Manager - Cyber Defence Strategy

Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced Manager of Cyber Defence Strategy and Operations to join our Information Systems team, based in Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane. This role involves leading the development and execution of our organisation's enterprise cybersecurity strategy alongside managing daily operational cyber resilience.

About GHD

GHD is a global professional services firm specializing in engineering, architecture, environment, and advisory. Our Enterprise Strategy 2035, "We Master Technology," places technology at the core of our operations. Within the Information Services & Technology division, the Cyber & Information Security function is dedicated to protecting our organisation, employees, and clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a multi-year cybersecurity strategy and target security architecture for the enterprise.
• Act as the representative for the company's cyber risk posture to the Chief Technology Officer, IS Leadership Team, and Board Risk Committee.
• Establish and lead specialist sub-teams, including security architecture, vulnerability management, and cyber governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), relieving the Security Operations Centre of non-incident response tasks and enabling effective follow-the-sun coverage.
• Oversee the enterprise vulnerability management program, ensuring a structured remediation process with clear ownership.
• Lead incident response during significant security events by coordinating cross-functional stakeholders such as IT, Legal, HR, and Communications.
• Define and govern the Zero Trust security initiatives across the organisation’s Azure environment, identity, and endpoint assets.
• Manage the organisation’s AI security posture, addressing agentic systems, non-human identities, and shadow AI risks.
• Govern compliance with CMMC Level 2 and FedRAMP readiness to facilitate US Federal client engagements.

Qualifications and Experience

• Over 12 years of experience in cybersecurity, including leadership of specialist sub-functions beyond managing a single Security Operations Centre, preferably within a large or global enterprise.
• Comprehensive expertise across security strategy, operations, threat intelligence, vulnerability management, and architecture covering cloud platforms (Azure), endpoints, networks, identity, applications, and data management.
• Strong proficiency with Zero Trust frameworks and Microsoft security technologies such as Defender, Sentinel, Entra ID, and Purview.
• Practical experience managing compliance with regulatory frameworks including CMMC Level 2, FedRAMP, ASD Essential Eight, ISO 27001, and NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
• Proven success in guiding organisations through regulatory certifications and presenting cyber risk to executive and board-level stakeholders.
• Incident command expertise, coupled with the ability to establish enterprise-wide security standards collaboratively without creating opposition.
• Required certifications: CISSP, CISM, or equivalent. Highly desirable certifications include CMMC Registered Practitioner or Professional and Microsoft SC-100 or AZ-500.

Why Join Us

• Lead enterprise cyber security efforts reporting directly to the CTO with visibility to the Board Risk Committee.
• Opportunity to develop and build a strategic cyber security function and specialist teams rather than maintaining the status quo.
• Drive security initiatives that enable growth, such as readiness for CMMC and FedRAMP compliance, supporting US Federal client work.
• Engage in defining cutting-edge AI security posture during a pivotal time in threat landscape evolution.
• Work with a global reach aligned with our Strategy 2035, "We Master Technology."

Additional Information

GHD is committed to diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity. We support hybrid work arrangements to promote well-being, flexibility, and productivity balancing remote work benefits with face-to-face collaboration.

We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people across all identities.

GHD is an employee-owned global company with over 11,000 talented professionals across more than 200 offices on five continents, dedicated to sustainable solutions for water, energy, and urbanisation challenges.