Senior Information Security Engineer

Kontak Recruitment; Midrand; On-site; ZAR 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent financial services organization in Midrand is seeking a skilled Senior Information Security Engineer. The candidate will design security architectures across hybrid applications and lead operations initiatives. Applicants should hold a relevant degree and senior security certifications, with a minimum of seven years’ experience in cybersecurity. This position involves mentoring junior engineers and requires expertise in security best practices and compliance standards. Competitive salary and permanent employment offer with opportunities for professional growth.

Qualifications

• 7+ years’ experience in cybersecurity or security engineering roles.
• At least 3 years’ experience in a senior or lead security role.
• Expert-level knowledge of SIEM, EDR, firewalls, and vulnerability management platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of security controls.
• Define security architecture standards.
• Oversee security operations tools, including SIEM and EDR.

Skills

Cybersecurity knowledge

Security architecture

Incident response

Mentoring skills

Education

Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in IT or Computer Science

Senior-level security certification (CISSP or CISM)

Tools

SIEM

EDR

Firewalls

DLP

PowerShell

Python

Job description

Overview

Senior Information Security Engineer (JB5835)

Location: Midrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng

Salary: R1 200 000 per annum

Employment Type: Permanent

Our client is an established, South Africa–based financial services organisation operating within a regulated, enterprise-scale environment. The business offers investment, insurance, and wealth-related services, supporting a large national client base through secure, high-availability digital platforms. Technology is central to the organisation’s operations, with IT teams responsible for maintaining and enhancing business-critical systems, data integrity, and information security. The environment is stable, professionally managed, and suited to experienced IT professionals who value structure, accountability, and working on systems with long-term operational impact rather than short-term or experimental projects.

The role is responsible for designing, implementing, and optimising advanced security architectures across hybrid infrastructure, applications, and cloud platforms. The position also plays a key role in security operations leadership, incident response, vulnerability management, compliance, and executive-level reporting.

The ideal candidate is a senior-level security engineer with extensive experience in enterprise information security environments. They have strong technical depth across security architecture, operations, and incident response, and are capable of operating as a technical authority within a regulated financial services context. The role suits someone who can mentor junior engineers, engage with senior stakeholders, and contribute to the organisation’s overall security strategy.

Minimum Requirements

• Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in IT, Computer Science, or a related field
• Senior-level security certification, such as CISSP or CISM, or equivalent
• Microsoft security certifications, including Cybersecurity Architect Expert or SC-series certifications
• 7+ years’ experience in cybersecurity or security engineering roles
• At least 3 years’ experience in a senior or lead security role
• Expert-level knowledge of SIEM, EDR, firewalls, DLP, and vulnerability management platforms
• Hands-on experience configuring enterprise firewalls and Web Application Firewall solutions
• Strong experience in identity governance, privileged access management, and zero-trust architecture
• Advanced understanding of cloud security, specifically Azure and Microsoft 365
• Scripting and automation experience using PowerShell and/or Python
• Experience designing and implementing information security awareness programmes

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of security controls across on-premises, cloud, and SaaS environments.
• Define security architecture standards and review new technology integrations for compliance.
• Champion secure development lifecycle practices and perform application security assessments.
• Configure, manage, and report on enterprise firewall and Web Application Firewall solutions.
• Oversee and optimise security operations tools, including SIEM, EDR, DLP, and vulnerability management platforms.
• Develop operational playbooks and mentor junior security engineers.
• Collaborate with outsourced SOC teams, including SLA and performance management.
• Lead major security incidents, forensic investigations, and root cause analysis.
• Act as an escalation point for critical security events and coordinate cross-functional response.
• Define vulnerability and patch management strategies and report on remediation progress.
• Architect and enforce identity and access management using Microsoft Entra ID.
• Develop and deliver information security awareness initiatives across the organisation.
• Ensure alignment with ISO 27001, NIST CSF, CIS benchmarks, and regulatory requirements, including POPIA, GDPR, and FSCA.
• Deliver security metrics, dashboards, and executive-level reports to leadership.

Please do not apply using scanned CVs; no supporting documentation is required at this point. This will be requested later.

Disclaimer

Kontak Recruitment Disclaimer:

Equal opportunity: All backgrounds are welcome, with no bias. All are considered based on requirements.

Job specifics: Requirements mirror advertisement, duties may adjust for client needs.

Fair process: Fair assessment, only shortlisted candidates contacted due to volume.

Privacy: Data processed as per Privacy Policy. By applying, you agree to data handling. We safeguard applicant info.

Candidate verification: Candidates selected by the client are verified. False info may disqualify or end employment with the client.

Offer clarity: The Advert is not a binding offer. Written offers based on pre-employment conditions.

No direct link: Advert is not tied to Kontak Recruitment. We assist in the employment process ONLY.

Applicant Responsibility: Upon applying, confirmation of receipt for a specific advert is given. If no confirmation is received, you must verify with Kontak Recruitment.