Security Operations Manager

Cherry Bekaert; Chennai District; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Cherry Bekaert in Chennai is seeking a seasoned SOC Manager to lead the 24/7 Security Operations Center. This role involves managing security operations, optimizing incident response, and coordinating critical demands with IT and business teams. The ideal candidate possesses over 10 years in security operations with notable SOC leadership experience, expertise in Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR, and the ability to drive security metrics and team development. The position offers a chance to ensure SOC excellence and mentor a high-performing team.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in security operations, with SOC leadership experience.
• Strong hands-on expertise in Microsoft Sentinel, Defender XDR, MDR operations.
• Experience with Zscaler, Proofpoint, and threat intelligence frameworks (MITRE ATT&CK).

Responsibilities

• Lead and optimize 24/7 SOC operations, including staffing and response models.
• Manage and strengthen the Expel MDR partnership and service delivery outcomes.
• Oversee incident response across Defender XDR & Sentinel, including automation and analytics.

Skills

Security operations

SOC leadership experience

Microsoft Sentinel

Defender XDR

Incident response

Threat intelligence frameworks

Tools

Zscaler

Proofpoint

Job description

We’re seeking an experienced SOC Manager to lead a 24/7 Security Operations Center, partnering with Expel MDR to drive real-time threat detection, incident response, and security monitoring across a Microsoft E5/E7 environment.

This role owns end-to-end SOC operations—overseeing Microsoft Sentinel, Defender XDR, Zscaler, and Proofpoint—and ensuring effective triage, escalation, and response workflows. You’ll act as the primary escalation point for critical incidents, coordinating cross-functional responses with IT, legal, and business stakeholders.

Reporting to the CISO, you’ll drive SOC excellence by managing performance metrics (MTTD, MTTR, SLA adherence), advancing detection engineering, and continuously improving the firm’s security posture.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and optimize 24/7 SOC operations, including staffing, escalation, and response models
• Manage and strengthen the Expel MDR partnership and service delivery outcomes
• Oversee incident response across Defender XDR & Sentinel, including automation (SOAR) and analytics
• Drive detection engineering, reduce false positives, and enhance threat coverage
• Own SOC metrics, reporting, and post-incident reviews for leadership visibility
• Lead response for Severity 1 & 2 incidents and coordinate enterprise-wide remediation
• Ensure alignment with NIST IR framework, compliance (SOC 2, etc.), and audit readiness
• Mentor SOC analysts and build a high-performing security operations team

Ideal Candidate

• 10+ years in security operations, with SOC leadership experience
• Strong hands‑on expertise in Microsoft Sentinel, Defender XDR, MDR operations
• Experience with Zscaler, Proofpoint, and threat intelligence frameworks (MITRE ATT&CK)
• Proven ability to lead incident response, stakeholder communication, and team development
• Background in professional/regulated environments preferred