Senior Principal - Cyber Security Service Assurance

The Senior Principal, Cyber Security Service Assurance will lead the financial, commercial, reporting and process-assurance capability that supports Cyber Security Office delivery. As a principal of the service assurance for the CSO PMO, this position is accountable for the quality, governance and strategic use of contract, cost and performance information; provides leadership to analysts and partners; and converts insight into decisions, interventions and sustainable improvements across the CSO portfolio.

About the team:

Cyber Security Service Assurance partners with the Cyber Security PMO, Tech Finance, CSO business leads, service owners and suppliers to provide clear, accurate and timely financial, commercial and operational insight. The team assures service and portfolio performance, strengthens governance and controls, and drives continuous improvement across reporting, planning, supplier management and business processes.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the Cyber Security Service Assurance team and set clear priorities, standards and outcomes for financial, commercial, reporting and process-assurance activities across the Cyber Security Office.
• Provide direction, coaching and quality oversight to analysts, building capability, resilience and succession within the team.
• Own the governance and integrity of budget plans, forecasts, financial tracking, operational budgets and management reporting, ensuring leaders receive timely and decision-ready insight.
• Translate spend, contract, service and performance data into strategic recommendations, challenge and interventions for CSO leadership.
• Oversee commercial execution, including payments, purchase orders, cross-charging and associated controls, resolving systemic issues and escalating material risks.
• Lead structured performance reviews with key suppliers and internal service owners, hold parties accountable to contractual and service commitments, and sponsor corrective action where performance falls short.
• Own service-level definition, performance measurement and reporting across the assigned CSO scope, ensuring services meet agreed commitments and control requirements.
• Direct the development of dashboards, business information systems and data repositories, establishing consistent definitions, controls and reporting standards.
• Sponsor business analysis and benefit cases for change, prioritising improvements that increase efficiency, transparency, control effectiveness and management confidence.
• Drive automation and continuous improvement across recurring reporting and operational processes, tracking realised benefits and adoption.
• Represent Service Assurance in CSO governance and cross-functional forums, influencing senior stakeholders and aligning Finance, PMO, business and supplier priorities.
• Manage service, financial, commercial and delivery risks within the function, maintaining effective escalation, decision and action tracking.

Basic Qualifications:

• Degree in Finance, Computer Science, Business, Technology or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Overall 18+ years of substantial experience in portfolio management, service assurance, financial management, commercial management or a comparable business leadership role.
• Proven experience leading analysts or multidisciplinary teams and developing capability through coaching, performance management and structured feedback.
• Demonstrated ownership of complex budgets, forecasts, management reporting and financial controls, with the judgement to challenge assumptions and advise senior leaders.
• Strong commercial acumen and experience managing supplier performance, contracts, purchase-to-pay processes, cross-charging and issue escalation.
• Experience defining service measures, assuring performance and leading continuous improvement in a complex technology environment.
• Advanced analytical capability, including the ability to integrate data from multiple systems and turn it into clear executive insight and recommendations.
• Excellent leadership, influencing and communication skills, with a record of building trusted relationships across senior business, finance, technology and supplier stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of cyber security or significant experience operating within a Cyber Security Office or similarly controlled technology function.
• Fluent English and the ability to produce concise, accurate and decision-focused communications for senior management.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Finance, Business, Computer Science or a related discipline.
• Professional certification in service management, finance, project or portfolio management, or cyber security.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Power BI, including executive dashboards, data modelling and visualisation.
• Experience leading automation, reporting transformation or enterprise process-improvement initiatives.
• Experience in pharmaceutical, life sciences or another highly regulated industry.
• Typical tools and technologies: Microsoft Excel, Power BI, ServiceNow, portfolio and financial management platforms, business information systems and data repositories.