Lead Security Operations Engineer

Placements24; Cape Town; Presencial; ZAR 1.600.000 - 2.000.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Executive-level health, vision, and..(

Dental insurance

Generous annual leave

Performance-based bonuses

Leadership development programs

Conferences and training

Descripción de la vacante

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Lead Security Operations Engineer to spearhead the SOC in Cape Town. You will lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team, driving detection, analysis, and incident response across a complex digital landscape.

The role requires extensive experience with SIEM/SOAR/EDR tooling, cloud security, and strong leadership. You will collaborate with IT and business units to enhance resilience and report SOC performance to senior management.

Formación

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or related field; master's preferred.
• 8+ years in security operations, with at least 3 years in lead/management.
• Experience with SIEM, SOAR, and EDR tooling; strong cloud security knowledge.
• Excellent leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• CISSP, CISM, GIAC (GCIH, GCIA) certifications preferred.

Responsabilidades

• Lead and manage the Security Operations Center (SOC) team, providing guidance and mentorship.
• Develop and implement strategic initiatives for threat detection, analysis, and incident response.
• Oversee the deployment, configuration, and maintenance of security monitoring tools, including SIEM, SOAR, and EDR solutions.
• Define and refine SIEM rules and use cases to enhance threat detection capabilities.
• Manage the incident response lifecycle, ensuring timely and effective resolution of security events.
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with other IT and business units to facilitate coordinated security efforts.
• Develop and deliver regular reports on security incidents, trends, and SOC performance to senior management.
• Conduct regular threat hunting exercises to proactively identify and mitigate potential security risks.
• Ensure the team stays current with the latest cyber threats, attack vectors, and defensive technologies.

Conocimientos

Security leadership

Incident response leadership

Threat hunting

Stakeholder management

Educación

Bachelor's degree in CS/InfoSec

Master's degree preferred

Herramientas

Splunk

QRadar

ELK Stack

SOAR

EDR

Descripción del empleo

About the Role Our client is seeking an experienced and visionary Lead Security Operations Engineer to spearhead their security operations center (SOC) in Cape Town, Western Cape. This is a critical leadership position responsible for overseeing the detection, analysis, and response to security incidents across the organization's vast digital landscape. The successful candidate will be instrumental in building and mentoring a high-performing security operations team, driving the adoption of advanced threat detection technologies, and ensuring the continuous improvement of security protocols. You will have the opportunity to shape the future of security operations for a prominent company in Cape Town, contributing directly to its resilience against sophisticated cyber threats. This role demands a blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and strong leadership qualities, making it an exciting challenge for seasoned security professionals looking to make a lasting impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Security Operations Center (SOC) team, providing guidance and mentorship.
• Develop and implement strategic initiatives for threat detection, analysis, and incident response.
• Oversee the deployment, configuration, and maintenance of security monitoring tools, including SIEM, SOAR, and EDR solutions.
• Define and refine Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) rules and use cases to enhance threat detection capabilities.
• Manage the incident response lifecycle, ensuring timely and effective resolution of security events.
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with other IT and business units to facilitate coordinated security efforts.
• Develop and deliver regular reports on security incidents, trends, and SOC performance to senior management.
• Conduct regular threat hunting exercises to proactively identify and mitigate potential security risks.
• Ensure the team stays current with the latest cyber threats, attack vectors, and defensive technologies.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related discipline. Master's degree preferred.
• Over 8 years of progressive experience in security operations, with at least 3 years in a lead or management capacity.
• Extensive experience with SIEM platforms (e.g., Splunk, QRadar, ELK Stack), SOAR tools, and EDR solutions.
• Deep understanding of network protocols, operating systems, and common attack methodologies.
• Proven experience in leading and managing incident response activities for complex security incidents.
• Strong knowledge of cloud security principles (AWS, Azure, GCP) is highly beneficial.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, GIAC certifications (GCIH, GCIA) are strongly preferred.
• Experience working within the Western Cape region or with businesses operating in similar environments.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary package commensurate with experience.
• Executive-level health, vision, and dental insurance plans.
• Generous annual leave allowance.
• Performance-based bonuses and incentives.
• Significant opportunities for career advancement and leadership development.
• Access to advanced training programs and industry conferences.
• Dynamic and challenging work environment in Cape Town.
• Retirement savings plan.