AJ Bell
Security Operations Technical Lead
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Security Operations Technical Lead
About the Role
To support the Head of Security Operations in delivering effective day-to-day security operations, ensuring AJ Bell maintains the appropriate capability to detect, investigate and respond to security events and incidents.
The Security Operations Technical Lead is responsible for ensuring that security operations activities are executed efficiently, consistently, and in line with defined SLAs and operational standards, through hands-on technical leadership across SOC, Incident Response, Threat Intelligence, Insider Risk, and Vulnerability Management.
This role acts as a senior technical escalation point, supporting complex investigations and driving improvements in detection, response, automation, and operational processes. The role holder is expected to lead through expertise, supporting analysts and ensuring Security Operations operates with discipline, quality, and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as the primary technical escalation point for security events and incidents identified by the Security Operations team.
- Support the Head of Security Operations in ensuring AJ Bell has the appropriate capability to detect and respond to security events and incidents.
- Oversee the day-to-day execution of security operations, ensuring alerts and incidents are handled in line with defined processes and SLAs.
- Ensure security operations SLAs and OLAs are met, including alert triage, escalation, and incident response timelines, highlighting and addressing risks where required.
- Ensure adherence to KRI and KPIs, and raise any variation to the Head of Security Operations.
- Provide hands-on support in the investigation and response to security incidents, including endpoint, identity, network, cloud, and insider-related threats.
- Ensure consistent execution and continuous improvement of incident response playbooks and operational runbooks, validating them through real incidents and simulations.
- Support the optimisation and tuning of security monitoring and detection capabilities, including SIEM and endpoint tooling, to improve signal quality and reduce false positives.
- Support the execution of the end-to-end vulnerability management process, including validation of findings and tracking remediation activities.
- Work closely with MSSP and security vendors to ensure effective delivery of security operations services.
- Challenge and validate vendor outputs, driving operational efficiency, quality improvements, and better use of tooling capabilities.
- Actively design and implement automation and orchestration to reduce manual effort, repetitive or high-volume tasks, improve response times, and increase consistency across security operations processes.
- Work with the Security Engineering team to ensure tooling, logging, and detection gaps are identified and addressed.
- Support the effective operation of 24x7 security monitoring, including coordination with third-party providers.
- Contribute to the development and delivery of operational MI and reporting, ensuring accuracy and insight into security trends and performance.
- Maintain visibility of security incidents, trends, and operational risks, escalating issues where required.
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Technical Skills & Requirements
Experience
- Strong hands-on experience of Security Operations tools and capabilities, including SIEM and SOAR platforms (e.g., Sentinel, ServiceNow, Splunk SOAR, Cortex), Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR/XDR).
- Strong hands-on experience of Threat Intelligence platforms (e.g., Recorded Future, Doppel, ZeroFox, Google Threat Intelligence).
- Strong hands-on experience of Vulnerability management solutions (e.g., Tenable, Rapid7), and Insider Risk and DLP tools (e.g., Purview, Netskope).
- Strong hands-on experience with Network security solutions, such as Next Gen Firewalls, Network Anomaly, WAF, and DDoS solutions.
- Experience of leading and responding to Cyber Incident Response aligned to NIST.
- Knowledge of threat detection techniques and use case development.
- Experience of applying threat intelligence in an operational context.
- Strong experience with vulnerability management tools and processes.
- Strong awareness of cloud services and supporting security controls and monitoring capabilities.
- Working knowledge of the Microsoft security stack (Defender, Sentinel, Purview), Active Directory, and Azure AD, Windows, and Linux environments.
- Experience with data loss prevention and insider risk tooling advantageous.
- Hands-on experience with automation and scripting (e.g., PowerShell, Python) highly desirable.
- Experience working within recognised Information Security frameworks and best practices, such as ISO27001, NIST, MITRE ATT&CK.
- Knowledge of relevant regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR, FCA/PRA).
- Experience gained in a financial services environment preferred.
- Minimum 7 years as a Security Operations professional, with at least 3 years in a Lead/Senior Analyst role.
Competencies & Skills
- Strong analytical and investigative capability
- Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple concurrent incidents and priorities
- Strong ownership, attention to detail, and follow-through to completion
- Ability to provide technical leadership without formal line management responsibility
- Ability to challenge and improve approach, tooling, and processes for operational effectiveness
- Self-starting, disciplined, and proactive
- Effective communication skills, both written and verbal
- Ability to plan, organise, and deliver tasks with minimal supervision
- Collaborative approach with analysts, engineering teams, and external partners
- Strong emphasis on quality, consistency, and continuous improvement
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About AJ Bell
At AJ Bell, we believe investing should feel good. Whether you're looking for an ISA, pension, or dealing account, or if you want to invest with the help of a financial adviser or independently, we provide easy-to-use solutions for everyone.
With over 723,000 customers and assets of more than £108.7 billion, AJ Bell is one of the UK’s fastest-growing investment platforms, trusted by both professional financial advisers and first-time investors.
Awards include being recognised as one of the UK's Best 100 Companies to Work For for six consecutive years and being named Great Place to Work® in 2025 and 2026.
What We Offer
- Competitive starting salary
- 26 days holiday, increasing with service + buy/sell scheme + bank holidays
- 7% Pension with matched contributions
- Discretionary bonus scheme
- Share schemes (including free shares and BAYE)
- Health Cash Plan and discounted private healthcare
- Free gym
- Enhanced family leave (subject to qualifying criteria)
- Travel and bike loan schemes
- Employee Assistance Programme
Life at AJ Bell
- Regular social events, including summer and Christmas parties
- Learning and development opportunities tailored to you
- Casual dress code
- Friendly, collaborative team environment
Our Ways of Working
Flexible hybrid model—minimum of 50% of working time in the office (full-time office requirement for new starters to build relationships).
Inclusion & Diversity
We’re committed to ensuring a supportive and inclusive environment for all. Diversity of experience and skills is highly valued.
Agency Information
This vacancy is exclusively managed by AJ Bell’s in-house Recruitment team. Only candidate-submitted applications will be accepted.
Location & Department
Manchester or London Business Area: Technology Services Department: Information Security
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