Cybersecurity Manager: Security Operations
Listing reference: woolw_001096
Listing status: Online
Apply by: 2 March 2025
Position summary
Industry: FMCG & Supply Management
Job category: FMCG, Retail, Wholesale and Supply Chain
Location: Western Cape
Contract: Permanent
Remuneration: Market Related
EE position: No
Introduction
At Woolies we are on a mission to maintain and develop a high-performing cybersecurity function in support of a complex business undergoing digital transformation. We are looking for a senior leader in the cybersecurity team to take responsibility for cybersecurity operations, specifically purple teaming, across Woolworths South Africa. The objective is to continue building and enhancing the function with a strong focus on people development while leveraging modern technology solutions and specialist third parties to continually improve security posture through threat detection, response and continual control validation.
This role reports to the CISO and is a leadership role requiring demonstrable experience in leading blue and/or red teams, with preference towards cybersecurity operations management and SOC experience.
Job description
- PEOPLE
- Enhancing cyber intellectual capital: Leadership and management of the cybersecurity SOC/purple team covering talent development and performance management.
- Building culture and teaming: Management of internal partnerships for execution, including context setting, skills transfer, and up-skilling.
- Management of key external security partner and service relationships (e.g. MSSP).
- PROCESS
- Take responsibility for cybersecurity operations covering offence and defence: threat detection, incident response operations, threat hunting, and red teaming.
- Enhance SOC capabilities through continual improvement of quality, visibility, coverage and effectiveness.
- Work with other cybersecurity team leaders, the CISO, and other key stakeholders, to define and drive a threat-informed and risk-based cyber security strategy.
- Contribute to the ongoing improvement of cyber security operations, processes and ways of working.
- Enhance purple teaming processes with the philosophy of continual threat identification and continual control improvement and validation.
- Translate strategic security operational requirements into practical solutions and drive implementation.
- Leverage modern technology and AI capabilities to enhance operations.
- Contribute to the ongoing maintenance and enhancement of Cyber and Information Security Policies, Standards, Procedures and Guidelines.
- Remain aware of global security industry trends and influence the strategy accordingly.
- Define and maintain SOC playbooks.
- Manage forecasts and budgets.
- CUSTOMER
- Understand Cyber, IT and Business strategies and contribute to the creation and delivery of the annual cybersecurity roadmap and execution with a specific focus on purple teaming.
- Plan and prioritize projects and workload to deliver to the roadmap.
- Provide updates, context and feedback to relevant stakeholders.
Minimum requirements
- 12 years relevant experience in the cyber and information security discipline.
- 5 years experience in people leadership.
- 3-year IT qualification.
- Demonstrable experience in leading a specialised cybersecurity team within a large environment.
- Experience with security operations tools, frameworks, practices, and processes.
- Resiliency, determination, and pragmatism.
- May be required to assist outside of working hours.
ADDITIONAL CRITERIA
- Experience in both red and blue teaming is advantageous, specifically response operations.
- Experience in building and maturing SOC capabilities, including automation.
- Practical experience with adversarial frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK.
- Working knowledge of PCI-DSS.
- Post-graduate degree, industry certifications and community/lab involvement are advantageous.
