Director of Cyber Security

KAYAK; United States; Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work policy

Generous time off

Volunteer time off

Wellness programs

Employee ERGs

Career development

Job summary

Kayak is seeking a Director of Cybersecurity to lead a global team of security engineers and set the direction for security programs. The role partners with executives to align strategy with business priorities and to embed security across engineering and product teams.

The position focuses on threat detection, incident response, IAM, and cloud security in a hybrid work model, with office presence in Concord at least 3 days per week.

Qualifications

• Progressive cybersecurity leadership in a technology-driven environment.
• Experience building or maturing security programs with measurable metrics.
• Strong ability to communicate risk to executives and engineers.
• Hybrid work experience including coordination with office locations.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the cybersecurity strategy, roadmap, and operating model.
• Lead and grow a global security engineering team across multiple domains.
• Oversee threat detection, response, vulnerability management, and endpoint security.
• Embed security into software and product development with partner teams.
• Manage security vendor relationships and budget planning; support hiring and career growth.
• Champion use of AI and automation to optimize security operations.

Skills

Security leadership

Threat detection

Incident response

Vulnerability management

Identity and access management

Application security

Kubernetes

Linux

Networking

Education

Degree in a related field

Tools

Kubernetes

Linux

Firewalls

Networking

Job description

• We are looking for a Director of Cybersecurity to lead a global team of security engineers. This is a hands‑on leadership role for an experienced security practitioner who will set direction for our technical security programs, support the growth of their team, and work closely with engineering and infrastructure partners to keep our systems and people secure — balancing strong protection with the business’s need for agility and innovation
• Partner with the CISO and other senior teammates to define and execute the organization’s cyber security strategy, roadmap, and operating model, ensuring security initiatives are measurable, operationally actionable, and aligned with business priorities
• Lead, mentor, and support a global team of security engineers across multiple disciplines, including incident response, vulnerability management, identity and access management and application security
• Own the day-to-day operations of the security program — including threat detection and response, vulnerability management, and endpoint security — and ensure the team has the support and clarity needed to execute effectively
• Partner with engineering, infrastructure, and product teams to embed security into how we build and operate systems
• Manage vendor relationships and contribute to budget planning for security tooling and services
• Support the hiring, onboarding, and career development of your team members, fostering a culture of learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Explore and champion the use of AI and automation to improve how the team operates — this is an active area of investment for us
• Evaluate emerging threats and technologies, including the security implications of artificial intelligence and other new capabilities

Benefits

• Work flexibly: Our global flexible work policy lets our teams decide if they head into one of our offices or work from anywhere else
• Team-wide time off: Most of our team disconnects at the same time each year to recharge and reconnect
• Global volunteer week: Take VTO (Volunteer Time Off) to support the organizations and charitable efforts you believe in
• Wellness: We take care of each other - providing opportunities and spaces to live that work‑life balance
• Resource groups: Our five ERGs are employee‑led groups for underrepresented communities and their allies
• Career growth: We provide opportunities for our team to develop their skills – or learn new ones – on their own terms

Demonstrated success building or maturing security programs in a complex, technology‑driven environment10 or more years of progressive experience in cybersecurity or a closely related field, including significant people‑leadership experienceExperience developing meaningful security metrics and reporting progress to senior leadershipStrong technical skills in endpoint and server operating systems (especially Linux), computer networking, firewalls, and KubernetesThe capacity to thrive in a hybrid working model, including the ability to attend the Concord office at least 3 days a weekStrong experience across multiple security domains — such as security operations, incident response, vulnerability management, IAM, cloud security, application security, or security architectureExcellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical risk clearly to executives, engineers, and business partnersCuriosity about emerging technologies, including how AI and automation can improve security operationsA degree in a relevant field is welcome; equivalent experience, training, or transferable skills are equally valuedGeneral understanding of security and compliance frameworks (NIST CSF, CIS, SOC 2, PCI‑DSS)