Cyber Defense Manager

The Mission Are you a hands-on security leader who builds, breaks, and hardens defenses? Are you driven to design a resilient enterprise, not just manage a collection of tools? We are seeking a Cyber Defense Manager to be the technical authority for our global defensive architecture and response capabilities. This is a senior, hands-on role for a practitioner who wants to own the end-to-end security engineering lifecycle. You will report directly to the Group CISO and act as the chief architect and validator of our security posture, ensuring our defenses are effective against real-world threats targeting both our corporate IT and critical Operational Technology (OT) environments. Your mission is to ensure we are not just secure by design, but also resilient in practice. What You’ll Do: Design & Lead our Security Architecture: Action: Architect, design, and maintain the group’s reference security blueprint, championing modern principles like Zero Trust, SASE, and Identity as the new perimeter (IAM/IGA). You will act as the security authority for the IT people. Why: To embed security into the fabric of our technology stack, prevent technical debt, and ensure our defenses are both robust and scalable. Lead our Cyber Defense Operations: Action: Serve as the primary technical and strategic interface for our SOC/MDR partner. You will define and tune detection use cases, manage the escalation path for major incidents, and lead proactive threat hunting campaigns to find what automated tools miss. Why: To transform our SOC from a reactive alert provider into a proactive threat intelligence partner, ensuring a rapid and coordinated response to protect our intellectual property and manufacturing continuity. Drive our Offensive Security Program: Action: Own the enterprise vulnerability management program, challenging IT teams on prioritization based on quantifiable risk, not just CVSS scores. You will plan, procure, and manage external penetration tests and red team exercises. Why: To provide independent, evidence-based validation of our defensive controls and ensure our remediation efforts are focused on the vulnerabilities that pose the greatest threat. Execute Critical Security Initiatives: Action: Lead the technical execution of key security projects that stem from your architectural vision. You will collaborate closely with IT, engineering, and business stakeholders to drive the implementation of new security capabilities from concept to operation. Why: To translate architectural blueprints into tangible improvements in our security posture, managing the technical delivery and ensuring alignment with strategic goals. What You’ll Bring (Required Qualifications): A minimum of 5 years of experience in hands-on cybersecurity roles, with a clear progression into security engineering, architecture, or technical leadership. Demonstrable experience designing and implementing security architectures in a complex enterprise environment (Cloud, On-Premise, Network, Endpoint). Deep technical knowledge of modern security stacks, including EDR/XDR, SIEM, SOAR, SASE/ZTNA, and Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM). Experience in cyber defense operations, including incident response leadership, threat intelligence consumption, and working with an MDR/MSSP. Strong understanding of vulnerability management lifecycles and the ability to contextualize vulnerabilities to determine enterprise risk. What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications): Proven experience in proactive threat hunting. Offensive security experience or certifications (e.g., OSCP, GPEN). Advanced knowledge of cloud security architecture in AWS or Azure. Scripting and automation skills (e.g., Python, PowerShell) to enhance security operations. Relevant professional certifications (e.g., CISSP, GCIA, GCIH). Experience with Operational Technology (OT) / Industrial Control Systems (ICS) security and frameworks like ISA/IEC 62443 is a plus. Why This is a Unique Opportunity: Ownership: This is a high-autonomy role. You will be the definitive technical owner of our defensive posture. Impact: You will not just be operating systems; you will be architecting the future of security at a leading multinational manufacturer. Challenge: The convergence of IT and OT security is one of the most complex and critical challenges in our industry. You will be at the heart of solving it. If you are a technical security leader who thrives on building and validating resilient systems, we encourage you to apply