Cyber Technical Lead

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Cyber Technical Lead to lead a strategic cybersecurity transformation initiative within a highly regulated banking environment.

This role will be responsible for operating and governing a multi-disciplinary cyber security squad delivering Application Security, AI Governance, Continuous Security Validation, and Compliance Assurance services. The successful candidate will act as the primary First Line of Defense (1LoD) technology leader, ensuring security controls are embedded across the software delivery lifecycle while maintaining alignment with regulatory requirements, enterprise security policies, and operational risk frameworks.

The ideal candidate will have extensive expertise in DevSecOps, Cloud Security, AI Security, Cyber Governance, Secure Software Delivery, and Banking Regulatory Compliance, with a proven record of leading cross-functional security teams within large-scale regulated organizations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a cyber security squad across four strategic workstreams:
• Application Security (AppSec)
• AI Governance
• Continuous Security Validation
• Compliance & Audit Trail Management
• Ensure delivery aligns with approved security policies, regulatory requirements, and agreed service level agreements (SLAs).
• Own and govern the enterprise security tooling ecosystem, driving optimization, integration, and vendor consolidation strategies.
• Define and oversee integration architecture across security platforms and engineering toolchains.
• Establish and manage evidence management processes supporting audit, attestation, and regulatory reporting requirements.
• Act as the primary 1LoD counterpart to Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit, and AI Centre of Excellence teams.
• Lead and facilitate Security Champions programs across engineering teams.
• Drive DevSecOps adoption and secure-by-design principles across software delivery environments.
• Present monthly cybersecurity governance metrics, risk posture assessments, and executive reporting dashboards.
• Govern vulnerability management, remediation tracking, and security posture improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with cloud, infrastructure, application, and platform teams to enhance cyber resilience.
• Ensure readiness for internal reviews, audits, and regulatory inspections.
• Support implementation of AI governance, AI risk management, and emerging technology security controls.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across cyber operations, automation, and security engineering practices.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in Cybersecurity Engineering, Security Architecture, DevSecOps, or Cloud Security leadership roles.
• Proven experience leading large-scale security engineering and governance initiatives within banking or highly regulated industries.
• Strong expertise in:
• DevSecOps
• Cloud Security
• AI Security
• Application Security
• Security Governance
• Risk & Compliance
• Demonstrated experience operating within a Three Lines of Defense (3LoD) model.
• Expertise in designing and implementing security controls across Azure and AWS environments.
• Hands-on experience managing enterprise security tooling and integrated security platforms.
• Strong knowledge of secure software development lifecycle (SSDLC) practices.
• Experience implementing AI governance and AI risk management frameworks.
• Familiarity with regulatory and compliance requirements within financial services environments.
• Excellent stakeholder management and executive communication skills.
• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary cybersecurity teams and security transformation programs.

Certifications (Mandatory & Preferred)

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 Skills & Experience

• Banking and financial services industry experience.
• Exposure to AI/ML governance and security frameworks.
• Experience implementing cloud-native security architectures.
• Familiarity with security metrics, executive dashboards, and governance reporting.
• Experience leading regulatory remediation and cyber transformation initiatives.
• Deep understanding of vulnerability management and compliance automation.
• Proven track record of driving security culture and engineering enablement programs.

Halian Group

With over 28 years of experience, we have come to understand that innovation is the only way to provide agile, practical solutions that transform businesses and careers. Our resourcing and smart services help you to realise tomorrow's potential. Discover the amazing things possible when you bring the right people and the right technologies together.

At Halian, we recognise that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are essential to building high-performing teams for our clients. We are committed to connecting organisations with top talent from all backgrounds, ensuring that every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives.

We encourage applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of race, gender, disability, or any other characteristic that makes them unique.

Cyber Technical Lead in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates