SOC Manager

BDO UK LLP; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

BDO is seeking a SOC Manager to lead its Security Operations Centre in London. You will mentor analysts, oversee threat detection, incident response and service delivery, and align operations with security strategy.

You will coordinate with security architecture, governance, and third-party providers, drive improvements, and shape roadmaps for monitoring capabilities while ensuring regulatory compliance and risk management across the organisation.

Qualifications

• Experience leading Security Operations Centre (SOC) teams and multi-tier detection/response services.
• Extensive experience in Security Operations, Threat Monitoring, Incident Response and Cyber Defence.
• Track record in leading major cyber incident investigations and response activities.
• Experience engaging with third-party cyber security service providers and MSSPs.
• Proven people leadership experience with coaching and mentoring teams.
• Knowledge of monitoring frameworks including MITRE ATT&CK.
• Experience automating SIEM technologies, notably Microsoft Sentinel.
• Capability in detection engineering (XDR), threat hunting and use case development.
• Understanding of Microsoft security technologies and cloud security capabilities.
• Knowledge of enterprise networks, identity and access management, operating systems, endpoints, applications and cloud platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor SOC analysts and oversee multi-tier detection/response services.
• Drive security operations, threat monitoring, incident response and cyber defence activities.
• Coordinate complex cyber investigations and oversee incident response lifecycle.
• Manage relationships with third-party security providers and MSSPs.
• Contribute to cyber security strategy and roadmaps; align with governance and risk.
• Translate cyber threats into actionable monitoring strategies and controls.

Skills

SOC leadership

Threat monitoring

Incident response

Third-party mgmt

People leadership

MITRE ATT&CK

Automation

SIEM (Microsoft Sentinel)

XDR

Cloud security

Education

CISSP

CISM

CCSP

Tools

Microsoft Sentinel

Azure Security

Threat hunting tools

Job description

Ideas | People | Trust

We're BDO. An accountancy and business advisory firm, providing the advice and solutions entrepreneurial organisations need to navigate today's changing world.

We work with the companies that are Britain's economic engine - ambitious, entrepreneurially-spirited and high growth businesses that fuel the economy - and directly advise the owners and management teams that lead them.

We'll broaden your horizons

To ensure our services and applications are fit for the modern market, our IT team collaborates with every department. They develop, they explore and they implement the new ideas helping us to change the future of accounting, tax and business consulting. But, just as importantly, they maintain the tech that keeps us advancing.

By testing and adopting the future of financial technical solutions, they find new and exciting ways to drive us forward. And you could too.

In an IT role at BDO, you'll become part of a team that act as the backbone for our business. No matter who you are or what your skillset is, we'll give you the training and support you need to achieve whatever you put your mind to.

We'll help you succeed

Leading organisations trust us because of the quality of our advice. That quality grows from a thorough understanding of their business, and that understanding comes from working closely with them and building long-lasting relationships.

You'll be someone who is both comfortable working pro-actively and managing your own tasks, as well as confident collaborating with others and communicating regularly with senior managers, directors, and BDO's partners to help businesses effectively. You'll be encouraged to identify and draw attention to opportunities for enhancing our delivery and providing additional services to organisations we work with.

The SOC Manager is a pivotal leadership role within BDO's Cyber Security function, acting as the senior technical authority for Security Operations. The role is responsible for ensuring BDO's security monitoring, threat detection, threat hunting and incident response capabilities are effective, resilient and continuously evolving to meet emerging cyber threats. Reporting to the Head of Cyber Security, the successful individual will provide both strategic direction and operational oversight of the Security Operations Centre (SOC), helping to safeguard BDO's colleagues, clients and partners as the organisation continues to expand its digital capabilities and technology landscape.

The position combines technical expertise with people leadership, managing the day-to-day operation of the SOC while driving ongoing improvements in security operations. Responsibilities include leading and mentoring SOC analysts, overseeing service delivery and performance, supporting career development and ensuring the team operates to high standards. The SOC Manager will also contribute to the wider Cyber Security strategy, helping to shape security technology roadmaps and ensuring operational security requirements are embedded across the design, implementation and management of technology services.

