Cyber Security Operations Lead

Urban Utilities; City of Brisbane; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging

Discounts on health insurance/tech

Parental leave

Personal leave

Flexible work

Job summary

Urban Utilities is seeking a Cyber Security Operations Lead to protect critical services across IT, OT and IoT. You will lead a team of cyber security professionals, partner with managed security providers, and drive threat intelligence, incident response and risk management to sustain a secure and reliable digital environment.

You will report to the Senior Manager Digital Experience and play a pivotal role in maturing security standards while balancing operational delivery with strategic risk

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership experience overseeing security operations across IT, OT and IoT.
• Proven ability to guide threat intelligence, incident response and risk management.
• Strong collaboration with stakeholders and external providers to improve security posture.
• Experience shaping security practices in large, critical infrastructure environments.
• Knowledge of modern security frameworks and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead security operations and cyber incident response across IT, OT and IoT.
• Manage cyber security risks, vulnerabilities and threats with proactive monitoring.
• Drive threat intelligence, vulnerability management and penetration testing programs.
• Partner with internal stakeholders and external providers to strengthen resilience.
• Provide expert cyber security advice and lead a high-performing team.
• Support critical business operations via on-call leadership roster.

Skills

Leadership

Security operations

Threat intelligence

Incident response

Cyber risk management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Tertiary qualifications in Cyber Security/IT/CS

Tools

ISO 27001

NIST Cyber Security Framework

IEC 62443

Job description

At Urban Utilities, our purpose is simple yet powerful – Enrich Quality of Life. With a $7 billion asset base and services spanning 1.5 million residents and more than 31,000 commercial customers across South East Queensland, we are committed to enhancing the liveability of our communities every day.

About the Role

This is a 6 month max term contract. As Cyber Security Operations Lead, you'll play a critical leadership role in protecting Urban Utilities' essential services, customers, people and digital assets from current and emerging cyber threats. Reporting to the Senior Manager Digital Experience, you will lead the organisation's cyber security operations capability across Information Technology (IT), Operational Technology (OT) and Internet of Things (IoT) environments. Leading a team of cyber security professionals and working closely with specialist partners and managed security providers, you'll be responsible for ensuring Urban Utilities maintains a strong, resilient and risk-based security posture. You'll drive capabilities across security operations, threat intelligence, incident response, vulnerability management, penetration testing and cyber risk management while influencing security outcomes across the broader organisation. This is an opportunity to shape and mature cyber security practices within a large and complex critical infrastructure environment. You'll provide trusted advice to senior stakeholders, lead the response to significant cyber incidents, and ensure our services remain secure, reliable and available for the communities we serve.

Key responsibilities

• Leading security operations and cyber incident response across IT, OT and IoT environments.
• Managing cyber security risks, vulnerabilities and threats through proactive monitoring and remediation.
• Driving threat intelligence, vulnerability management and penetration testing programs.
• Partnering with internal stakeholders and external providers to strengthen cyber resilience.
• Providing expert cyber security advice and influencing enterprise-wide decision making.
• Developing and leading a high-performing team focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Supporting critical business operations through participation in an on‑call leadership roster.

About You

You're an experienced cyber security leader who combines deep technical expertise with strong people leadership and stakeholder engagement skills. You thrive in complex environments and are passionate about building resilient, secure-by-design services that enable business outcomes while effectively managing risk. You bring extensive experience leading cyber security operations functions, with a strong understanding of modern security frameworks, threat landscapes and regulatory requirements. Whether responding to critical incidents, advising executives or developing your team, you're known for your calm judgement, strategic thinking and ability to translate complex security challenges into practical solutions.

To be successful, you'll have

• Significant experience in cyber security, including leadership of security operations functions within large or complex organisations.
• Demonstrated expertise across security operations, threat intelligence, vulnerability management, incident response and cyber risk management.
• Strong knowledge of IT, OT and IoT environments and the security challenges associated with critical infrastructure.
• Experience working with recognised frameworks and standards such as ISO 27001, NIST Cyber Security Framework, IEC 62443 and relevant privacy and regulatory requirements.
• Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams while building strong relationships across all levels of an organisation.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and decision‑making skills, particularly in fast‑paced or high‑pressure situations.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in Cyber Security, Information Technology, Computer Science or a related discipline.
• Certifications such as CISSP, CCSP or similar will be highly regarded.

Above all, you're a collaborative and authentic leader who can balance operational delivery with strategic thinking, fostering a culture of continuous improvement while helping keep essential services secure for the communities we support.

At UU, our strength comes from our people. We value different perspectives, backgrounds, experiences and ways of thinking, and we’re committed to creating a workplace where people feel respected, included and supported to do their best work. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and life experiences. You do not need to meet every requirement to apply. If this role interests you and you feel you could contribute, we’d love to hear from you. For us, it’s about finding the right person, not ticking every box. If you require adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know. We’re here to support you through the process.

Why Urban Utilities

At Urban Utilities, the work we do is about so much more than the bottom line. We're a leading provider of world-class drinking water and wastewater services to the vibrant communities of Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Somerset, and Scenic Rim. As we continue to grow, we're committed to planning ahead and shaping a sustainable future around water for generations to come. At the core of our work lies genuine care: for our team, our customers, communities, and the environment. From the flush of a toilet to major infrastructure projects and residential developments, we're dedicated to being there every step of the way. Our HQ is in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, but you'll find us all over SEQ - working in cool places like the SAS Laboratory in Darra, field‑based depots in Eagle Farm, Acacia Ridge, Bundamba, and wastewater treatment plants dotted across the region. We know the chance to thrive, and progress comes hand in hand with the support to balance work with life.

So, you’ll access an increasingly diverse range of benefits and initiatives that’ll help you bring the best you.

Benefits

• Generous Salary Packaging options, including novated leases
• Corporate discounts across Health insurance, technology and more
• 18 weeks of paid parental leave
• 15 days personal leave including two proactive wellbeing days, and an additional day of leave each year to connect with friends and family
• Flexibility at UU depends on the type of work you do but could include options such as, 9-day fortnights and flexible days

Urban Utilities is an endorsed employer for all women.

See our range of benefits and policies directly at WORK180.

There’s no us without you. Come shape the future with us.

Urban Utilities delivers 140,000 megalitres each year of our planet’s most precious, natural resource to communities scattered across South East Queensland and effortlessly removes it too.

We’re constantly challenging the status quo, searching for opportunities, pushing people to their potential, encouraging creativity and diversity, and fostering collaboration within and beyond our teams to be the best we can for our communities.