Security Engineering Lead

Hello! We’re Teya. Teya is a payment and software service provider, headquartered in London serving small, local businesses across Europe. Founded in 2019, we build easy to use, integrated tools that enable our members to accept payments and boost business performance. At Teya we believe small, local businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. We’re here because we don’t believe there’s a level playing field that gives small businesses with a fighting chance against the giants of the high street. We’re here because we see banks and legacy service providers making things harder for them. We don’t think the best technology or the best service should be reserved for those with the biggest headquarters. We’re here to fight for a future where small, local businesses can thrive, and to commit the same dedication they offer all of us. Become a part of our story. We’re looking for exceptional talent to join our mission. We offer a chance to create impact in a high-energy and connected culture, while benefiting from continuous learning opportunities, a supportive community which is proud to serve our mission, and comprehensive benefits.

Your Mission

Teya is seeking a Security Engineering Lead to partner closely with engineering teams in a high-velocity fintech environment. You will bring structure, consistency, and scale to security engineering practices while enabling rapid product delivery. This role reports to the Director of Information Security and is responsible for building and leading a security engineering team, embedding security into the software delivery lifecycle, and establishing security as a pragmatic business enabler—not a blocker. This role suits a leader who has built security capabilities in fast-moving environments, can operate amid ambiguity, and can create leverage through automation, standards, and trust. The team currently consists of 4 security engineers (including 2 Principals) with expectations to scale over 2026.

Responsibilities

• Build & Scale Secure SDLC: Design and implement a pragmatic Secure SDLC suitable for a high-velocity fintech. Introduce structure, consistency, and standards across product teams without slowing delivery. Incrementally raise the security baseline through automation and guardrails.
• DevSecOps & Platform Enablement: Partner with Platform and Developer teams to integrate security into CI/CD pipelines. Establish baseline controls for application security, dependency management, secrets, containers, and infrastructure-as-code. Prioritise fast feedback and developer experience over heavyweight controls.
• Engineering Partnership: Build trust with engineering leaders and senior engineers in an environment where speed matters. Influence decisions through credibility and collaboration rather than mandates. Balance risk reduction with commercial and delivery realities.
• Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and grow a security engineering team across DevSecOps, AppSec, and Cloud Security. Set direction in an environment where not everything is defined yet. Hire engineers who are comfortable with ambiguity and high change velocity.
• Cloud, Application & Infrastructure Security: Provide security architecture oversight and review ensuring alignment with agreed security principles and risk appetite. Define and validate application, container (Kubernetes/Docker), and infrastructure-as-code security standards, supporting engineering teams in their adoption. Guide risk-based decision‑making, focusing security effort where it delivers the highest impact while enabling delivery velocity.
• Automation, AI & Leverage: Use automation and AI‑first approaches to scale security in a lean team. Replace manual processes with repeatable, self‑service patterns wherever possible. Measure success through impact, not activity.

Requirements

• 8+ years in security engineering, including 3+ years in leadership roles.
• Experience building Secure SDLC and DevSecOps capabilities in fast-moving environments.
• Strong, hands‑on AWS security and cloud‑native architecture expertise.
• Proven ability to integrate security into CI/CD pipelines under delivery pressure.
• Practical experience with application security, container/Kubernetes security, and IaC security.
• Background in regulated industries (fintech, payments, financial services, or similar).

How We Work at Teya (Leadership Principles)

• Extreme Ownership: Take full responsibility for outcomes, not just tasks.
• Measure Yourself Based on Impact, Not Effort: Focus on the results and value delivered, rather than the amount of work put in.
• Respond to Change Over Following a Plan: Be adaptable and ready to pivot as circumstances evolve.
• Prefer Simplicity over Perfection: Aim for clear, simple solutions rather than over-engineering.
• AI First: Leverage AI and automation as a default approach where possible.
• Radical Transparency and Communication: Share information openly and communicate clearly.
• Take Ownership of Your Growth: Proactively seek learning and development opportunities.
• Prioritise with Judgment: Make thoughtful decisions about what matters most.
• Continuous Growth: Build your own capability and that of your team.
• Positive Culture: Create an environment where teams enjoy working and learning.

What Makes This Role Unique

• A genuine build‑and‑scale opportunity in a fast‑growing fintech.
• High autonomy and ownership in shaping security engineering direction.
• Direct influence on how security enables product velocity.
• Close partnership with engineering leadership in an environment that values pragmatism over dogma.

The Perks

• We trust you, so we offer flexible working hours, as long it suits both you and your team.
• Physical and mental health support through our partnership with GymPass giving free access to over 1,500 gyms in the UK, 1-1 therapy, meditation sessions, digital fitness and nutrition apps.
• Our company offers extended and improved maternity and paternity leave choices, giving employees more flexibility and support.
• Cycle-to-Work Scheme.
• Health and Life Insurance.
• Pension Scheme.
• 25 days of Annual Leave (+ Bank Holidays).
• Office snacks every day.
• Friendly, comfortable and informal office environment in Central London.

Teya is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or background can thrive and do their best work. We believe that a diverse team leads to better ideas, stronger outcomes, and a more supportive workplace for all. If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process whether for interviews, assessments, or other parts of the application—we encourage you to let us know. We are committed to ensuring that every candidate has a fair and accessible experience with us.