Key Responsibilities
Security Architecture Engineering
- Conduct secure design reviews across the bank's estate core banking payment systems UAEFTS IPP Aani card switch SWIFT ATM and branch networks data platforms digital and mobile channels open finance APIs and hybrid cloud workloads on Azure and AWS UAE regions
- Drive zero trust and network segmentation across data centres branches ATM networks cloud and third-party connections including OT and building systems where relevant
- Define and assure identity controls including Active Directory hardening identity and access management IAM and privileged access management PAM across enterprise IT and business applications
- Engineer and tune EDR XDR on endpoints and servers web application firewall WAF data loss prevention DLP and email and collaboration security controls
- Advise on encryption standards hardware security modules HSM and key management practices Application DevSecOps Security
- Embed SAST DAST and SCA tooling in CI CD pipelines with clear quality gates and triage workflows for development teams
- Ensure applications and APIs are assessed against the OWASP Top 10 and OWASP API Security Top 10
- Perform and guide secure code reviews for high-risk changes
- Define security baselines for microservices containers and Kubernetes platforms including image scanning secrets management and runtime protection
Governance Risk Compliance
- Maintain alignment with CBUAE information security and technology risk regulations and standards
- Apply the UAE Information Assurance Standards UAE IA formerly NESA and the UAE Personal Data Protection Law Federal Decree-Law No 45 of 2021
- Support compliance with the CBUAE Open Finance Regulation PCI DSS and the SWIFT Customer Security Programme CSP
- Map controls to ISO IEC 27001 and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and keep policies and standards current
- Perform cybersecurity risk assessments and third-party vendor security assessments
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity or an equivalent discipline.
- 8+ years of experience in cybersecurity, of which at least 3 years in banking or financial services (GCC/UAE experience preferred).
Certifications
Required: at least one of CISSP, CISM or OSCP.
Preferred: GIAC (GCIH, GCIA, GCFA or GPEN); Splunk Core Certified or Splunk Enterprise Security; Microsoft SC-200; CompTIA CySA+; BTL1/BTL2; CEH; CCSP; Microsoft Azure or AWS security certifications; ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer or Lead Auditor; CRISC.
Technical Skills
- SIEM platforms such as Splunk, IBM QRadar or Microsoft Sentinel, with hands-on query skills in SPL, KQL and AQL, plus SOAR automation.
- EDR/XDR investigation and malware triage with tools such as CrowdStrike Falcon or Microsoft Defender.
- Privileged access management, for example CyberArk.
- Firewalls and next-generation firewalls (NGFW).
- Cloud security posture management (CSPM) tools for Azure and AWS.
- Scripting and automation in Python and PowerShell.
- Working knowledge of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, with Sigma and YARA rule writing for detection engineering and threat hunting.
- Log analysis across Windows event logs, Sysmon, Linux, and network, firewall, proxy and DNS logs.
- Network traffic analysis with Wireshark, Zeek and NDR tooling.
- Memory and disk forensics fundamentals, for example Volatility and KAPE.
- Threat intelligence platforms (MISP or equivalent TIP) and case management or ticketing tools such as ServiceNow SecOps or TheHive.