At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and mentor a SOC team, manage incident response, and enhance cloud security.
- Company: Join a rapidly growing FinTech company focused on innovative cloud security solutions.
- Benefits: Enjoy a flexible, remote-first culture with opportunities for automation and growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in cybersecurity while shaping the future of fintech security operations.
- Qualifications: Experience in SOC leadership and securing GCP environments is essential.
- Other info: Ideal for those passionate about cloud-native security and compliance in a fast-paced environment.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 Β£ per year.
Rapidly growing FinTech company seeking an accomplished Cybersecurity Operations Manager to take full ownership of its cloud-first security operations function. This is a high-impact, hands-on leadership role with end-to-end responsibility for managing the Security Operations Centre (SOC), incident detection and response, threat intelligence, and cloud-native security engineering with a strong focus on Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Operating in a highly regulated, Real Time financial services environment, this role requires deep technical knowledge, operational maturity, and experience applying security best practices across a fast-moving cloud infrastructure.
What You'll Do
- SOC Leadership & Threat Detection
- Lead and mentor a team of SOC analysts and engineers, ensuring high-quality coverage across all GCP workloads.
- Establish and maintain 24/7 detection and response capabilities, fine-tuning alerting rules and monitoring strategies.
- Deploy and maintain detection rules using Chronicle SIEM, YARA, Sigma, and GCP-native logging tools.
- Define and maintain runbooks, incident playbooks, and escalation procedures.
- Incident Response & Threat Intelligence
- Own the full life cycle of security incidents from detection to remediation and post-incident review.
- Perform advanced threat hunting and root cause analysis across cloud workloads, Kubernetes clusters, APIs, and user activity.
- Integrate external threat intelligence feeds, aligning TTPs with the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
- Drive continuous improvement by conducting regular purple team exercises and scenario-based tabletop tests.
- Cloud Security Engineering
- Work hands-on with GCP security controls, including Security Command Center, VPC Service Controls, IAM (Identity & Access Management), Cloud Logging and Monitoring, Workload Identity Federation.
- Automate security response using Python, Terraform, or XSOAR.
- Collaborate with infrastructure and DevOps teams to embed security into CI/CD pipelines, containers (GKE), and API services.
- Compliance & Risk Alignment
- Ensure operational alignment with PCI-DSS, ISO 27001, SOC 2, NIST, and GDPR requirements.
- Support internal and external audits with relevant security evidence and reports.
- Work closely with GRC teams to implement controls and technical safeguards for ongoing compliance.
Who You Are
A cybersecurity professional who thrives in high-velocity, cloud-native, and heavily regulated environments. Youβre both a strategist and a practitioner: able to lead people and projects, while staying hands-on with modern tools and incident response workflows. You bring both technical acumen and operational discipline, with a deep understanding of GCP security and experience protecting high-value fintech applications.
Essential Qualifications
- Experience as SOC lead, cyber operations manager, or similar role.
- Hands-on experience in securing Google Cloud Platform (GCP) environments across multiple projects/accounts.
- Strong expertise in SIEM management (Chronicle, Splunk, Elastic), incident response and recovery, security orchestration (SOAR), preferably Chronicle + XSOAR, IAM, policy enforcement, logging, and access reviews in GCP.
- Proven experience working in FinTech or financial services, ideally under PCI-DSS, ISO 27001, or SOC 2.
- Strong scripting or automation experience (Python, Terraform, Bash).
- Knowledge of threat modelling and attack frameworks (MITRE ATT&CK, Kill Chain).
- Familiarity with Kubernetes (GKE), container security, API hardening.
Nice to Have
- Certifications such as Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer, CISSP, CISM, GCIH, or GCIA.
- Experience implementing Zero Trust Architecture in a cloud-native environment.
- Familiarity with OPA/Gatekeeper, Kubernetes Admission Controllers.
- Background in red teaming or adversary simulation (MITRE Caldera, Atomic Red Team).
- Experience working with BigQuery, Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tools, and Key Management Systems (KMS).
Why This Role?
Work directly with engineering, DevSecOps, and compliance leadership. Lead cybersecurity strategy and execution in a cloud-native, greenfield fintech platform. Influence architecture decisions at scale while keeping a hands-on role. Flexible, remote-first working culture with global talent. A chance to build a security function from the ground up, automate deeply, and scale securely.
Security Operations Manager employer: Barclay Simpson
Contact Detail:
Barclay Simpson Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice π€«
We think this is how you could land Security Operations Manager
β¨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) security features and tools. Since this role heavily focuses on GCP, having hands-on experience and understanding of its security controls will set you apart from other candidates.
β¨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the FinTech and cybersecurity sectors. Engaging with industry peers can provide insights into the latest trends and challenges, which can be beneficial during interviews and discussions about your experience.
β¨Tip Number 3
Stay updated on compliance standards relevant to the role, such as PCI-DSS and ISO 27001. Understanding these regulations will not only help you in the interview but also demonstrate your commitment to maintaining high security standards.
β¨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your experience with incident response and threat intelligence. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've handled security incidents and integrated threat intelligence into your operations, as this is a key aspect of the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Security Operations Manager
Some tips for your application π«‘
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in cybersecurity operations, particularly with Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Emphasise your leadership roles and any hands-on experience you have with SOC management and incident response.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for cybersecurity and your understanding of the fintech landscape. Mention specific projects or achievements that demonstrate your ability to lead teams and manage security operations effectively.
Showcase Technical Skills: Clearly outline your technical skills related to SIEM management, security orchestration, and cloud security engineering. Use bullet points to make this information easy to read and ensure it aligns with the job description.
Highlight Compliance Knowledge: Since the role requires knowledge of compliance frameworks like PCI-DSS and ISO 27001, be sure to mention any relevant experience you have in these areas. This will show that you understand the regulatory environment in which the company operates.
How to prepare for a job interview at Barclay Simpson
β¨Showcase Your Technical Expertise
Be prepared to discuss your hands-on experience with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) security controls. Highlight specific projects where you've implemented security measures, and be ready to explain the tools and techniques you used, such as SIEM management and incident response.
β¨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
As a Security Operations Manager, you'll need to lead a team. Share examples of how you've mentored or managed teams in the past, focusing on your approach to fostering collaboration and ensuring high-quality coverage across security operations.
β¨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills in real-world scenarios. Be ready to walk through your thought process during an incident response or threat detection situation, detailing how you would handle various challenges.
β¨Align with Compliance Standards
Familiarise yourself with relevant compliance frameworks like PCI-DSS, ISO 27001, and SOC 2. Be prepared to discuss how you've ensured operational alignment with these standards in previous roles, and how you would approach compliance in a fast-paced fintech environment.