It & Cybersecurity Specialist

About the Role

• As Miale Solar Solutions grows, protecting our systems, networks, user accounts, backups and company data has become a priority alongside organising our data itself. We are recruiting an IT & Cybersecurity Specialist to safeguard the company\'s IT environment from unauthorised access and cyber threats, and to keep our day-to-day IT infrastructure running reliably.
• The role is responsible for the practical, hands-on protection of company systems: managing user access and accounts, maintaining backups and recovery procedures, securing networks and devices, and responding to security incidents. The Specialist works closely with the Data & Information Systems Manager, who sets overall data and security standards, to implement and maintain those standards in practice across the business.
• Depending on the company's needs, this role may initially be filled on an outsourced or part-time/retainer basis rather than as a full-time in-house hire; the responsibilities below apply to either arrangement, with scope and hours adjusted accordingly.

Key Responsibilities

Network & Systems Security

• Configure and maintain firewalls, antivirus/anti-malware tools, and other protective software across company systems and devices.
• Secure company networks (office and remote/site connections) against unauthorised access, including Wi-Fi, VPN and remote-access configurations.
• Keep systems, applications and security tools patched and up to date, and manage software/hardware upgrades relevant to security.
• Carry out periodic vulnerability checks on company systems and networks and recommend or implement fixes.

Access Management

• Set up, modify and deactivate user accounts and access rights in line with the access rules defined by the Data & Information Systems Manager.
• Enforce strong authentication practices (e.g. password policy, multi-factor authentication) across company systems.
• Monitor for unusual or unauthorised account activity and investigate anomalies.
• Maintain an up-to-date record of who has access to which systems and data.

Backups & Business Continuity

• Implement and maintain regular backups of company data and systems, and periodically test that backups can be restored successfully.
• Maintain and test disaster-recovery procedures so the company can recover quickly from system failure, data loss or a cyber incident.
• Ensure critical systems have appropriate redundancy or failover arrangements where practical.

Incident Response & Monitoring

• Monitor systems and networks for security alerts, breaches or unusual activity.
• Investigate and respond to security incidents, containing and remediating issues promptly.
• Document incidents, root causes and corrective actions, and report significant issues to the Data & Information Systems Manager without delay.
• Support post-incident reviews and help update policies or controls to prevent recurrence.

IT Support & Day-to-Day Operations

• Provide general IT support to staff (hardware, software, connectivity issues) or coordinate with an outsourced IT support provider where applicable.
• Manage company devices, licences and IT assets, including setup for new starters and secure decommissioning for leavers.
• Maintain documentation of the company\'s IT environment, security configurations and standard operating procedures.

Awareness & Compliance

• Support basic staff training/awareness on phishing, safe data handling and password hygiene.
• Help ensure company practices align with relevant data-protection requirements and any client/contractual security expectations.
• Keep up to date with emerging cyber threats relevant to the business and flag risks proactively.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Degree, Diploma or recognised certification in Information Technology, Computer Science, Networking or Cybersecurity (e.g. CompTIA Security+, CCNA, or similar is an advantage).
• 2-4 years of experience in IT administration, network support or cybersecurity, ideally including small/medium business environments.
• Practical experience with firewalls, antivirus/endpoint protection, backup systems and access-management tools.
• Working knowledge of networking fundamentals (LAN/WAN, VPN, Wi-Fi security) and common operating systems.
• Experience responding to or supporting investigation of security incidents is an added advantage.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms and SaaS security settings (e.g. Microsoft 365/Google Workspace) is beneficial given typical company tooling.

Skills & Attributes

• Security-conscious with sound, calm judgement when responding to incidents.
• Methodical and detail-oriented, particularly around access controls and backup verification.
• Able to explain technical issues clearly to non-technical colleagues.
• Reliable and discreet, given the sensitivity of the systems and data involved.
• Proactive in identifying risks rather than waiting for issues to arise.
• Comfortable working both independently and as part of a small, cross-functional team.

Role Boundaries

• The IT & Cybersecurity Specialist is responsible for the practical implementation of security and IT-protection measures, working within the standards, policies and access rules set by the Data & Information Systems Manager. The role is not responsible for defining overall data architecture, data governance policy or management-reporting requirements these remain with the Data & Information Systems Manager. Major security investments, significant incidents with material business impact, and any decision to change the company\'s IT/security service model (in-house vs. dedicated hire vs. outsourced) are to be escalated to the Data & Information Systems Manager and, where relevant, senior management.