Head of SOC - Financial Institution

Charterhouse Pte Ltd; Singapore; On-site; SGD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the financial sector is seeking a Head of SOC to establish and lead a critical security operations function. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in cybersecurity operations, particularly within financial institutions, and will be responsible for building a SOC from the ground up, driving threat readiness, and ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks.

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years experience in information security, with at least 7 years in hands-on cyber operations.
• Current SOC Managerial experience in a Financial Industry Firm.
• Experience building out SOC from zero is required.

Responsibilities

• Spearhead the design and deployment of a Security Operations Centre (SOC).
• Direct all frontline cyber operations including incident response and threat triage.
• Recruit and develop a multidisciplinary SOC team.

Skills

Cybersecurity

Incident Response

Threat Hunting

Regulatory Compliance

Team Leadership

Education

Degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering

Job description

Head of SOC - Financial Institution

Job Posting by Sheralynn Tjioe, Associate Director (Cyber Security and GRC) Recruitment at Charterhouse Asia

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Role Introduction

We are seeking an accomplished cybersecurity operations leader that is currently working in a Financial Industry Firm to establish and lead a mission-critical defensive capability within a highly regulated, transaction-heavy environment. This opportunity is ideal for a seasoned practitioner with deep roots in financial services and firsthand experience building and architecting a SOC function from the ground upboth strategically and operationally.

This role calls for someone who thrives in high-stakes environments, understands regulatory demands, and can drive maturity across people, process, and technology in a cyber defense context.

What You'll Be Responsible For

Establishing Operational Defense Capabilities

• Spearhead the design, development, and deployment of a fit-for-purpose Security Operations Centre (SOC)including operating models, technical architecture, analyst playbooks, and threat workflows.
• Set up detection logic, response protocols, and team coverage models to support uninterrupted, real-time monitoring and threat response.
• Align SOC buildout with risk priorities, business process flows, and evolving threat scenarios specific to the financial sector.

Driving Threat Readiness

• Direct all frontline cyber operationsevent triage, threat hunting, escalations, and containment actions.
• Regularly assess the effectiveness of deployed technologies (SIEM, SOAR, EDR, IDS/IPS) and fine-tune configurations to enhance coverage and reduce noise.
• Oversee integration of real-time threat intelligence and behavioral analytics to inform proactive defense strategies.

Responding with Authority

• Serve as incident commander during active threatsranging from phishing campaigns and insider misuse to malware infiltration and external compromise.
• Coordinate across technology, legal, compliance, and communications teams to manage the lifecycle of a breach: detection, containment, eradication, and recovery.
• Produce detailed post-incident analyses to extract operational lessons, refine policies, and strengthen system resilience.

Building High-Performance Teams

• Recruit and develop a multidisciplinary SOC teamfrom tier-1 triage to advanced incident responders.
• Create a structured training path that fosters technical depth, threat landscape awareness, and incident readiness.
• Lead with clarity, urgency, and empathyparticularly during high-pressure periods and post-incident response.

Embedding Compliance & Control Discipline

• Ensure all operational activities align with regulatory frameworks such as MAS TRM, PCI DSS, ISO/IEC 27001, and internal audit mandates.
• Partner with compliance, governance, and legal functions to track evolving security obligations and ensure operational traceability.
• Lead readiness efforts for audits, penetration testing, red teaming, and simulated incident exercises.

Your Profile

• A degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Current SOC Managerial experience in a Financial Industry Firm (such as banking, payments, fintech, or capital markets.)
• Experience building out SOC before - Prior experience designing or standing up a SOC from zero is required.
• Minimum 15 years experience in information security, with at least 7 years in hands-on cyber operations in a Financial Industry.
• Previous role(s) as a SOC analyst, incident handler, or threat responder is strongly preferred.
• Solid grasp of attacker methodologies (MITRE ATT&CK, TTPs), modern detection strategies, and forensic investigation practices.
• Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, GCIH, GSOM, SSCP, CASP+ will be viewed favorably.
• Enjoy working in a highly fast paced and regulated environment

Please contact Sheralynn Tjioe at [HIDDEN TEXT] for a confidential discussion.

EA License no: 16S8066 | Reg no.:R1878306

Only successful candidates will be notified.