Cyber security / Associate Director, Watch Commander

HSBC Holdings plc; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

HSBC Software Development India in Hyderabad, TG, IN, is seeking an experienced Cybersecurity Associate Director to lead a 24x7 Watch Commander team. The role focuses on intelligence-led monitoring, rapid incident response, and collaboration with global IT to strengthen and automate security controls.

You will drive incident playbooks, enhance detection capabilities, and deliver clear executive insights while balancing risk and operational efficiency in a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• Experience leading cybersecurity operations teams and driving capability improvements.
• Ability to make clear decisions in time-critical incident response scenarios.
• Strong written and verbal communication with stakeholders across groups.
• Deep knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks and standards (NIST, ISO2700x, PCI DSS, CISSP).
• Hands-on expertise with core security technologies and network protocol analysis.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain incident response playbooks and use cases.

Responsibilities

• Lead a local Cybersecurity Operations team delivering 24x7 protection.
• Oversee smooth shift handovers across global teams and priorities.
• Maintain an intelligence-led threat view to anticipate impacts.
• Collaborate with GCO and IT to keep tooling effective against threats.
• Identify opportunities to automate and orchestrate processes.
• Coordinate development and maintenance of incident response playbooks.
• Support creation of new detections and use cases for monitoring.
• Provide management information for decision making and improvements.

Skills

Cybersecurity leadership

Incident response

Decision making

Stakeholder comms

Cybersecurity frameworks

Automation

Security certs

Tools

IDS/IPS/HIPS

Firewalls

Proxies

Anti-malware

Job description

Cyber security / Associate Director, Watch Commander

Location:

Hyderabad, TG, IN, 500032

Brand: HSBC

Area of Interest: Technology

Role Workstyle: Hybrid Worker

Date: 12 Oct 2026

Some careers shine brighter than others.

If you’re looking for a career that will help you stand out, join HSBC and fulfil your potential. Whether you want a career that could take you to the top, or simply take you in an exciting new direction, HSBC offers opportunities, support and rewards that will take you further.

HSBC is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world, with operations in 64 countries and territories. We aim to be where the growth is, enabling businesses to thrive and economies to prosper, and, ultimately, helping people to fulfil their hopes and realise their ambitions.

We are currently seeking an experienced professional to join our team in the role of Sr Associate Director, Watch Commander

The Opportunity

Global Cybersecurity Operations (GCO) provides coordinated network defence services to detect and respond to information and cybersecurity threats to HSBC assets worldwide. This role sits within Cybersecurity Incident Management and Response and helps protect HSBC customers, the HSBC brand, shareholder value and HSBC information and financial assets. As Watch Commander you'll run one of the 24x7 Cybersecurity Operations teams spanning multiple service lines and ensure smooth handovers as global shifts change. You'll keep an intelligence-led view of current and emerging threats so monitoring, alerting and response can be anticipated and where possible put in place early. You'll work closely with GCO colleagues and wider IT teams to keep core response technology and processes fit for purpose and to reduce high-volume low-risk activity through automation and orchestration. Success looks like clear decision-making under pressure, consistent incident response execution and measurable improvements in detection quality and operational effectiveness.

What you'll be doing

• Manage a local Cybersecurity Operations team across multiple service lines to deliver 24x7 protection for the bank and its customers
• Oversee smooth shift handovers across global teams so incidents and priorities are transferred clearly and consistently
• Maintain an up-to-date, intelligence-led view of the threat landscape to anticipate impacts to HSBC services and deploy pre-emptive monitoring and response
• Partner with wider GCO and IT teams to keep operational tooling and underlying technology capabilities effective against current and emerging threats
• Identify opportunities to automate and orchestrate processes to improve efficiency and focus analyst time on higher-risk work
• Coordinate development and maintenance of incident response playbooks with GCO and relevant business and function stakeholders
• Support creation and implementation of new detections and use cases to strengthen monitoring and alerting
• Produce management information for the CSIRT mission with clear analysis and data to support informed decisions and control improvements

What we're looking for

• Bring substantial experience in cybersecurity operations leadership including team development, recruitment and capability improvement
• Apply strong decision-making in time-critical incident response scenarios including crisis management frameworks and communications
• Communicate complex technical issues clearly in writing and verbally with internal and external stakeholders
• Demonstrate deep knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks and standards including OWASP, ISO2700x, PCI DSS, GLBA, EU data security and privacy acts, FFIEC, CIS and NIST
• Use hands-on expertise with core security technologies such as IDS-IPS-HIPS, anti-malware, firewalls, proxies and related tooling
• Interpret common network protocols and perform network protocol analysis across enterprise environments
• Apply incident response tools, techniques and processes to contain, mitigate and remediate threats effectively
• Hold CEH, EnCE, SANS GSEC, GCIH, GCIA, CISSP or equivalent certification, or bring equivalent demonstrable experience

HSBC is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a culture where all employees are valued, respected and opinions count. We take pride in providing a workplace that fosters continuous professional development, flexible working and, opportunities to grow within an inclusive and diverse environment. We encourage applications from all suitably qualified persons irrespective of, but not limited to, their gender or genetic information, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, social status, medical care leave requirements, political affiliation, people with disabilities, color, national origin, veteran status, etc., We consider all applications based on merit and suitability to the role.”

Personal data held by the Bank relating to employment applications will be used in accordance with our Privacy Statement, which is available on our website.

Issued by – HSBC Software Development India