Senior Network Security Architect & Operations Leader

Placements24; Southampton; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive salary package

Medical aid and retirement fund

Performance-based incentives

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is partnering with a major Randburg-based financial services organization to recruit a Senior Network Security Architect & Operations Manager. You will design, implement, and oversee enterprise-grade security across networks, manage a skilled security team, and drive incident response, policy enforcement, and vulnerability remediation.

The role requires a decade in network security with leadership experience, familiarity with NGFW, SIEM, and ISO/NIST frameworks, and strong vendor

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or related field.
• Advanced degrees or specialized certifications are highly desirable.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in network security, with at least 5 years in a management or senior architect role.
• Extensive knowledge of network protocols, security technologies (Next-Gen Firewalls, SIEM, WAF, endpoint security), and threat landscapes.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing enterprise-level security solutions.
• Strong understanding of security frameworks (NIST, ISO 27001) and compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain a robust network security architecture including firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPNs, access control systems.
• Develop and enforce network security policies, procedures, and standards.
• Oversee day-to-day operations of the network security team, including incident response, monitoring, and vulnerability management.
• Conduct regular security audits and penetration tests to identify and remediate vulnerabilities.
• Develop and manage security awareness training programs for all employees.
• Lead incident response activities, including investigation, containment, eradication, and recovery.
• Evaluate and recommend new security technologies and solutions to enhance the organization's security posture.
• Manage vendor relationships for security products and services.
• Ensure compliance with relevant industry regulations and data privacy laws.
• Collaborate with IT infrastructure teams to integrate security into network design and operations.

Skills

Network security

Leadership

Incident response

Threat hunting

Security policy

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IT

CISSP/CISM/CCIE Security

Tools

Next-Gen Firewalls

SIEM

WAF

Endpoint security

Job description

Placements24 is partnering with a major Randburg-based financial services organization to recruit a Senior Network Security Architect & Operations Manager. You will design, implement, and oversee enterprise-grade security across networks, manage a skilled security team, and drive incident response, policy enforcement, and vulnerability remediation.

The role requires a decade in network security with leadership experience, familiarity with NGFW, SIEM, and ISO/NIST frameworks, and strong vendor