A day in the life of an Engagement and Outreach Coordinator

Playing a vital role in supporting national security, our Engagement and Outreach team are essential in connecting with our community. They build successful and collaborative relationships and work hard to promote the importance of technical security. Teaching our customers ways to keep their people, information and assets safe and secure.

Today, you can hear from one of our Engagement & Outreach Coordinators about what a typical day is like for them…

Firstly, can you tell us a bit about your department?

The Government Engagement and Outreach team increase awareness of UK NACE and technical security across HMG and critical national infrastructure(CNI). To do this we meet with industry professionals and provide technical security advice and guidance to the wider UK government and partners. Building and developing customer relationships to increase support for our work as a National Technical Authority.

We also promote UK NACE as a great place to work. We engage with schools and colleges, and we attend careers fairs to inspire the next generation of security professionals.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Variety is by far and away the best part. Every day is different, whether I’m writing articles about technical security risks, coming up with ideas for social media posts, organising site visits, or meeting colleagues and customers at an event or conference – it’s all in a day’s work!

What inspired you to work here?

I’ve always had an interest in technology and meeting new people. I take pride in the fact that the work I do contributes to the wider objective of keeping the country safe. What’s more, I’d been looking for an organisation where I can develop a career with progression and UK NACE has offered me that very opportunity.

What are some of the challenges you face?

While I enjoy the fast-paced environment, it’s not without its challenges. Keeping up to date with new technology in a world that changes so quickly is interesting, but also a never-ending task. I enjoy the challenge of finding ways to communicate our important technical security advice across government.

Do you have any tips for someone wanting a career at UK NACE?

Learn as much as you can as early as you can. UK NACE operates in a unique industry so make sure you learn about our work. If you’re thinking about applying for a job at UK NACE, consider what skills you’ve developed in other roles that could be useful here. Once you’re here, my advice would be to take on board as much information as possible as this will lay the building blocks for a very rewarding career.

Ask questions. The best way to learn and gain knowledge is to ask questions and although it may feel like it, there’s no such thing as a silly one, so ask away!

Be adaptable. It may be a relatively small organisation, but the work environment of UK NACE is busy. Try to be adaptable to ever-changing situations and prioritise your tasks for maximum efficiency and a sense of achievement.

Any final top security tips you’d like to share?

• Be aware of who’s in your surroundings when out and about on your phone. Where possible, make sure your screen can’t be overlooked. Installing a privacy screen can help prevent this.
• When you receive an email, it’s worth double-checking the sender’s address for anything that doesn’t look right, such as spelling errors. Ask yourself, is the email pressuring you to take action on something? These two signs could indicate a phishing attempt to download malicious software onto your device.
• Use two-factor (2FA) or multi-factor (MFA) authentication for added security when logging into your devices or accounts.
• When creating a password, try to use three random words to make it more difficult to guess.
• Be careful about the conversations you’re having in public areas; you don’t know who might be listening.

Interested to find out more? Visit our careers website to explore our current job opportunities or sign up for job alerts. Read the latest news from UK NACE here.