A significant element of the role centres on cyber threat detection and incident response. The SOC Manager will lead complex cyber investigations, coordinate response activities across technical teams and third-party providers and oversee the full incident management lifecycle. They will continuously enhance monitoring and detection capabilities through threat hunting, detection engineering, use case development and automation, while ensuring security tools are optimised to improve detection accuracy and reduce false positives. The role also requires translating cyber threat intelligence and organisational risks into effective monitoring strategies and security controls.

Beyond operational activity, the SOC Manager will play an important role in governance, risk management and stakeholder engagement. They will contribute to cyber security strategy, support audit and compliance activities and provide meaningful reporting on cyber risks, incidents and service performance to senior stakeholders. The role requires close collaboration with teams across Security Architecture, Vulnerability Management, Product Security and Governance to strengthen BDO's overall security posture and ensure a coordinated approach to cyber risk management.

The role also carries responsibility for managing relationships with Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) and security technology vendors, ensuring services are delivered effectively against agreed SLAs, KPIs and contractual commitments. The SOC Manager will support the adoption of new technologies, including automation, orchestration and AI-enabled security capabilities, while maintaining awareness of emerging threats, attack techniques and regulatory developments. Through a focus on continual improvement and operational excellence, the role will ensure BDO's Security Operations function remains proactive, effective and aligned to the organisation's evolving security needs.

You'll be someone with:

• Proven experience leading Security Operations Centre (SOC) teams and managing multi-tier detection and response services.


• Extensive experience in Security Operations, Threat Monitoring, Incident Response and Cyber Defence.


• Demonstrable experience leading major cyber incident investigations and response activities.


• Experience engaging with and managing third-party cyber security service providers and managed security services.


• Proven people leadership experience, including coaching, mentoring and developing high-performing teams.


• Demonstrable knowledge of monitoring frameworks, including MITRE ATT&CK.


• Demonstrable experience with automating SIEM technologies, ideally Microsoft Sentinel.


• Demonstrable capability in detection engineering (XDR), threat hunting, use case development and security monitoring and response optimisation.


• Demonstrable understanding of Microsoft security technologies and cloud security capabilities.
  
• Knowledge of enterprise networks, identity and access management, operating systems, endpoints, applications and cloud platforms.


• Experience implementing and optimising security technologies and modern Security Operations capabilities, including DLP, CASB, Email Security, SWG, ZTNA, SASE, automation and AI-driven security solutions.


• Working knowledge of recognised security frameworks and standards, including NIST, ISO 27001/27002 and CIS Controls.


• Understanding of regulatory and compliance requirements, including UK GDPR and experience supporting governance, audit and assurance activities.


• CISSP, CISM, CCSP, SSCP or equivalent security certification (desirable).


• Microsoft Security certifications (desirable).


• SANS, EC-Council or equivalent cyber security qualifications (desirable).


• Demonstrable competencies aligned to SFIA and UKCSC development frameworks (desirable).

At BDO, we'll help you achieve your personal goals and career ambitions, and we have programmes, resources, and frameworks that provide clarity and structure around career development.

We're in it together

Mutual support and respect is one of BDO's core values and we're proud of our distinctive, people-centred culture. From informal success conversations to formal mentoring and coaching, we'll support you at every stage in your career, whatever your personal and professional needs.

Our agile working framework helps us stay connected, bringing teams together where and when it counts so they can share ideas and help one another. At BDO, you'll always have access to the people and resources you need to do your best work.

We know that collaboration is the key to creating value for the companies we work with and satisfying experiences for our colleagues, so we've invested in state-of-the-art collaboration spaces in our offices. BDO's people represent a wealth of knowledge and expertise, and we'll encourage you to build your network, work alongside others, and share your skills and experiences. With a range of multidisciplinary events and dedicated resources, you'll never stop learning at BDO.

We're looking forward to the future

At BDO, we help entrepreneurial businesses to succeed, fuelling the UK economy.

Our success is powered by our people, which is why we're always finding new ways to invest in you. Across the UK thousands of unique minds continue to come together to help companies we work with to achieve their ambitions

We've got a clear purpose, and we're confident in our future, because we're adapting and evolving to build on our strengths, ensuring we continue to find the right combination of global reach, integrity and expertise. We shape the future together with openness and clarity, because we believe in empowering people to think creatively about how we can do things better.