Head of Cyber Security – Wellington!
- Based at RNZPC
- Police Employee
- Permanent
- JR 5201188
E tῡ ki te kei o te waka, kia pakia koe e ngā ngaru o te wā.
Stand at the stern of the canoe and feel the spray of the future biting at your face!
Mō te tūnga | About the role
An exciting opportunity exists for a permanent position as the Head of Cyber Security responsible for leading and managing ICT’s cyber security delivery response in a national 24/7 critical service environment to provide a professional, responsive and effective cyber service which meets Police’s requirements. But this significant senior role is much more than just cyber security. It’s about leading the ICT Services Group cyber staff to provide cyber security capability to the Police Front Line Staff, Emergency Services Agencies, maintaining the availability and protection of critical systems and provision of data and information at the right place and right time, whilst having the ability to rapidly react to a changing cyber environment. This must be achieved with a view to ensuring that our Policemen and Women have secure tools in which to enhance the safety of our community whilst also holding the responsibility for the cyber security of IT systems across New Zealand Police.
The Police ICT Service Centre is here to save police officers time, enhance their safety and contribute to making New Zealand a safer community. To prevent crime, Police needs secure and protected information delivered to the front line that is reliable and able to be accessed securely anywhere, anytime. Making this happen is the daily work of our people in the ICT Service Centre, and particularly the Cyber Security Centre. With our operational colleagues and partners, we create world leading solutions in mobile, computer aided dispatch, intelligence, networks and security. We are looking for a senior leader that has the right people skills and technical expertise but most importantly share our vision for innovation, partnerships and being part of a positive work environment.
This role is responsible for providing leadership, strategy, technical and functional direction for; Guide and Govern, Identify and understand, Prevent and Protect, Detect and Contain and Respond and Recover to aid Police in our efforts to spot, manage, and counter cybersecurity events promptly. The Head of Cyber Security ensures that the outcomes required in maintaining the daily Operational Policing infrastructure and ICT supporting capabilities are met, that external vendor/government engagement and relationships are optimised, and that they contribute to the Director’s responsibilities to ensure Service Delivery and the security of our systems and Team Development.
Key Accountabilities:
- Establish and maintain governance procedures for Cyber Security across Police systems, in partnership with the Director ICT Services, Chief Information Officer, (CIO), Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Chief Security Officer (CSO).
- Be accountable for the development and direction of cyber security capability, processes and standards across Police IT systems.
- Be accountable for the development, deployment, and operation of appropriate and fit for purpose cyber secure capabilities to secure Police systems against unauthorised access and/or disclosure.
- Have responsibility to build the Cyber Security Centre capability to secure and maintain operational security of all Police IT systems.
- Provide leadership, direction, and capability to secure information held by Police on behalf of the NZ Government and its people.
- Develop and maintain the Cyber Security Centre capability to identify vulnerabilities, protect against; detect respond to and recover from harmful cyber security incidents.
- Develop and deliver strategic plans to enhance and maintain cyber security maturity of Police systems.
- Identify and report on current state, trends and prospective future of the Police cyber security profile to the Director Services and CIO, through to the Police Executive.
He aha taau e kawe mai | What you’ll bring.
Whilst we are looking for skills, knowledge and experience relevant to the role, we also place high importance on your state of mind, the alignment of your values with ours, your ability to contribute to and build high performing teams, and the way that you lead yourself or others.
To be successful in this role you will be able to have experience and demonstrate the following:
- Have significant experience in the successful design and implementation of complex programmes of work.
- Have significant leadership experience with at least 10 years in senior management roles of technical and specialist functions.
- Have significant subject matter experience and knowledge in the Cyber Security sector, specifically but not limited to, vulnerability management, intrusion attempts, cloud secure, zero trust, endpoint protection and data exfiltration.
- Demonstrated ability to implement protection strategies that inhibit unauthorised access, system attacks and data loss.
- Have first-hand experience and skills from successfully leading Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity planning exercises and or real events.
- Be well contented and respected within the Cyber Security community.
