Director Cyber Security - Financial Services (m/f/d)

• Outstanding role for a Cyber Security candidate who enjoys hands on leadership
• Not the right role for a governance or audit focused candidate

About Our Client

Our client is a well-established, yet fast paced regulated financial services organisation. With increasing regulatory demands (e.g. DORA) and a rapidly evolving threat landscape, the organisation is investing heavily into its Cyber Security capabilities and is now looking to strengthen leadership within the function. Leaders are expected to own topics end-to-end and stay close to the technology.

Job Description

• Lead and develop the cyber security function, combining technical depth with strong people leadership
• Own and evolve key cyber capabilities across: SIEM / SOC (e.g. Splunk), IAM / PAM, XDR / endpoint security, Threat detection and incident response
• Act as a hands-on leader, who shapes architecture decisions, implementations, and critical incidents
• You are the sparring partner of the CIO on matters of cyber security strategy
• Drive the implementation, configuration, and operation of modern cyber security platforms
• Enhance detection and response capabilities across the organisation
• Work closely with IT and engineering teams to embed security into the infrastructure and application landscape
• Manage and mentor a team of Cyber Security professionals, elevating both capability and performance
• Engage with senior stakeholders and support regulatory, audit, and risk-related topics

The Successful Applicant

Must have:

• Proven leadership experience in cyber security (e.g. Head of Cyber, Security Engineering Lead, Director-level roles)
• Strong hands-on expertise across multiplecyber domains, including:
  • SIEM (e.g. Splunk)
  • IAM / PAM (e.g. Okta / SailPoint / ForgeRock / CyberArk)
  • XDR / endpoint detection (e.g. Defender, CrowdStrike / SentinelOne)
  • Intrusion detection, scanning, vulnerability management
• Demonstrated experience in:
  • Implementing security solutions end-to-end
  • Configuring and operating security platforms
  • Leading teams responsible for running these systems
• Background in financial services or other regulated environments
• Ability to operate at both technical deep-dive level and senior stakeholder level
• Fluent English (German is a plus)
• Willingness to be based in Frankfurt or work hybrid (approx. 50% on-site)

Important note: This role is not suited for purely governance, audit, or advisory profiles. We are specifically looking for technical leaders who have remained hands-on with modern Cyber Security technologies.

What's on Offer

• High-impact leadership role with visible mandate to shape and improve security capabilities
• Opportunity to lead transformation rather than maintain status quo
• Flexible working model (Frankfurt-based / alternatively hybrid ~50%)
• Competitive compensation package
• A collaborative, fast-paced environment that values execution and technical excellence

Contact

Anna Ladyshenski

Quote job ref

JN-052026-7012452