Head of Security in London

Holland & Barrett is a 200-year-old startup that has undergone a radical digital transformation. Our technology landscape is a complex, hybrid ecosystem spanning modern cloud platforms, corporate IT systems, and a vast network of operational technology (OT) across our retail stores and factories. We are seeking a visionary and strategic Head of Security to lead our entire technical security function, protecting our business from code to customer.

The Ambition

Our goal is to build and mature a holistic, intelligence-driven security program that provides unified protection across our diverse technology estate. This means securing our primary cloud platform on AWS and a smaller footprint in Azure, embedding security into our application development lifecycle, and hardening our corporate IT infrastructure. It also involves extending robust security controls to our unique operational technology, including in-house and modern tills, handheld devices, and other systems that power our stores and factories. We aim to create a resilient and agile security posture that enables innovation while defending against sophisticated threats.

The Role

As the Head of Security, you will be the senior leader responsible for the vision, strategy, and execution of our entire security engineering and operations program. You will lead a multi-disciplinary organisation encompassing Security Engineering, Application Security, Cloud Security, and IT/OT Security. This is a pivotal leadership role that requires a deep understanding of both modern cloud-native security and the unique challenges of securing physical retail and operational environments. You will be the principal architect of our defence-in-depth strategy, responsible for protecting all digital and technical assets of the company.

What You'll Do

• Define and execute a comprehensive security strategy and roadmap that addresses the full spectrum of our technological risks.
• Lead, mentor, and scale our security teams, fostering a culture of engineering excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Provide strategic oversight for our cloud security program, ensuring the secure configuration and operation of our AWS and Azure environments.
• Champion our application security program, maturing our secure software development lifecycle (SDLC) from threat modeling to secure deployment.
• Develop and implement a robust security framework for our IT and OT environments, creating a unified approach to securing everything from corporate networks to in-store handheld devices and tills.
• Partner with executive leadership, technology peers, and business stakeholders to ensure security is a key consideration in all strategic initiatives.

What You'll Bring

• Extensive experience in a senior security leadership role (e.g., Head of Security, Director of Security Engineering) with a proven track record of building and leading high-performing, multi-disciplinary security teams.
• Broad and deep expertise across multiple security domains, including Security Engineering, Application Security, Cloud Security, and IT Security.
• Specific experience developing and implementing security strategies for both major cloud platforms (AWS strongly preferred, Azure is a plus) and physical/operational environments (retail, IoT, or OT).
• Demonstrable experience securing a complex, hybrid environment that includes both modern, cloud-native applications and legacy or in-house systems.
• Strong strategic planning capabilities, with the ability to create and execute a long-term security roadmap that aligns with business objectives.
• Exceptional leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence and build consensus at all levels of the organization, from engineers to the executive board.
• A pragmatic and business-oriented approach to security, with a focus on enabling the business while managing risk effectively.

Why Holland & Barrett?

This is a unique opportunity to lead the entire technical security function for a globally recognized brand with a uniquely complex and challenging technology footprint. You will have the autonomy to shape the future of security at Holland & Barrett, with the resources and executive support to build a best-in-class program. We offer a competitive salary, a comprehensive benefits package, and a flexible working environment. If you are a strategic and transformational security leader excited by the challenge of protecting a diverse, hybrid enterprise, we would love to hear from you.