Supply chain provenance is opening new UK security roles

What does defence-and-security hiring look like right now?

Demand for security skills keeps climbing. There are approximately 143,000 individuals in the UK cyber security workforce, with growth accelerating from 2% in 2022 to 5% in 2024, according to the government's Cyber security skills in the UK labour market 2025 report. That growth tells us the sector is expanding faster than before, and supply chain provenance sits right at the centre of it.

Finding the right people stays hard. While the proportion of employers struggling to fill vacancies has declined overall, 70% of cyber firms reported at least one hard-to-fill vacancy, according to the government's AI Labour Market Survey 2025. For defence-and-security teams, that gap matters most where provenance and assurance skills are scarce.

Which new roles is supply chain provenance creating?

Provenance work is about proving the origin and integrity of every part, line of code and data feed that enters a defence system. As that scrutiny tightens, we see new and reshaped roles taking form.

• Supply chain security analysts who map suppliers and flag risk at each tier.
• Software bill of materials (SBOM) specialists who track what goes into a build and where it came from.
• Third-party risk and vendor assurance leads who verify and monitor suppliers over time.
• Provenance and traceability engineers who build the audit trails that prove origin.
• Hardware assurance and anti-counterfeit experts who check physical components.

These roles pull from both traditional security and procurement backgrounds. With 70% of cyber firms reporting at least one hard-to-fill vacancy, according to the government's AI Labour Market Survey 2025, employers increasingly look to train and reskill rather than wait for a perfect match.

How do you hire well in defence-and-security?

Start with the problem, not the job title. Define what you need proven: component origin, code integrity, supplier assurance, or all three. That clarity shortlists faster than a long list of tools.

Weigh clearance and eligibility early, because they shape your realistic pool. With the workforce near 143,000 individuals and growth at 5% in 2024, according to the government's Cyber security skills in the UK labour market 2025 report, the talent exists, but you need to reach the right slice of it. Prioritise verifiable skills, assess for analytical thinking over tool familiarity, and be ready to grow capability in-house.

How can we help you hire for provenance roles?

Reed.ai searches 15 million candidates to surface people with the security and assurance skills these roles demand. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. Tell us the role, and we'll start building your shortlist today.

Sources

• Cyber security skills in the UK labour market 2025 - GOV.UK
• AI Labour Market Survey 2025 (Gardiner & Theobald), GOV.UK / publishing.service.gov.uk