Head of Security Operations

Job Introduction

Handelsbanken combines a long-established relationship banking model with secure, resilient, and customer-focused technology. Our technology teams enable the Bank’s decentralised way of working, delivering systems built for stability, trust, and long-term value.

We are on a multi-year technology and digital transformation journey to enhance customer experience and improve how colleagues work together. By modernising platforms, simplifying processes, and better connecting data and systems, we help relationship teams focus on customers and less on complexity.

Our decentralised culture extends to technology. Teams are trusted to take ownership, make informed decisions, and deliver sustainable, high-quality solutions. We value engineering excellence, pragmatic problem-solving, and strong collaboration across technology, business, and risk.

We offer technologists the opportunity to build lasting careers, deepen their expertise, and contribute to meaningful change. We look for people who care about quality, security, long-term impact, and who want to shape the future of a relationship-led bank.

We also recognise that flexibility can support people to perform at their best, and that it looks different for everyone. While arrangements will depend on the requirements of the role and the needs of the business, we are open to having a conversation around what flexibility could look like for you.

Check our Handelsbanken website for further information

The opportunity 

The role will report to the Head of Information Security and will manage the security operations functions including Threat, vulnerability, Incident Management and Identity & Access Management. This role works strategically across IT and the wider Bank to deliver Security improvements, helping our stakeholders manage their Information Security risk effectively and influencing good security outcomes.  

 The roles main functional responsibilities include:

• Management of a small team of technical specialists delivering Incident, Threat, Vulnerability and Incident management.
• Ensure Operational Security capabilities such as Security Operations Centre (SOC), Security Incident Response Team (SIRT), Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Threat & Vulnerability Management, Identity & Access Management, Data Loss Prevention, Penetration Testing are well embedded and managed through either the UK in-house team, Group or externally sourced services.
• Implement  (and maintain) clear UK owned processes and procedures as required for all aspects of Operational Security
• Through team, lead the response to UK impacting security incidents and personal data breaches, problem solve and co-ordinate across relevant teams to drive a rapid return to BAU followed by structured post incident reviews and influencing process & technology changes to reduce likelihood and reduce severity of future incidents 
• Deliver documented status of High severity  incidents in a form that is consumable by Senior Leaders
• Through team, lead identification and evaluation of high & critical threats and the oversight of the remediation of identified vulnerabilities
• Ensure vulnerabilities have clear ownership from identification to resolution with a clear documented status throughout.
• Manage the impact of vulnerabilities for the UK systems, ensuring clear documented consideration to the vulnerability scoring as well as potential and likely impact.
• Own and maintain the security incident handler rota. Develop reference material and instructions to successfully embed processes. Act as duty incident manager for Information Security Incidents
• Manage and report on the UK Cyber Threat position.  This includes consumption of the Group Threat position, UK reported threats as well as Open Source Scanning to ensure that any relevant threat is identified and addressed thus reducing likelihood of impact to the bank.
• Produce a comprehensive report of the UK Threat position for consumption at Senior Management and relevant committees. 
• Educate technical and leadership stakeholders on emerging threats, mitigants, and the Bank position.
• Ownership of UK identity and Access process, ensuring adherence to the policy and process in place.   
• Deliver process to ensure attestations are reviewed at agreed intervals and access is managed effectively across the UK business
• Take responsibility to identify, diagnose, establish facts and solution complex technical and organisational security issues, ensuring documented transparent risk management. Receive and resolve complex technical and organisational escalations.
• Take long term strategic ownership of security operations capabilities, delivering outcomes to mature each of the capabilities delivered through multi-year plans.
• Stakeholder Management, including but not limited to, the Project Sponsor; in some cases C-level, and other Project Responsible Business stakeholders of varying levels of seniority.
• Represent the UK Information Security Team at Governance Committees, and coordinate regular reporting and submissions, to ensure and support the Committee’s oversight
• Procurement Management (where this applies).
• Support wider team embedding risk culture, ensuring management are aware of the risk and control environment they have responsibility for
• Provide specialist Information Security advice and challenge on mitigation plans
• Provide thought leadership across Incident, Threat and Vulnerability management, keeping close to industry trends and influencing opportunities to enhance all of the processes.
• Engage with Group to embed, align and improve the Security Operations processes.

What we’re looking for

Research (by Harvard University) shows that women are particularly likely to second guess themselves and not apply - so if you are worried you don't meet all the criteria, get in touch anyhow and let us do the worrying…

• Management level knowledge of Security Operations processes and techniques such as  Incident response, MITRE ATTACK,  Vulnerability Management, SIEM
• Demonstrable experience implementing and operating processes to deliver IT Risk Management in the context of remediation and operations activities. Able to utilise risk management to drive accountability and improvement
• Experience of IT & Security in a Financial Services organisation, and an understanding of regulatory requirements
• Ability to build and deploy matrix teams empowered to act autonomously but aligned to core methods and controls
• influence decision making to surface and mitigate operational issues and risks across a wide range of stakeholders, up to and including senior management / executive
• The role holder will require gravitas to work with and communicate effectively at SMF and management level covering relevant topics across all levels of the bank. Ability to confidently engage with C-Suite and Board level stakeholders.
• be able to interact proactively and confidently with all areas of business, including senior management and product owners
• Be able to take responsibility and act autonomously
• pragmatic, and effectively balances risk and control requirements with commercial drivers and customer outcomes
• Be able to plan, organise and prioritise tasks and projects
• Highly effective leadership, interpersonal and communication skills. A highly organised, structured and analytical mind-set with superb problem-solving skills. High levels of professionalism and ethical behaviour.
• Highly collaborative, with demonstrable ability to network, negotiate and influence stakeholders.
• A desire to succeed and to continually improve operations. Operational excellence, with a strong focus on optimising processes, to enhance efficiency and productivity. 
• Quality focused. Knows what it takes to deliver quality, sustainable systems, and can teach others to do the same. A proactive mindset and approach.

Nice to have:

• Hold or have the capability to attain appropriate external qualifications, such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) etc
• Have strong financial services industry knowledge through previous experience, professional groups etc
• Significant experience in a senior role responsible for engaging and influencing senior stakeholders on complex technology matters

Why join Handelsbanken

We want everyone at Handelsbanken to feel supported, motivated, and able to do great work. That’s why, alongside brilliant colleagues, meaningful work and training and development opportunities, we provide a variety of benefits designed with your wellbeing in mind. 

In addition, there is a flexible benefits package with the key highlights detailed below.

Application next steps

Your journey with us begins once you have submitted your application. One of our Handelsbanken Talent Acquisition Partners will be reviewing your details and will later organise a phone conversation if your experience aligns with our requirements, we will extend an invitation for you to participate in an interview.  

This advert will be live for a minimum of two weeks. However, please note that after the two weeks, the closing date could change at any time depending on the number of responses received.

The Bank is deeply committed to embedding good equality and diversity practice into all of our activities. This is so that we are an inclusive, welcoming and inspiring place to work that encourages everyone to apply, regardless of socio-economic background, age, disability, pregnancy and/or parental status, race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin), veteran status, marital and civil partnership status, religion or belief, sex, gender reassignment or sexual orientation.

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