Credit: Gerd Altmann/Pixabay

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is seeking a new leader for a strategy and policymaking team dedicated to the security of smart devices.

The department’s Secure by Design team spearheads government’s work on the security of connected consumer technologies. This includes supporting the creation and implementation of policy, regulation, and government-backed industry standards.

In the last few years, the team has “taken forward several policy interventions”, including the publication of a code of practice for manufacturers and retailers, followed by the creation of global security standards for internet-enabled products such as toys, household appliances, speakers, and wearable devices.

The policy unit remains open to “the possibility of legislating to protect citizens from harm”.

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“Work is underway to deliver the world’s first baseline for the cybersecurity of consumer devices through legislation,” DCMS said. “Within emerging technologies, technical standards do not represent a ‘simple fix’ and [government] has a long-term commitment to ‘makes its voice heard’ in standards bodies, and work in partnership with organisations to implement them.”

The new head of Secure by Design will take overall responsibility for the strategy programme, and will lead government’s engagement with industry and other authorities around the world.  The successful candidate will also work closely with colleagues from the National Cyber Security Centre, as well engaging with the rest of government and ministers.

Their goal should be “building on existing momentum to deliver a ‘social movement’ across industry, international partners and standards bodies, defining ‘good practice’ for the cybersecurity of consumer devices and seeking to embed this further”, the job advert said.

Applicants have until 11.55pm on 19 October to submit a CV and a statement of up to 750 words outlining their credentials for the role. The position comes with an annual salary of between £53,328 and £68,310, and will be based in one of the department’s offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle or Nottingham.