Job description
Head of Cybersecurity & Resilience Operations
Are you ready to lead the charge in securing critical technology landscapes and driving operational resilience? This critical leadership role will be joining our client in Oxfordshire, where you will be responsible for shaping and delivering cybersecurity and resilience strategies, ensuring the organization remains robust against cyber threats and can effectively respond and recover from incidents.
The Head of Cybersecurity & Resilience Operations will oversee teams responsible for monitoring and securing the organization's technology and information environments. This includes ensuring perimeter and endpoint security, detecting and addressing threats, and managing identity and access controls. The successful candidate must have a proven track record in managing third-party suppliers to deliver critical cybersecurity services and outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy & Leadership
Attributes, Skills & Knowledge
Essential Attributes
This is a senior leadership role that requires both a strategic vision and the ability to deliver tangible security outcomes. Experience in managing third-party suppliers effectively is absolutely critical for this role. If you have the expertise and drive to enhance operational resilience and lead cybersecurity operations for a global organization, we’d love to hear from you.
Are you ready to lead the charge in securing critical technology landscapes and driving operational resilience? This critical leadership role will be joining our client in Oxfordshire, where you will be responsible for shaping and delivering cybersecurity and resilience strategies, ensuring the organization remains robust against cyber threats and can effectively respond and recover from incidents.
The Head of Cybersecurity & Resilience Operations will oversee teams responsible for monitoring and securing the organization's technology and information environments. This includes ensuring perimeter and endpoint security, detecting and addressing threats, and managing identity and access controls. The successful candidate must have a proven track record in managing third-party suppliers to deliver critical cybersecurity services and outcomes.
Strategy & Leadership
- Develop and implement an end-to-end cybersecurity and resilience operations strategy, covering threat detection, incident response, identity management, and operational resilience.
- Align security initiatives with business objectives and ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with third-party suppliers, ensuring effective collaboration and high performance in delivering cybersecurity and resilience services.
- Establish a third-party operating model that delivers value for money, benchmarked against industry standards.
- Implement and manage security solutions for threat prevention, detection, and response, ensuring 24x7 monitoring capabilities.
- Lead response efforts for significant cybersecurity threats and incidents.
- Monitor and analyze endpoint security alerts, identifying, containing, and remediating threats.
- Ensure compliance with relevant regulations, standards, and frameworks (e.g., ISO 27001, NIST, PCI DSS).
- Ensure third-party suppliers deliver robust cybersecurity and resilience operations, meeting agreed service levels and contractual obligations.
- Provide regular reports on cybersecurity posture to senior management.
- Implement and manage IAM policies, processes, and technologies to ensure appropriate access to resources.
- Enhance privileged access management controls and integrate IAM with business processes such as onboarding and role transitions.
- Collaborate with third-party providers of IAM solutions to ensure high availability and scalability of services.
- Drive continuous improvement in IAM systems and processes, ensuring compliance and operational excellence.
- Design and lead an incident response capability, including playbooks and escalation processes.
- Manage cybersecurity incidents from detection to recovery, minimizing business impact.
- Prepare clear, concise incident reports suitable for senior stakeholders.
- Collaborate with threat intelligence teams to remain proactive in addressing emerging risks.
- Ensure third-party suppliers play an effective role in incident response and recovery efforts, including clear escalation and reporting protocols.
- Develop a comprehensive testing strategy for penetration, vulnerability, secure coding, and IT disaster recovery.
- Coordinate with external vendors and consultants for effective testing execution and reporting.
- Ensure testing outcomes include actionable recommendations and oversee their implementation.
- Develop and enforce cybersecurity policies and standards, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and best practices.
- Conduct regular audits and evaluate effectiveness.
- Contribute to cybersecurity training and awareness programs, fostering a culture of security excellence.
- Promote continuous learning and improvement across the organization.
Essential Attributes
- Strategic thinker with excellent leadership and stakeholder management skills.
- High degree of integrity and credibility, with a proven track record of delivering results.
- Strong relationship-building skills with experience in managing third-party suppliers to deliver critical outcomes.
- Able to manage ambiguity, prioritize effectively, and maintain focus on long-term outcomes.
- Strong understanding of security technologies, including SIEM, IDS/IPS, EDR, and forensic tools.
- Expertise in industry frameworks (e.g., NIST CSF, ISO 27001).
- Proven ability to manage third-party suppliers and ensure value for money in service delivery.
- Ability to lead cross-functional teams in delivering security outcomes in a global environment.
- Familiarity with IAM technologies such as Microsoft Entra ID, Delinea Privilege Manager, and Active Directory.
- Strong commercial acumen and experience with cybersecurity transformation initiatives.
