IT & Cybersecurity Specialist

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.