Head of Security Operations - FTSE 100

Head of SOC Operations - URGENT

Start date: ASAP
Location: London (1-2 days a week in the office)
Contract length: 6 Months initially (likely to extend)
Company: FTSE 100 Company How you will contribute..
The Head of SOC Operations will play a critical role in, overseeing the 24/7/365 monitoring, detection, and response to cybersecurity threats and incidents, ensuring operational excellence, threat intelligence integration, and alignment with the organization's security objectives.

The ideal candidate is a proven cybersecurity leader with a deep understanding of security operations, threat landscapes, incident response, and team leadership. This individual will play a key role in shaping the future of our cyber defense capabilities.

Responsibilities:

Lead and manage the daily operations of the Security Operations Centre, including managing a multi-tiered team of managers, analysts, and incident responders.
Develop and execute SOC strategy, goals, and KPIs in alignment with organizational cybersecurity and business objectives.
Oversee incident detection, triage, investigation, and coordinated response efforts to mitigate threats in real time.
Ensure continuous improvement of security monitoring tools, automation, playbooks, and threat detection capabilities.
Collaborate with other cybersecurity teams, IT, legal, compliance, and business units to ensure an integrated approach to incident handling and threat mitigation.
Manage relationships with third-party vendors, MSSPs, and threat intelligence providers.
Prepare and present metrics, risk assessments, and incident reports to executive leadership and board-level stakeholders.
Lead post-incident reviews to improve processes and resilience.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the threat landscape, emerging technologies, and compliance requirements.
Develop training and professional development plans to continuously grow team capabilities.Preferred Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related field (Master's preferred).
Extensive experience in cybersecurity leadership within a SOC or incident response function.
Strong knowledge of security technologies, SIEM platforms (e.g., Chronicle, Splunk, QRadar), EDR tools, firewalls, and network security.
Experience with security frameworks and regulations (NIST, ISO 27001, MITRE ATT&CK, CIS, etc.).
Demonstrated experience leading security incident investigations and crisis response.
Excellent leadership, communication, and project management skills.
Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, GIAC, or equivalent are highly preferred.Preferred Skills:

Experience managing global SOC operations.
Familiarity with cloud security operations (AWS, Azure, GCP).
Proficiency with automation and orchestration tools (SOAR platforms).
Strong analytical mindset and the ability to make high-pressure decisions.If interested, please apply and a consultant will be in touch asap!

GCS is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy