Senior Director, Security Operations Center

CFA Institute is seeking a hands-on, outcomes-driven Senior Director to lead our global Security Operations Center (SOC). In this role, you will set the strategic vision for detection and response, build and mentor a high-performing global team, and ensure resilient, real-time defense of our systems, data, and infrastructure. If you thrive on leading from the front—rolling up your sleeves to solve complex incidents while coaching others to excellence—this is your opportunity to make a global impact at scale.

Please note: CFA Institute does not provide work authorization or visa sponsorship for this position (including student or temporary worker visas).

What You’ll Do

• Set the SOC strategy: Define and execute a multi-year roadmap aligned to business goals; measure and report outcomes.

• Lead a global team: Manage, mentor, and grow security analysts, engineers, and incident responders to deliver 24×7 capabilities.

• Own detection & response: Oversee continuous monitoring of networks, systems, and applications; triage, contain, eradicate, and recover from threats in real time.

• Mature incident readiness: Develop, maintain, and drill IR plans, playbooks, and runbooks; coordinate cross-functional war rooms.

• Elevate resilience: Drive threat hunting, digital forensics, and post-incident reviews to strengthen controls and reduce MTTD/MTTR.

• Assure compliance & risk management: Align practices to global regulations and frameworks; partner with stakeholders to assess risk and implement mitigations.

• Continuously improve: Lead vulnerability assessments and pen tests; track remediation to closure.

• Innovate the stack: Evaluate and adopt modern tooling, automation, and intelligence sources (e.g., MITRE ATT&CK–mapped detections) to stay ahead of adversaries.

• Executive communication: Translate technical risk into business terms and present clear updates to senior leadership and the board as needed.

What You’ll BringMinimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, computer science, information technology, or related field.

• 10–15+ years in cybersecurity operations with 5+ years leading SOC/IR teams.

• Proven expertise in SOC management, incident response, digital forensics, and enterprise monitoring.

• Demonstrated command of security frameworks and methodologies (e.g., NIST, MITRE ATT&CK).

• Excellent judgment under pressure with strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

• Inclusive people leader: coaches, mentors, and builds high-performing, diverse teams across time zones.

• Exceptional communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Willingness to operate as a hands-on leader.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CEH, or equivalent.

• Experience orchestrating complex, cross-functional incident responses and executive-level briefings.

• Background establishing SOC metrics, SLAs/SLOs, and reporting aligned to business risk.

• Track record implementing automation, threat intelligence fusion, and continuous improvement programs.

Why Join Us?

• Global mission & impact: Protect the integrity of a premier global organization that sets the standard for the investment profession.

• Build at scale: Lead and modernize a global SOC with executive sponsorship and the autonomy to innovate.

• People-first culture: Join a values-driven, learning-oriented organization that invests in your growth.

• Competitive rewards: Strong compensation, annual incentives eligibility, 12% employer retirement contribution, and comprehensive medical benefits.

At CFA Institute, we are committed to transparency and equity in our hiring process. In compliance with wage transparency laws in many of the jurisdictions in which we recruit, we provide the following information regarding compensation for this position:

Expected salary range: $190,000 – $230,000

Other benefits include eligibility for annual incentives, 12% retirement employer contribution, and competitive medical benefits.

All salary ranges are subject to adjustment based on experience, education, and other factors relevant to the position. CFA Institute is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals.

Important Message: Your application must clearly demonstrate how you meet the requirements as CFA Institute cannot make assumptions about your education, experience, or location. We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. CFA Institute prohibits both discrimination and harassment with regard to all identifying characteristics: any individual employee, group of employees, or prospective employee on the basis of race, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion, creed or belief, age, marital or partnership status, marital or family status, care giver status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, physical abilities/qualities, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, predisposing genetic characteristic, military or veteran status, status as a victim or witness of domestic violence or sex offense or stalking, unemployment status, infectious disease carrier status, migrant worker status, educational background, socio-economic status, geographic location and culture or any other basis protected by applicable law. This policy applies to all CFA Institute employees, regardless of location.

If, due to a disability or current medical condition, you need an accommodation or assistance to complete a job application, you can request one at any stage of the recruitment process. Please send an email to humanresources@cfainstitute.org noting the accommodations or assistance you are requesting. Please do not include any medical or health information in this email. We will review your request and contact you to discuss the possible options and arrangements. We will try our best to provide you with an accommodation or assistance that meets your needs and respects your preferences.

Our application is not compatible with Internet Explorer (IE). We recommend using Chrome.

#J-18808-Ljbffr