Our exciting client is seeking an Engineering Lead to build and lead small, high-performing Agile teams (4-8 engineers) delivering secure, scalable solutions within the UK National Security (NatSec) domainEngineering Lead - AI, Cloud & National SecurityPackage - £110,000 - £120,000 + dv bonus + excellent packageLocation - Cheltenham - HybridClearance - eDV Clearance RequiredOverviewThis is a hands-on leadership role combining architecture, software engineering, and team leadership, with a focus on Software, AI, data platforms, and cloud-native systems.Key Responsibilities Lead and mentor Agile engineering teams, driving high-quality, rapid delivery (DevSecOps)Own solution architecture, designing for secure and constrained environments.Lead the implementation of the "underpinning tech" for AI, including data pipelines.Act as a trusted advisor to UK Government stakeholders.Define technical roadmaps and support cloud transformation (AWS/Azure)  Core Skills Background in UK National Security / Defence / Government.Strong leadership experience in software engineering teams.Proficiency in Python, Go, or Java (+ TypeScript/Node.js desirable)Expertise in AWS or Azure, Terraform, and Kubernetes (EKS/AKS)Strong grounding in SQL (Postgres) and NoSQL (MongoDB/DynamoDB)Experience with CI/CD, microservices, TDD/BDD.Knowledge of secure system design. Desirable (AI & Data) Vector DBs: Milvus, Weaviate, PineconeData orchestration: Airflow, Prefect, DagsterSearch: ElasticSearch / OpenSearchAI frameworks: LangChain, Hugging FaceMLOps: MLflow, Kubeflow If you are looking for an opportunity to work on mission-critical systems at the forefront of UK National Security? Apply now or get in touch for a confidential conversation.As an industry leading, nationwide Marketing, Digital, Analytics, IT and Design recruitment agency, we are continually receiving new assignments to work on, so keep a close eye on our website, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter pages for a full list of current permanent and interim opportunities as well as marketplace news and fun stuff. Forward Role is operating as an employment agency.

We are looking for an experienced Security Operations Team Lead to join our clients Information Security function. Security Operations Team Lead - SOCSalary - £75,000 - £85,000 + excellent benefits + bonusLocation - Manchester or Leeds - hybridRole OverviewThis role will be responsible for leading the day-to-day operations of our Security Operations capability, ensuring the organisation's systems, networks, and data remain protected against evolving cyber threats.As the SecOps Lead, you will manage security monitoring and incident response activities while providing strategic direction for security tools including SIEM and Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) platforms. You will work closely with internal teams and external security partners to strengthen our threat detection capabilities and improve the organisation's overall cyber resilience.This is an excellent opportunity for a security professional who enjoys leading teams, improving security operations, and driving proactive threat detection strategies.Key Responsibilities Lead and mentor the internal Security Operations team, overseeing daily operational activities and performance.Define and implement the strategy and operational roadmap for security monitoring, detection, and response. Own and manage the security incident response lifecycle, including investigation, containment, remediation, and post-incident reviews.Lead incident response efforts during high-severity security events and ensure timely escalation where required. Monitor emerging cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and attack trends to assess potential impact to the organisation. Analyse security data to identify patterns, trends, and control weaknesses.Recommend improvements to strengthen the organisation's security posture and defensive controls. Skills & Experience Experience in Cyber Security or Security Operations leadershipProven experience working with SIEM platforms such as Google Chronicle or similar.Strong knowledge of network security, threat detection, and incident response.Experience analysing malware, security alerts, and attack patterns. Understanding of MITRE ATT&CK framework and its application in threat detection and mitigation.Experience working with EDR tools and endpoint security technologies.Knowledge of firewalls, IDS/IPS systems, and Windows Security Event Logs.Knowledge of both cloud environments and traditional IT infrastructure. Strong attention to detail and investigative mindset.Effective communication skills with the ability to explain technical issues to technical and non-technical stakeholders.Calm and decisive under pressure during security incidents. As an industry leading, nationwide Marketing, Digital, Analytics, IT and Design recruitment agency, we are continually receiving new assignments to work on, so keep a close eye on our website, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter pages for a full list of current permanent and interim opportunities as well as marketplace news and fun stuff. Forward Role is operating as an employment agency.