibilities include maintaining knowledge bases and incident playbooks, contributing to policy development, managing the vulnerability programme, arranging and supporting security exercises, producing detailed incident and regular reports, supporting cyber improvement initiatives, mentoring junior colleagues, staying current with security trends, and responding to internal and external audits.

The Harris Federation is a leading education charity operating 52 primary and secondary academies across London and Essex, educating nearly 40,000 young people. Joining the Federation means becoming part of a dedicated, driven central team supporting outstanding academies with a strong culture of collaboration and professional development.

Experience
Prior experience in a technical security role is preferred but not essential. Candidates with demonstrated participation in bug bounty programs, vulnerability write-ups, Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions, or contributions to security forums and communities are encouraged to apply. Experience mentoring or being mentored in security is valued. Familiarity with response frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK and working knowledge of security operations is advantageous.

About you
Customer-obsessed with a clear understanding of the role's impact on supporting approximately 40,000 students. Excellent communication skills and a team player who embraces strengths and understands team dynamics. Methodical, analytical, and a creative problem solver with enthusiasm for continuous learning and improvement. Comfortable engaging in healthy conflict to achieve team objectives.

Qualifications
A degree or equivalent qualification is preferred but not mandatory. Industry certifications such as CISSP, GCIA, BTL1/2, SC-200, or ITILv4 are desirable. Participation in cyber bootcamps like CAPSLOCK is a plus. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and encourage those without formal qualifications but with relevant skills and passion to apply.