At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead incident response and ensure operational resilience across our innovative banking infrastructure.
- Company: Join Viva.com, Europe's first Tech Bank revolutionising omnichannel payments.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, annual bonuses, private health insurance, and top-notch tools.
- Other info: Dynamic team culture with career development and wellness programs.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a future-forward environment with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: 10+ years experience in incident response, strong technical skills, and excellent communication.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 120000 £ per year.
Viva.com, the 1st Tech Bank in Europe for Businesses, revolutionises omnichannel payments acceptance, offers card issuing, loans and deposit accounts. Viva.com is the first to pioneer and holds the top position in the Tap on Any Device technology, enabling payments acceptance on any device or even without a device. Today Viva.com is leading the transition to All-in-One business solutions, powered by its full suite of financial services. To that end, reflecting its holistic approach to business needs, Viva.com has built a dynamic ecosystem featuring over 450 tech partner-innovators in the software and hardware space. Connecting directly to all local payment schemes, alternative payment methods and payment systems across the continent further strengthens Viva.com’s value proposition. Viva.com envisions to provide businesses a value-driven platform to accelerate the adoption of the latest technology.
The Role
You will lead our Incident Response function. The team that detects, contains, eradicates, and learns from security and operational incidents across our banking, payments, and acquiring infrastructure. You will own our DORA major ICT incident posture end to end, run the IR programme across our European footprint, and be the operational voice in the room when something goes wrong. This is not a paper role. You will be hands on enough to read a SIEM alert, technically deep enough to earn the trust of senior engineers, and senior enough to set strategy with the executive team and the board.
Key Responsibilities
- Run and continuously evolve our IR programme. Playbooks, escalation paths, on call rotations, retainer relationships with external DFIR partners, and a real tabletop cadence;
- Own DORA major ICT incident classification and reporting, including direct communication with competent authorities across our European footprint;
- Lead the Site Reliability Engineering function. Service reliability targets, error budgets, observability, and production health across our European stack;
- Own the bug management lifecycle across production. Triage, prioritization, accountability, and closure in lockstep with engineering;
- Run real time anti fraud alerts monitoring as a frontline operational capability, in close coordination with the Anti Financial Crime team;
- Integrate AI sensibly. Deploy agentic triage, evidence summarization, and detection engineering automation with clear human in the loop guardrails;
- Defend against AI era threats. Prompt injection, agentic and MCP tool abuse, model data leakage, deepfake driven social engineering against Customer Care, supply chain attacks on AI dependencies;
- Partner closely with Anti Financial Crime, Engineering and Customer Care. Act real time on containment and service availability;
- Run post mortems that actually change the system, not just the documentation.
At Viva.com, we believe in amplifying human potential through AI. When you join us, you’re stepping into a future-forward environment where technology empowers every role, driving smarter, more efficient.
Requirements
- At least 10 years of total experience, with at least 5 leading incident response or SOC functions;
- Demonstrated track record running real incidents end to end at executive scale. Ransomware, major data exposure, payment fraud campaign, or prolonged outage;
- Strong working knowledge of DORA, NIS2, PSD2, and EBA Guidelines on ICT and security risk management;
- Hands on technical depth. Can read a SIEM rule, a packet capture, and a cloud audit log without translation;
- Experience inside a bank, payments firm, fintech, or critical infrastructure operator;
- Practical understanding of AI as both threat surface and operational lever. Comfortable deploying AI in the SOC, equally comfortable saying no to it;
- Excellent communicator across audiences.
Nice to have
- GIAC certifications such as GCIH or GCFA. Or CISSP, CISM, OSCP.
- Background in offensive security, purple teaming, or detection engineering.
- Open source contributions to Sigma, YARA, Atomic Red Team, or similar.
- Published post mortems, conference talks, or written work that demonstrates clarity of thought under pressure.
- Multi country IR experience.
Benefits
- Competitive compensation package;
- Annual bonus based on your performance and targets’ achievement;
- Private health insurance for you and your family;
- Top of the Line tools and equipment;
- Career development and regular feedback to develop your skills;
- Employee Wellness Program like Daily group sessions led by professional coaches.
Head of Operational Resilience employer: Viva.com
At viva.com, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture, perfect for those looking to excel in the field of innovative payments solutions. Our remote ISV and Partnerships Sales Manager role offers competitive benefits, ample opportunities for professional growth, and the chance to be part of a forward-thinking team that values creativity and collaboration. Join us in a location-independent environment where your contributions truly matter and can lead to meaningful advancements in your career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Operational Resilience
✨Get Involved in the Cybersecurity Community
Diving into the cybersecurity community is key for landing that full-time gig. Join forums like Reddit's r/cybersecurity or attend local meetups to connect with industry veterans and other job seekers. Networking is everything in this field—don’t just be a passive lurker!
✨Show Off Your Skills with Capture the Flag Competitions
Participate in Capture the Flag (CTF) competitions; these are not just a fun way to boost your skills but also a chance to showcase your talent to potential employers. Many companies, including Viva.com, love seeing candidates who actively engage in these challenges.
✨Tailor Your Online Presence
Make sure your LinkedIn and any professional profiles reflect your cybersecurity expertise. Share your projects, whether they’re personal or from a previous role, to catch the eye of hiring managers. This is how they’ll find your passion and commitment to the field!
✨Apply Directly Through Viva.com
Don’t forget to head straight to our website and check out any openings for cybersecurity roles at Viva.com. Applying directly can sometimes give you an edge, especially if you can mention that you've been following our work or engaging in the community.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Operational Resilience
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your technical skills:In cybersecurity, it's crucial to highlight your technical prowess. Make sure your CV showcases specific skills like network security, penetration testing, or threat analysis. If you have relevant certifications (like CEH or CISSP), pop those on the front page to grab attention!
Tailor your portfolio for the role:Even for a full-time role, a portfolio can set you apart. If you've worked on any cybersecurity projects—be it CTF challenges, security assessments, or research papers—include these in your application. This demonstrates not just your skills, but also your hands-on experience!
Use real-world examples:When writing your cover letter, don’t just stick to your qualifications. Share real-world examples of how you’ve tackled security issues or vulnerabilities. This gives the hiring team at Viva.com insight into your practical problem-solving abilities and makes your application memorable.
Demonstrate your passion for cybersecurity:Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving field, so show us that you’re always learning! Mention any recent courses, webinars, or industry events you’ve attended. This not only exhibits your enthusiasm but also signals to Viva.com that you’re committed to staying ahead in the game.
How to prepare for a job interview at Viva.com
✨Sharpen Your Technical Skills
For a role in cybersecurity, it’s essential to be up-to-date with the latest tools and techniques. Brush up on your knowledge of firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and vulnerability assessment tools. Be ready to discuss specific scenarios where you’ve applied these skills, as hands-on experience can really set us apart in interviews.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect the interviewers at Viva.com to throw in some hypothetical situations to see how you’d handle them. Think about common security breaches or incidents and be prepared to explain how you would respond. This not only shows your problem-solving skills but also your understanding of real-world cybersecurity challenges.
✨Highlight Your Certifications
Certifications like CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or CEH can give you a significant edge in a full-time role in cybersecurity. Make sure to mention these during your interview and be prepared to discuss what you learned through those certifications and how they relate to the position at Viva.com.
✨Show Your Passion for Cybersecurity
Since you’re going for a full-time gig, showing genuine enthusiasm for the field can make all the difference. Share any personal projects, blogs, or communities you’re part of that relate to cybersecurity. This not only showcases your passion but also your commitment to staying engaged in this ever-evolving field.