Associate Director of Security Operations

Iceberg; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Strong benefits including pension

Job summary

A leading global financial institution is seeking an Associate Director of Security Operations to join their world-class security team in London. In this pivotal role, you will support the Global Head of Security Operations, influencing critical decisions and spearheading initiatives to enhance security processes and operations. Ideal candidates will possess strong leadership skills, a solid understanding of security operation frameworks, and the ability to work in high-pressure situations. This position offers a competitive salary along with bonuses and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in security operations, ideally with SOC/incident response background.
• Technically credible and confident stepping into high-pressure situations.
• Strong understanding of three lines of defence and practical risk/control frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Lead a high-performing team within security operations.
• Steer cyber transformation initiatives and improve security processes.
• Drive smarter, data-driven decisions to strengthen security posture.

Skills

Leadership in security operations

Incident response experience

Understanding of three lines of defence

Ability to influence senior stakeholders

Experience in complex global organisations

Driving cyber transformation

Job description

Overview

My client is a leading global financial institution, renowned for its scale, complexity, and commitment to innovation in security. This is a unique opportunity to join a world-class security team at the heart of a highly regulated, global organisation.

As Associate Director of Security Operations, you will be the number two to the Global Head of Security Operations and play a pivotal role in shaping the organisation’s global security capability. You will lead a small, high-performing team, influence critical decisions, and drive improvements across security processes, tooling, and operations. While you won’t be responding to incidents day-to-day, your SOC or incident response experience will give you the credibility to step in confidently when high-pressure situations arise. You will also help steer cyber transformation initiatives, ensuring the team uses data to make smarter, faster decisions, and continuously strengthens the company’s security posture. This is a chance to have visible impact at a global scale and be a trusted voice in shaping security strategy.

Key Requirements

• Proven leadership in security operations, ideally with SOC/incident response background
• Technically credible and confident stepping into high-pressure situations
• Experience in large, complex, global organisations
• Financial services experience preferred; outside FS must understand regulated environments
• Strong understanding of three lines of defence and practical risk/control frameworks
• Ability to develop teams and influence senior stakeholders
• Experience driving cyber transformation, improving processes, and using data to guide decisions

Location: London (3 days onsite)

Salary: £110,000 – £130,000 + bonus and strong benefits including pension