- Communicate organisational decisions with clarity, coupled with clear and well-articulated writing and presentation skills – the expression of complex issues into consumable collateral that facilitates sound decision making.
- Consider and evaluate a wide range of external factors when making decisions.
- Balance multiple priorities and expectations.
- Have experience to collaborate with and influence key strategic partners to achieve better outcomes.
- Be able to demonstrate a balanced approach to Cyber Security best practice against operational needs i.e., balancing/assessing risk, articulating it well to SLT and providing clear options for consideration.
Whakaritenga motuhake | Special requirements
Required Qualifications:
- Completed courses and passed relevant examinations for CISSP, CISM, CRISC or SABSA.
- Extensive experience in operational cyber security management.
- Experience in risk assessment, compliance, and security architecture.
- This role is predominantly based in the Porirua area at the Royal New Zealand Police College (RNZPC) with the Cyber Security Centre, but also spends time at the Police National Headquarters (PNHQ). Some travel may be required.
Current CPK at the rank of the vacancy you are applying for (Constabulary only).
For both Constabulary & Police Employees:
- Agree to enrol in a leadership programme at the advertised level, at a future date or
- Have qualified under CEP or a previous Career Progression Framework at the level you are applying for.
This role is set at Strategic Leader level, this means your key purpose is “to lead the strategy, Our Business, and enable our people to deliver it”.
To view the position description for this role please copy and paste this link into a new browser:
https://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/pd/03-2025/head_of_cyber_security.pdf
Security Clearance Requirements
To be eligible for this role, you must obtain and maintain a TOP SECRET national security clearance.
The minimum criteria for this level of national security clearance are:
NZ Citizen who has resided continuously in NZ for the last 10 years, or:
- A Permanent Resident who has resided continuously in NZ for the last 10 years, or
- A citizen of or has resided continuously in one or more of the following countries for the last 10 years: Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, or United States of America, and has a background that can be verified by the NZSIS.
- Use this online tool to self-check your eligibility for a security clearance. Please note that this tool is not part of the formal security clearance process:
http://www.protectivesecurity.govt.nz/eligibility-tool
Mo tātou | About us
New Zealand Police is the lead agency responsible for preventing crime and enhancing community safety. It works in partnership with individuals, communities, businesses, and other public sector agencies towards the vision of making New Zealand the safest country. Police is the government’s largest front-line response agency with around 15,000 staff in large and small communities all over New Zealand and in liaison and policing development roles overseas.
Your development is highly valued at NZ Police. Our employees enjoy significant investment in their development not only at an individual level, but also at the team and community practice level. We work hard to match you with work that will both play to your strengths and challenge you in new ways.
The work you’ll be engaged in is real, tangible work that directly benefits our frontline and communities. Taken all together, this means we can offer you career path opportunities to progress in your chosen profession and become a more well-rounded, experienced leader, with opportunities across the range of work we support.
To view more detailed information about our recruitment process along with further details about requirements please click below link:
Applicant Information Pack (External)
Tono ināianei | Apply now
If this position sounds like you, click apply now and submit a tailored CV. You will be required to submit an application form. Before confirmation of hire, pre-employment checks will be undertaken which include reference, drug and alcohol testing and police vetting prior to any written offer being made.
For further information on the application process, please copy and paste this URL: https://www.police.govt.nz/careers
All applications must be submitted online and will not be accepted directly via email. All applicants must have the right to work in New Zealand.
Utu ā-tau | Salary
This position is covered by a collective agreement and salary will commence between $187,031 and $193,265 dependent on skills and experience relevant to the role.
If you are an internal applicant, you must apply internally through the police system. You must provide an alternative contact email address and state your future commitments should you be successful in the next stage of the recruitment process.
Please note: Deadline for applications is 5:00 pm on 27th March. Applications may be reviewed prior to the close date as well as contact made with candidates.
Interviews are tentatively scheduled for the week of 7th April.
If you have any questions about this vacancy, please contact sharleen.peteru@police.govt.nz
