Head Of Product Security

M-Kopa; Remote; ZAR 500 000 - 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial technology firm is seeking a motivated individual to lead their Application Security and Threat Intelligence teams. This role requires experience in vulnerability research, penetration testing, and the ability to mentor security professionals. The ideal candidate will drive comprehensive security strategies across diverse teams and ensure the protection of the platform that serves millions of customers. This is a fully remote position within designated time zones, offering professional and career growth opportunities.

Benefits

Professional development programs

Family-friendly policies

Well-being support

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in product/application security.
• Proven expertise in vulnerability research, penetration testing, and security architecture.
• Experience leading and scaling security teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead Application Security and Threat Intelligence teams.
• Build and scale specialised security capabilities.
• Mentor talented security professionals.
• Drive comprehensive security strategies.

Skills

Leadership

Offensive security

Threat intelligence

Vulnerability research

Penetration testing

Tools

n8n

Job description

M-KOPA Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa Lead our Application Security and Threat Intelligence teams while driving comprehensive security strategies that protect M-KOPA's platform and enable secure product development at scale.

Impact Your leadership will directly protect the platform that serves over 7 million customers who have accessed more than $2 billion in credit.

M-KOPA has transformed lives across an entire continent – now we need you to secure the systems and products that make that transformation possible.

Opportunity Mission-driven security : Protect the platform enabling financial inclusion for millions of Everyday Earners across Africa.

Global recognition: Join a company named by TIME and by the Financial Times as Africa's fastest-growing for four consecutive years ).

Scale challenges: Lead security for a platform processing over 1.5 million payments daily across five markets.

Environmental impact: We are carbon-negative, having displaced over 2.1 million tonnes of emissions.

What You'll Do

At M-KOPA, you'll lead both Application Security and Threat Intelligence teams while driving comprehensive strategies that align with business objectives.

Our teams own solutions end-to-end—from threat modelling and vulnerability research to production monitoring and incident response.

Team Leadership

Lead Application Security and Threat Intelligence teams.

Build and scale specialised security capabilities.

Mentor talented security professionals.

Technical Focus

Offensive security, including hardware hacking and Android exploitation.

Threat intelligence collection and automation.

Vulnerability research and penetration testing.

Security workflow automation using platforms like n8n.

Strategic Responsibilities

Threat modelling and risk assessments.

Red team exercise coordination.

Executive partnership and security-to-business translation.

Our Security Approach

Proactive defence: Combining offensive research with threat intelligence to stay ahead of emerging risks.

Automation-first: Building automated security workflows and threat intelligence systems for scale.

Business enablement: Translating security requirements into business value and growth opportunities.

Technical excellence: Hands‑on leadership that maintains deep expertise in vulnerability research and exploitation.

Cross‑functional influence: Partnering across product, engineering, and executive teams to embed security throughout the organisation.

What You Need

Exceptional leadership and technical depth to shape security at the intersection of offensive security, threat intelligence, and product development.

Required Experience

Hands‑on experience in product/application security with proven expertise in vulnerability research, penetration testing, and security architecture.

Experience leading and scaling security teams, building high‑performing Application Security and Threat Intelligence functions.

Proven track record building threat intelligence programmes including automation platforms like n8n, and hands‑on experience with Android security and hardware hacking.

Location & Benefits

Fully remote role within UTC -1 to UTC time zones.

Work with diverse teams across the UK, Europe, and Africa.

Professional development programmes and coaching partnerships.

Family‑friendly policies and flexible working arrangements.

Well‑being support and career growth opportunities.

Executive visibility and strategic influence across the organisation.

Our Mission

We create financial inclusion for the traditionally excluded through a fair, flexible, customer‑centric financing model.

We strive to drive greater inclusion of women, youth, and low‑income communities.

Our Impact

Connected: 2.5 million first‑time mobile internet users connected.

Prosperous: 70 % of customers use M-KOPA products for income generation, with 35,+ livelihoods created for agents.

Green: million tonnes of CO2 avoided through clean energy products, with over , circular economy products provided.

Why M-KOPA?

We empower our people to own their careers through diverse development programs, coaching partnerships, and on‑the‑job training.

We support individual journeys with family‑friendly policies, prioritise well‑being, and embrace flexibility.

Explore more at .

Equal Opportunity and Employment Practices

M-KOPA is an equal‑opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained staff.

Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

M-KOPA explicitly prohibits the use of forced or child labour and respects the rights of its employees to agree to terms and conditions of employment voluntarily, without coercion, and freely terminate their employment on appropriate notice.

M-KOPA shall ensure that its employees are of legal working age and shall comply with local laws for youth employment or student work, such as internships or apprenticeships.

M-KOPA does not collect or charge any money as a pre‑employment or post‑employment requirement.

We never ask for recruitment, processing, or interview fees.

Applications for this position will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Shortlisting and interviews will take place at any stage of the recruitment process.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a suitable candidate is selected before the advertised closing date.

If your application is successful, M-KOPA undertakes pre‑employment background checks as part of its recruitment process, including criminal records, identification verification, academic qualifications, employment dates, and employer references.