The Manager SOC will oversee and mature the bank’s Security Operations Center (SOC) operations with a focus on threat detection, incident response, and continuous monitoring. The incumbent will lead the integration, optimization, and operation of key security tools including SIEM, SOAR, DAM, XDR, FIM, IDS/IPS, and Active Directory Monitoring. The role ensures timely detection and response to cyber threats while maintaining compliance with State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) regulations and international best practices.
Responsibilities
- 1. SOC Leadership & Operations
- Lead end‑to‑end SOC operations and manage a team of L1–L3 analysts.
- Ensure 24/7 security event monitoring through IBM QRadar SIEM and log aggregation from critical systems.
- Coordinate use cases, correlation rules, and dashboards aligned with MITRE ATT&CK.
- Manager SOC may be required to participate in rotational shifts or cover critical shifts to maintain 24x7 security operations coverage.
- 2. Security Tools Management
- Administer and fine‑tune SIEM for optimized event correlation and alerting.
- Oversee SOAR playbook development and integration with SIEM and incident handling processes.
- Ensure data activity monitoring via Database activity monitoring across databases and sensitive environments.
- Manage XDR for endpoint, server, and network telemetry visibility and threat detection.
- Ensure the effectiveness of File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) for policy and compliance alerts.
- Operate and monitor Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS) and respond to detected threats.
- Administer Active Directory Monitoring for identity and privilege‑related event tracking and audit trail reporting.
- 3. Incident Response & Threat Handling
- Coordinate triage, investigation, containment, and remediation of security incidents.
- Maintain and test incident response runbooks, including roles for key bank departments (Legal, HR, Compliance).
- Collaborate with threat intelligence platforms for proactive risk awareness and TTP mapping.
- 4. Compliance & Reporting
- Ensure compliance with SBP’s regulations and cyber incident reporting guidelines.
- Align SOC controls with ISO 27001 Annex A controls and PCI DSS requirements (e.g., logging, monitoring, IR).
- Maintain reporting dashboards, incident records, and threat metrics for senior management and regulators.
- 5. Threat Intelligence & Threat Hunting
- Integrate internal and external threat intel sources into SIEM and SOAR (e.g., Resecurity, IBM XForce).
- Lead proactive threat hunting exercises and simulate APT scenarios using MITRE ATT&CK mapping.
- Generate actionable threat briefings, IoCs, and TTP insights relevant to the financial sector in Pakistan.
- 6. Process Improvement & Automation
- Continually improve SOC workflows and automate repetitive tasks using IBM SOAR.
- Review and refine alert thresholds, correlation rules, and suppression logic to reduce false positives.
- Conduct lessons learned exercises post‑incident and apply insights to SOC maturity roadmap.
- 7. Team Development & Stakeholder Engagement
- Train and mentor SOC analysts on tools, response tactics, and regulatory understanding.
- Facilitate Red and Purple Teaming coordination with IS or third‑party partners.
- Engage with IT, Risk, and Audit teams for continuous improvement and stakeholder alignment.
Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s in Information Security, Computer Science or related.
- Certifications:
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) (Required)
- CISM/CISA/CISSP (Preferred)
- IBM QRadar / IBM SOAR Certified Specialist (Preferred)
- GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), CompTIA CySA+, or equivalent (Preferred)
- CSA (EC-Council), or Certified Threat Intelligence Analyst (CTIA) (Preferred)
- ISO 27001 Lead Implementer/Auditor and PCI DSS awareness is a plus
- 5–7 years of overall experience in cybersecurity.
- Minimum 3+ years in SOC operations or incident response leadership.
- Strong hands‑on experience with:
- SIEM, SOAR, Database Activity Monitoring
- XDR and FIM
- IDS/IPS platforms
- Active Directory Auditing or similar identity audit solutions
- Integration and management of threat intelligence feeds
Job Location
Head Office