Associate Director, Application Security

S&P Global; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

S&P Global is seeking a senior leader for the Application Security team to drive enterprise-wide transformation, modernize secure SDLC, and advance AI-powered security initiatives. You will guide a global team, partner with technology and business leaders, and set governance standards across platforms, tools, and vendors.

The role emphasizes executive communication, strategic thinking, and a hands-on approach to reducing risk while enabling enterprise growth in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership of enterprise Application Security, DevSecOps, or Product Security programs in complex environments with proven ability to drive transformation.
• Deep knowledge of application testing methodologies, threat modeling, secure architecture, CI/CD security, cloud-native security, and software supply chain risk management.
• Experience defining enterprise standards, operating models, remediation governance, and KPI/KRI metrics.
• Strong stakeholder management and executive communication skills with ability to translate risk into business impact.
• Experience leading teams, mentoring professionals, managing vendor relationships, and driving cross-functional initiatives globally.
• Executive-level communication and strategic decision making capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead execution of the enterprise Application Security strategy and roadmap across global engineering teams.
• Oversee testing capabilities (SAST, SCA, DAST, API security) and governance frameworks.
• Drive adoption of AppSec platforms and provide executive-ready reports on coverage and remediation trends.
• Lead software supply chain security initiatives and incident response for zero-day exposures.
• Build and mentor a high-performing global team and manage strategic vendor relationships.
• Provide leadership in AI-enabled security governance and responsible AI tool adoption.

Skills

Enterprise AppSec leadership

DevSecOps leadership

Executive communication

Strategic thinking

Global team leadership

Tools

SAST

SCA

DAST

API security

Threat modeling

Penetration testing

Job description

The Team

The SGA Application Security team operates as a strategic security partner, combining Application Security, DevSecOps, Exposure Management, and AI Security capabilities to proactively reduce risk while enabling enterprise innovation. Our collaborative, fast-paced culture emphasizes automation-first approaches, developer partnership, and continuous learning in emerging technologies. As a senior leader, you'll drive enterprise-wide security transformation initiatives, guide AI-powered security innovations, and lead a global team focused on solving complex challenges that impact business growth and cyber resilience.

About The Role

Grade Level (for internal use): 12

The Team

The SGA Application Security team operates as a strategic security partner, combining Application Security, DevSecOps, Exposure Management, and AI Security capabilities to proactively reduce risk while enabling enterprise innovation. Our collaborative, fast-paced culture emphasizes automation-first approaches, developer partnership, and continuous learning in emerging technologies. As a senior leader, you'll drive enterprise-wide security transformation initiatives, guide AI-powered security innovations, and lead a global team focused on solving complex challenges that impact business growth and cyber resilience.

Responsibilities And Impact

• Lead execution of the enterprise Application Security strategy and roadmap, driving secure SDLC transformation, platform maturity, and measurable risk reduction across global engineering teams
• Own and oversee comprehensive application security testing capabilities including SAST, SCA, DAST, API security, threat modeling, and penetration testing while establishing enterprise standards and governance frameworks
• Drive strategic adoption and operational effectiveness of enterprise AppSec and ASPM platforms, providing executive-ready reporting on coverage, vulnerability trends, and remediation performance
• Lead software supply chain security initiatives covering dependency governance, artifact curation, provenance validation, and trusted build practices while managing incident response for zero-day exposures
• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing global team while managing strategic vendor relationships and driving cross-functional transformation with technology, product, and business leaders
• Provide leadership in adopting generative AI and agentic technologies within Application Security, establishing governance for custom AI-enabled tools, agents, and automations while ensuring appropriate security and oversight

What We're Looking For

Basic Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership of enterprise Application Security, DevSecOps, or Product Security programs in complex environments with proven track record of driving transformation
• Deep knowledge of application testing methodologies, threat modeling, secure architecture, CI/CD security, cloud-native security, and software supply chain risk management
• Experience defining enterprise standards, operating models, remediation governance, exception processes, and establishing measurable KPIs and KRIs
• Strong stakeholder management and executive communication skills with ability to translate technical risk into business impact and strategic decisions
• Experience leading teams, mentoring technical professionals, managing vendor relationships, and driving cross-functional initiatives across global organizations
• Executive-level communication and presentation capabilities
• Strategic thinking with ability to balance technical depth and business priorities
• Strong leadership and team development skills with global mindset
• Proven ability to influence and drive change across complex organizational structures

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated knowledge of generative AI, large language models, AI-assisted software development, and practical application of AI technologies to cybersecurity and DevSecOps use cases
• Strong understanding of Model Context Protocol (MCP), AI agents, agentic architectures, tool calling, retrieval-augmented generation, AI security risks, and governance frameworks for AI integration
• Experience with multi-cloud security architectures and controls across platforms such as AWS, Azure, and GCP with understanding of cloud-native delivery environments
• Proven track record in vendor management, contract negotiation, platform roadmap development, and strategic technology partnerships in enterprise security environments

Compensation/Benefits Information

(This section is only applicable to US candidates) S&P Global states that the anticipated base salary range for this position is $130,000 to $160,000. Final base salary for this role will be based on the individual’s geographic location, as well as experience level, skill set, training, licenses and certifications.

What's In It For You?

Our Mission

Advancing Essential Intelligence.

Our People

We're more than 35,000 strong worldwide - so we're able to understand nuances while having a broad perspective. Our team is driven by curiosity and a shared belief that Essential Intelligence can help build a more prosperous future for us all.From finding new ways to measure sustainability to analyzing energy transition across the supply chain to building workflow solutions that make it easy to tap into insight and apply it. We are changing the way people see things and empowering them to make an impact on the world we live in. We're committed to a more equitable future and to helping our customers find new, sustainable ways of doing business. Join us and help create the critical insights that truly make a difference.

Our Values

Integrity, Discovery, Partnership

Throughout our history, the world's leading organizations have relied on us for the Essential Intelligence they need to make confident decisions about the road ahead. We start with a foundation of integrity in all we do, bring a spirit of discovery to our work, and collaborate in close partnership with each other and our customers to achieve shared goals.

Benefits

Our Benefits Include

• Health & Wellness: Health care coverage designed for the mind and body.
• Flexible Downtime: Generous time off helps keep you energized for your time on.
• Continuous Learning: Access a wealth of resources to grow your career and learn valuable new skills.
• Invest in Your Future: Secure your financial future through competitive pay, retirement planning, a continuing education program with a company-matched student loan contribution, and financial wellness programs.
• Family Friendly Perks: It's not just about you. S&P Global has perks for your partners and little ones, too, with some best-in-class benefits for families.
• Beyond the Basics: From retail discounts to referral incentive awards - small perks can make a big difference.

For more information on benefits by country visit: https://spgbenefits.com/benefit-summaries

Global Hiring And Opportunity At S&P Global

At S&P Global, we are committed to fostering a connected and engaged workplace where all individuals have access to opportunities based on their skills, experience, and contributions. Our hiring practices emphasize fairness, transparency, and merit, ensuring that we attract and retain top talent. By valuing different perspectives and promoting a culture of respect and collaboration, we drive innovation and power global markets.

Equal Opportunity Employer

S&P Global is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, marital status, military veteran status, unemployment status, or any other status protected by law. Only electronic job submissions will be considered for employment.

If you need an accommodation during the application process due to a disability, please send an email to: [e-mail] and your request will be forwarded to the appropriate person.

US Candidates Only: Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal

20 - Professional (EEO-2 Job Categories-United States of America), IFTECH202.2 - Middle Professional Tier II (EEO Job Group)

Location

Dallas, Texas, United States