Cyber Technical Lead

Role Overview

We are looking for a seasoned Cyber Technical Lead to spearhead a crucial cybersecurity transformation project within a heavily regulated banking sector. This role requires managing and overseeing a multidisciplinary cyber security team responsible for Application Security, AI Governance, Continuous Security Validation, and Compliance Assurance. The incumbent will serve as the primary technology leader for the First Line of Defense (1LoD), integrating security controls throughout the software development lifecycle while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, corporate security policies, and risk frameworks.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a cybersecurity squad managing four strategic focus areas: Application Security, AI Governance, Continuous Security Validation, and Compliance & Audit Trail Management.
• Ensure compliance with approved security policies, regulations, and service level agreements (SLAs) during project delivery.
• Oversee and optimize the enterprise security tooling ecosystem, including integration and vendor consolidation strategies.
• Define and maintain integration architecture across security platforms and engineering tools.
• Manage evidence collection processes to support audits, attestations, and regulatory reporting.
• Act as the main 1LoD interface with Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit, and AI Centre of Excellence teams.
• Facilitate and promote Security Champions programs across engineering groups.
• Champion DevSecOps principles and secure-by-design methods throughout software delivery pipelines.
• Deliver regular cybersecurity governance metrics, risk assessments, and executive-level dashboard reports.
• Manage vulnerability remediation efforts and initiatives to improve security posture.
• Collaborate with cloud, infrastructure, application, and platform teams to strengthen cyber resilience.
• Prepare the organization for internal audits, reviews, and regulatory inspections.
• Support the development and implementation of AI governance, risk management, and emerging technology security controls.
• Drive continuous enhancements in cyber operations, automation, and security engineering practices.

Qualifications and Skills

• Over 12 years in Cybersecurity Engineering, Security Architecture, DevSecOps, or Cloud Security leadership roles.
• Proven leadership experience of large-scale security engineering and governance projects within regulated industries, especially banking.
• Expertise in DevSecOps, Cloud Security, AI Security, Application Security, Security Governance, and Risk & Compliance.
• Practical experience operating within a Three Lines of Defense (3LoD) framework.
• Strong background in implementing security controls in Azure and AWS environments.
• Hands-on management of enterprise security tools and integrated security platforms.
• Deep understanding of Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC) practices.
• Experience establishing AI governance and AI risk management frameworks.
• Familiarity with financial services regulations and compliance standards.
• Excellent skills in stakeholder engagement and communications at an executive level.
• Proven track record leading multidisciplinary teams and driving security transformation programs.

Certifications

• Mandatory: CISSP
• Preferred: CCSP, AWS Certified Security – Specialty, Azure Security Engineer Associate, CISM, ISO/IEC 42001 Lead Implementer, Certified DevSecOps Professional (CDP) or equivalent
• Highly Desirable: SABSA, GIAC GCSA

Preferred Industry Experience

• Background in banking and financial services.
• Experience with AI/ML governance and security frameworks.
• Expertise in cloud-native security architectures.
• Knowledge of security metrics, executive reporting dashboards, and governance.
• Experience leading regulatory compliance remediation and cyber transformation initiatives.
• Strong skills in vulnerability management and compliance automation.
• Proven ability to foster security awareness and enablement programs within engineering teams.

Additional Information

This role is based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and is a full-time onsite position. The employer emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion, encouraging candidates from all backgrounds to apply without discrimination.