Head of Profession - Tel OT Cyber

Location: Various head office buildings, TfL Corporate

Company: TfL, GLA or OPDC

Job Title – Head of Profession – Telecoms & OT Cyber Security

Reporting to: Head of Engineering Function – Infrastructure, Integration & Sustainability
Band: 5
Role Type: Permanent

About Us

This is a unique and exciting opportunity to join the TfL Engineering & Asset Strategy senior leadership community as Head of Profession – Telecoms & OT Cyber Security. The TfL Engineering & Asset Strategy Directorate brings together around 2,000 staff as a unified centre of engineering excellence, providing technical leadership across TfL and enabling the delivery of safe, reliable and sustainable whole-life asset outcomes. The Directorate is accountable for setting technical strategy, defining engineering requirements, maintaining standards, and providing technical assurance across one of the world's most complex transport networks.

As the recognised technical authority for Telecoms & OT Cyber Security, you will have the opportunity to shape one of TfL's most strategically important engineering professions. Telecommunications infrastructure, connected systems and operational technology underpin the safe and reliable operation of London's transport network, supporting millions of customer journeys every day.

The profession is entering an exciting period of transformation. As operational assets become increasingly connected, data-driven and digitally enabled, TfL is expanding its traditional Telecoms Engineering capability to encompass a broader Connected Systems & Cyber Infrastructure profession. This role will play a pivotal part in defining that future, ensuring TfL remains at the forefront of secure, resilient and connected transport infrastructure.

Working across TfL and with industry partners, suppliers, regulators and professional institutions, you will influence enterprise-wide strategy, support major investment decisions and help drive engineering excellence, innovation and best practice across the organisation.

About the Role

Operating within TfL's Engineering & Asset Strategy Directorate, you will provide enterprise-wide strategic and technical leadership for Telecoms, Connected Systems and Operational Technology (OT) Cyber Security, ensuring associated assets and systems remain safe, resilient, secure and fit for future operational requirements.

You will lead the transformation of our existing Telecoms Engineering function, expanding its scope to encompass a broader connected systems and cyber infrastructure profession whilst maintaining excellence across our transport telecoms asset estate (e.g. operational radio, OPO CCTV, public address, control, supervisory and SCADA systems, etc.). You will establish the technical standards, governance, capabilities and strategic direction required to support increasingly connected, data-driven and cyber-secure operational environments.

A key aspect of the role will be building capability both within the profession and across the wider engineering community, whilst fostering collaboration across TfL departments. You will champion the development of skills, awareness and competencies in connected systems and cyber security, recognising that engineers across all disciplines have a role to play in delivering safe, resilient and secure operational infrastructure.

You will lead the evolution of the profession by developing the frameworks, standards and competencies required to support OT cyber security, connected infrastructure technologies and data-enabled asset management. This includes promoting the use of connectivity, telemetry, sensing, remote monitoring and automation technologies to improve asset visibility, optimise asset performance and support condition-based and predictive maintenance strategies.

As the recognised technical authority for the profession, you will ensure effective integration and interoperability across telecommunications, operational technology, digital platforms and physical assets, particularly within complex environments where legacy and modern systems coexist. You will also ensure that cyber security principles are embedded across operational technology environments, with risks arising from increased connectivity identified, managed and mitigated appropriately.

This is also a significant people leadership role. You will lead and inspire a professional engineering community, developing future capability through workforce planning, professional development, succession planning and competence management. Through visible and inspirational leadership, you will foster innovation, continuous improvement and a "One TfL" mindset, ensuring engineering decisions support operational resilience, safety, performance and long-term value for London.

About You

You are an accomplished engineering leader with deep expertise in telecommunications, connected systems, operational technology and cyber security. You have successfully operated within highly complex, safety-critical and regulated environments, combining technical authority with the ability to shape long-term strategic outcomes.

You have extensive experience developing technical strategies, engineering standards, governance and assurance frameworks for large-scale infrastructure organisations. You understand the challenges associated with ageing assets, increasing connectivity, cyber risk and system interoperability, and can translate these into practical, deliverable engineering solutions that support both operational performance and long-term asset sustainability.

As a respected Head of Profession, you have a proven track record of building and developing high-performing engineering communities. You understand the importance of workforce planning, capability development, competence management and succession planning, ensuring the profession has the skills, resources and leadership required to meet current and future business needs.

You are experienced in aligning professional capability with organisational priorities, enabling the successful delivery of major programmes and projects while supporting the safe operation, maintenance and renewal of critical assets. You are skilled at balancing strategic objectives, operational requirements and investment priorities to deliver whole-life value.

You are recognised for your ability to lead and unite diverse technical teams, creating an environment of collaboration, innovation and continuous learning. You are passionate about developing future capability and fostering a culture of professional excellence across both your own profession and the wider engineering community.

Highly influential and credible, you are comfortable engaging with executive leaders, industry bodies, regulators and external partners. You bring exceptional stakeholder management skills and can confidently navigate complex technical, operational and commercial challenges while maintaining a focus on safety, resilience, security and customer outcomes.

A Chartered Engineer (or equivalent) and ideally hold Fellowship of a relevant professional institution, with significant experience in telecommunications, operational technology, cyber security or other comparable critical infrastructure environments.

Essential Criteria (Must Have)

• Chartered Engineer (or equivalent) with recognised professional standing within a relevant engineering discipline.
• Extensive experience leading technical strategy, engineering governance, assurance and professional leadership within large-scale, complex infrastructure organisations.
• Demonstrable understanding of Engineering Safety Management principles, with the ability to develop, challenge and assure safety justifications that support asset investment, operational decision-making, and the introduction or modification of engineering systems within safety-critical environments.
• Significant expertise in telecommunications, connected systems, operational technology and/or cyber security within operational or critical infrastructure environments.
• Proven experience developing engineering standards, policies and capability frameworks to support asset management, operational performance and the successful delivery of major programmes and projects.
• Demonstrable experience leading the delivery, integration or assurance of complex engineering solutions and infrastructure projects, balancing technical, operational, commercial and delivery considerations.
• Experience building organisational capability through strategic workforce planning, competence management, professional development and succession planning.
• Strong understanding of asset lifecycle management, operational resilience, systems integration, infrastructure modernisation and cyber-enabled technologies.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and provide authoritative technical leadership across engineering, operations, technology, project delivery and executive communities.
• Fellowship of a relevant professional institution.
• Experience within transport, utilities, defence or other safety-critical infrastructure sectors.
• Advanced knowledge and practical application of OT cyber security frameworks, standards and assurance practices.
• Experience implementing data-driven asset management, remote monitoring, condition-based maintenance or predictive maintenance approaches.
• Track record of leading digital transformation and the adoption of emerging technologies within infrastructure or engineering environments.
• Experience leading major technology modernisation programmes involving legacy and connected operational systems.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We want our workforce to reflect the city we serve and to create an environment where everyone can thrive. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet all of the essential criteria for the role.

Hybrid Working

Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a four-week period. Arrangements may evolve in line with business requirements.

For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Jay Patel of the Executive Recruitment, at TalentAcquisitionandExecutiveRecruitment@tfl.gov.uk.

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