Security Engineering, Director - London

Alvarez & Marsal; Greater London; On-site; GBP 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Alvarez & Marsal is seeking a Director of Security Engineering to lead the global SecEng function. You will set strategic direction, drive architecture across the enterprise, and collaborate with corporate and business leaders to embed secure-by-design principles in technology programs.

You will oversee security controls, cloud baselines, and vendor relationships, while guiding incident readiness and regulatory support. A&C provides a dynamic, meritocratic environment with global impact.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading a global security engineering function.
• Ability to translate security strategy into scalable, automated controls.
• Experience partnering with C-suite stakeholders to embed security into large technology rollouts.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain enterprise security architecture and reference designs.
• Oversee core security controls, tooling, and vendor relationships.
• Set secure baselines for cloud environments and advance DevSecOps practices.
• Map controls to ISMS and ISO 27001 frameworks; support audits and inquiries.
• Lead incident response improvements and threat readiness with SOC.
• Provide strategic oversight of SecEng vendors and MSSPs; ensure alignment with standards.
• Collaborate with technology, risk, and business functions to ensure secure-by-design solutions.
• Lead and develop the global SecEng team and succession planning.

Skills

Global leadership

Security architecture

Security strategy

Vendor management

Education

CISSP/CISM/CCSP or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft security stack

Cisco security stack

Job description

Description

About Alvarez & Marsal

Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) is a global consulting firm with entrepreneurial, action- and results-oriented professionals. We take a hands-on approach to solving our clients' problems and helping them reach their potential. A&M is different by design: we give people ownership and impact from day one, fuel development through real opportunity, and provide direct access to leaders who invest in our growth. Our culture celebrates independent thinkers and doers who positively impact clients and shape our industry. Guided by A&M's core values of Integrity, Quality, Objectivity, Fun, Personal Reward, and Inclusive Diversity, our collaborative, globally minded environment is why our people love working at A&M.

Team

This role is newly established as part of the Global Security Office’s leadership team and is positioned to lead one of the three core pillars within GSO, working closely with other pillar leads and reporting directly to the Chief Security Officer. This role is global in nature and possesses a fantastic and exciting opportunity to help build and drive the maturity of the security function within the firm.

You would be working with stakeholders across corporate and the business units to align strategic objectives and architectural security plans. You will be leading the charge to drive and achieve team goals whilst helping team members develop and grow within the firm.

How you will contribute

The Director of Security Engineering role is responsible for setting the strategic direction, capability roadmap and operating model for A&M’s global security engineering function. This role provides senior leadership and oversight across the SecEng team, platforms, internal and external partners, ensuring high quality operations while driving continuous maturity aligned to the firm’s risk posture, business needs and evolving threat landscape. This includes:

Security architecture and engineering

• Define and maintain the enterprise security architecture and reference designs
• Lead secure design reviews for new platforms, SaaS, and AI/automation tooling
• Own the security engineering roadmap, aligned to GSO strategy and priorities

Controls and tooling

• Oversee the engineering and lifecycle of core security controls, e.g. identity and access, endpoint, network, email, cloud, data protection, and vulnerability management
• Drive automation of control deployment, monitoring, and evidence collection
• Rationalize the tool portfolio and manage vendor relationships and technical due diligence

Cloud and application security

• Set secure configuration baselines for Microsoft 365 and other cloud environments
• Partner with development teams to embed security in the software and automation delivery lifecycle (DevSecOps: integrating security into development and deployment pipelines)

Governance alignment

• Map technical controls to the firm’s information security management system (ISMS) and relevant frameworks such as ISO 27001 [
• Provide engineering evidence for audits, client security assessments, and regulatory inquiries

Incident and threat readiness

• Work with security operations to convert incident learnings and threat intelligence into engineering improvements
• Support the technical response to major incidents in coordination with SOC

Vendor and MSSP Oversight

• Provide strategic oversight of vendor performance, ensuring alignment with SecEng expectations and service standards.
• Participate in vendor governance, capability assessments and contract reviews.
• Evaluate enhancements or changes to service providers in partnership with Procurement, SOCand GSO Operations leadership.
• Ensure vendors are integrated into SecEng workflows, escalation paths and documentation expectations.

Stakeholder and Cross Team Collaboration

• Act as the senior representative for SecEng in firmwide security, technology and risk forums.
• Influence broader architectural and operational decisions to ensure SecEng secure by design requirements are incorporated.
• Strengthen relationships across technology, SOC, GRC, and business functions to support coordinated secure by design and capability uplift.
• Communicate SecEng priorities, risks and strategic needs to leadership and relevant stakeholders.

People Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership to the global SecEng team, shaping structure, culture and capability development across all regions.
• Directly manage the SecEng Senior Manager and oversee leadership of the SecEng global team.
• Support performance management, succession planning and workforce planning in partnership with GPO.
• Promote a high-performance culture that values continuous improvement, collaboration and accountability.

Qualifications

In addition to significant experience in roles covering the areas outlined above, you will have played a pivotal role in defining the strategic direction, capability roadmap and operating model for a global security engineering function, alongside demonstrable expertise in:

• Providing senior leadership and oversight across a global SecEng team, platforms, internal and external partners, ensuring high quality operations while driving continuous maturity aligned to the firm’s risk posture, business needs and evolving threat landscape.
• Lead the design, build, and operation of security engineering capabilities across the global enterprise
• Translate security strategy and risk appetite into scalable, automated and managed technical controls
• Partner with wider technology teams, corporate business leaders, and C-suite stakeholders to embed security into technology rollouts without creating unnecessary friction

Technical expertise must include:

• Microsoft and Cisco security stack experience (Defender, Entra, Secure Client, Firepower Management Center etc.)
• Secure-by-design and security architecture knowledge across information systems (endpoint, data center, cloud, network, applications, email etc.)
• Certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CCSP or equivalent
• Relevant certifications, such as security architecture certifications (e.g. SABSA, TOGAF),

Your journey at A&M

At A&M, professional growth is tied directly to performance, not tenure. Our people take on meaningful, hands-on work supported by a performance development process that rewards contribution and fosters a culture of meritocracy. Stretch roles, evolving business needs, and firm growth create ongoing opportunities for ownership and building new skills, while direct access to senior leaders provides mentorship and real-time coaching along the way. We also prioritize your wellbeing through comprehensive benefits and resources. Together, these elements create an environment where high-performing professionals can continue to grow and advance from day one.