Location: Cambridge, UK - Hybrid (2-3 days per week in office)
Hours: Full time (35 hours per week)
Play a pivotal role in the upholding the security of IELTS.
We are looking for a Security Standards, Assurance & Best Practice Lead to maintain and assure robust security standards that underpin the integrity and trustworthiness of IELTS worldwide.
This pivotal role, based within the Central Security Team IELTS (CSTI), will lead continuous improvement in security performance, delivering clear, evidence‑based assurance to senior leadership, regulators, and key stakeholders. It will oversee the governance of risk‑based security assurance activities, driving the adoption of best practice and monitoring global implementation. This role also involves extensive collaboration with IELTS partners to foster strong, effective cross‑functional relationships and ensure cohesive, organisation‑wide security maturity.
We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.
About the role
This role delivers strategic leadership, embedding consistent, risk based security governance across the global IELTS ecosystem, supporting the development and implementation of security strategies that protect test fairness, maintain candidate trust and ensure regulatory compliance across the global and digital IELTS environment.
Additional responsibilities and accountabilities include:
- Collaborate closely with other Operational Security Leads to ensure security standards, assurance and best practices are integrated into threat monitoring, investigations and test security activities
- Prioritise assurance activities according to threat intelligence, incident data and operational risk profiles
- Ensure standards/policies remain current, effective and aligned with emerging risks, regulatory requirements and IELTS objectives
- Capture, analyse and document lessons learned from incidents, audits, assurance activities and major investigations
- Support the integration of controls into operational processes and partner requirements
This position has been classified as a hybrid role, requiring the selected candidate to typically spend 40-60% of their time collaborating and connecting face-to-face at their dedicated location. Aside from our hybrid principles, other flexible working requests will be considered from the first day of employment, including other work arrangements should you require adjustments due to a disability or long-term health condition.
About you
- Proven experience in security standards, assurance, policy development or risk management
- Knowledge of current examination malpractice methods, including proxy testing, question leaks, AI cheating and organised fraud
- Proven track record of designing risk-based assurance programmes, developing policies/standards, creating audit guidance and driving the adoption of best practices
- Strong analytical and advisory skills, with the ability to translate complex risks into practical controls and recommendations
- Excellent communication skills, including report writing, stakeholder engagement, and delivering guidance
- Demonstrated leadership in managing assurance or standards functions
- Experience working in international or joint venture environments
If you meet the above minimum requirements, we encourage you to apply. Your application will be even stronger if you can also demonstrate the following desirable criteria:
- Experience working in law enforcement, the military, or regulatory environments
If you're passionate about security assurance and thrive on solving complex challenges, this role is for you.
For a detailed job description, please refer to the link at the bottom of the advert on our careers site.
We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long-term health condition, and best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long-term health condition.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please refer to the gov.uk website for guidance to understand your own eligibility based on the role you are applying for.
Rewards and benefits
We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package, featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:
- 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance
- Discretionary annual bonus
- Group personal pension scheme
- Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
- Green travel schemes
Ready to pursue your potential? Apply now.
We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent. The closing date for all applications will be 14th April 2026. We will review applications on an ongoing basis, and shortlisted candidates can expect interviews to take place from week commencing 13th April 2026.
If you are shortlisted and progressed through the stages, you can expect:
- First stage virtual interview via MS Teams.
- Final stage interview: in-person at our offices in Cambridge.
If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process due to a disability or a long-term health condition, there will be an opportunity for you to inform us via the online application form. We will do our best to accommodate your needs.
Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.
We are committed to an equitable recruitment process. As such, applications must be submitted via our official online application procedure. Please refrain from sending your CV directly to our recruiters. If you experience technical difficulties or require additional support with submitting your online application, contact the Recruiter.
Why join us
Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You'll belong to a collaborative team that's exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it's safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background.
We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.