Introduction
Saab UK is part of Scandinavia’s largest defence company, bringing together the best of Swedish and British innovation. Saab offers world-leading solutions and services in defence, aviation, space, and civil security to keep people and society safe. Our UK presence has been growing at pace, meaning we can offer a wide range of opportunities for personal fulfilment and career growth. We currently employ over 600 people across eight sites in the UK, and our specialisations include software engineering, underwater robotics, radars, AI, and armed forces training.
What you will be part of
Saab is a leading defence and security company with an enduring purpose, to help nations keep their people and society safe.
Empowered by its 28,000 talented people, Saab constantly pushes the boundaries of technology to create a safer and more sustainable world.
Saab designs, manufactures and maintains advanced systems in aeronautics, weapons, command and control, sensors and underwater systems.
Saab is headquartered in Sweden. It has major operations all over the world and is part of the domestic defence capability of several nations.
The Role:
This role will be part of our UK Security Team reporting into the Head of Security at Saab UK.
The role can be based either in Fareham, Farnborough or Heywood House, however it will require occasional travel oversees and travel to other Saab UK offices.
Working collaboratively with the security team and IT, the role will develop and lead the Saab UK Cyber Security Strategy. As part of the Saab UK Cyber defence cell the role will be responsible for threat intelligence identification. Working closely with Security and IT develop resilience in the Saab UK Supply chain and provide the necessary GRC expertise to guide the organisation through compliancy leading on the Cyber security aspects of DefStan 05-138. This role is pivotal in safeguarding against advanced persistent threats, maintaining compliance with defence regulations, and supporting secure operations across all projects.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop, implement, and oversee cyber security policies aligned with defence and wider government standards.
Act as the Saab UK representative on the Global Cyber Council.
Lead risk assessments, threat modelling, and vulnerability management within Saab Uk process.
Manage incident response and coordinate with other company parties.
Lead on the compliance of Cyber controls including DefStan 05-138, ISO 27001, NIST.
Responsible for the completion of Cyber Security aspects within Supplier Assurance and selection.
Maintain cyber threat awareness on a company global scale and bespoke to the organisation.
Oversee security within network architecture, encryption protocols, and identity/access management for restricted environments.
Direct cyber security audits and penetration testing across defence platforms and supply chains.
Provide cyber security training and awareness programs tailored to defence staff and contractors.
Collaborate with engineering, IT, and programme teams embedding security into defence projects (DevSecOps).
Qualifications and Skills:
Required:
Extensive experience in cyber security management within defence, aerospace, or government environments.
Strong knowledge of classified information handling and secure communication protocols.
Expertise in intrusion detection, SIEM tools, and advanced threat intelligence systems.
Proven track record of leading incident response in high-security environments.
Familiarity with defence-specific compliance frameworks (MOD JSPs, NIST SP 800 series, ITAR, GDPR).
Excellent leadership, stakeholder management, and ability to operate under pressure.
Degree in Cyber Security, Computer Science, or related field.
Degree or equivalent defence/security qualifications preferred.
Security clearance (SC or DV) required or eligibility to obtain.
Desirable:
Professional certifications: CISSP, CISM, CISA, CEH, or equivalent
Experience with secure cloud environments (Azure Government, AWS GovCloud)
Knowledge of cyber warfare tactics and countermeasures
Experience liaising with national security agencies or defence contractors
As a National Security Vetting clearance is required for this role, applicants will be required to hold National Security Vetting clearance to SC level or have the ability to gain it.
By submitting an application to Saab UK you consent to undertaking workforce screening activities that may include but are not limited to: Baseline Personnel Security checks, National Security Vetting, reference checks, verification of working rights and in all circumstances preferred candidates will be placed through a security interview.