AP ICT Infrastructure, Security and Operations 2026: candidate guide

This is a specialist Assistant Principal competition for people who have led secure and resilient ICT services. The title is broad because departments may need different mixes of infrastructure, cyber security, cloud, service operations and delivery management.

The first decision is mechanical: do you meet one of the qualification and experience routes by 20 August 2026?

Check the route, year count and relevance

The booklet offers several routes. A relevant Level 7 computing qualification requires at least five years of directly relevant hands-on experience. A relevant Level 8 computing qualification requires at least three years. Other routes cover a Level 8 award with sufficient computing content and combinations of qualification and longer experience.

Read the complete alternatives on page 9. Do not merge parts of two routes. The experience has to be directly relevant to infrastructure, security and operations, and the application should make dates and scope easy to verify.

This is technical leadership, not technical distance

The job involves designing and delivering secure ICT and digital infrastructure and services. Successful candidates may lead services supporting high-profile public interactions and national programmes. They are also expected to contribute to departmental strategy and digital change beyond the immediate technical function.

The application needs both hands-on credibility and AP-level leadership. Strong evidence may cover:

• service resilience and recovery under real pressure;
• cyber-risk decisions and proportionate controls;
• cloud, network or platform change across a live service;
• supplier performance and contract decisions;
• team capability, priorities and performance;
• communication of technical risk to non-technical leaders.

Avoid making tools the protagonist. Technology establishes relevance. Your decision, leadership and result establish level.

Use the stated competency indicators carefully

The booklet includes AP indicators for leadership, judgement and analysis, management and delivery, communication, specialist expertise and public-service commitment. Use the model printed in this booklet rather than assuming another competition’s framework.

One infrastructure programme can support several areas, but each answer should have a clear centre. If every example becomes the same migration project, the panel may struggle to see range.

What the test wording actually says

The selection menu may include shortlisting, preliminary or recorded interview, online questionnaires, a report, presentation, work sample, role play or media exercise. It then says that for certain competitions candidates may have online assessment tests.

That is not confirmation that competition 7484 has an aptitude test. No numerical, verbal or situational-judgement format is named, and no test window is provided. Interviews are expected from September.

Finish the evidence first and monitor your publicjobs messages. If an assessment is issued, use its familiarisation material. The publicjobs application process can help keep the possible stages in proportion.

Reading order

Pages 5 and 6 explain the work. Page 7 has pay and key dates. Pages 9 and 10 contain qualification routes and required experience. Page 11 gives the competency model. Pages 12 to 14 cover selection and checks.

This guide is based on official sources checked on 14 August 2026. Verify the live material before submitting.