Head of Security Operations

Job Description

We're now recruiting a Head of Security Operations to support the Chief Information Security Officer in managing and reporting the Information Security Risks faced by Technology Services (TS) in delivering AJ Bell’s systems and services. Key to this is maintaining the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the data that resides upon those systems. The Head of Security Operations is responsible for ensuring alignment between AJ Bell’s business goals and our ability to proactively identify and respond to security incidents, underpinned by an ability to translate cyber risk in to business risk and vice versa.

This role will be responsible for the leadership and management of the team delivering ongoing proactive cyber defence and response to security threats targeting AJ Bell systems and information. The Security Operations Team is the first point of contact for security queries, as such the role holder is expected to be a leader in developing a security first culture providing effective guidance to staff at all levels.

About the role :

• Ensuring AJ Bell has the appropriate capability to detect and respond to security events and incidents.
• In partnership with the 3rd party managed service provider, ensure that AJ Bell maintains 24x7 operational security coverage.
• Proactively drive efficiency improvements via the use of automation and AI in security operations processes.
• Own and develop AJ Bell’s incident response framework and playbooks, including undertaking regular training and testing (including table top exercises) up to and including executive level.
• Develop and maintain AJ Bell’s threat intelligence capabilities to enable effective response to the evolving threat landscape, delivering and disseminating actionable intelligence to operations teams and key stakeholders.
• Ensure operational processes for managing AJ Bell’s supply chain risk are effective
• Own the end-to-end vulnerability management process, including penetration testing, mitigation assessment and remediation tracking.
• Effectively communicate the security posture of AJ Bell with the development and delivery of regular MI and reporting, where gaps are identified work with the security engineering team to provide clear requirements for security solutions.
• Manage the operational security vendor relationships, overseeing regular performance reviews and commercial management.
• Manage and oversee the development of a team of security analysts responsible for maintaining BaU security operations and act as an escalation point for day-to-day security issues identified by colleagues.
• Identify the future needs of the business with respect to the security operations function and develop AJ Bell’s capability accordingly.
• Foster an environment of continuous improvement to grow and develop AJ Bell’s security capability by establishing repeatable, managed and measured processes.

About you :

About us :

AJ Bell is one of the fastest-growing investment platform businesses in the UK offering an award-winning range of solutions that caters for everyone, from professional financial advisers to DIY investors with little to no experience. We have over 644,000 customers using our award-winning platform propositions to manage assets totalling more than £103.3 billion. Our customers trust us with their investments, and by continuously striving to make investing easier, we aim to help even more people take control of their financial futures.

Having listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange in December 2018, AJ Bell is now a FTSE 250 company.

Headquartered in Manchester with offices in central London and Bristol, we now have over 1,500 employees and have been named one of the UK's 'Best 100 Companies to Work For’ for six consecutive years and in 2025 named a Great Place to Work®.

At AJ Bell you can expect a friendly working environment with a strong sense of teamwork, we have a great sense of pride in what we do, and this is reflected in our guiding principles.

Our perks and benefits

Hybrid working

At AJ Bell, our people are the heart of our culture. We believe in building strong connections by working together. That's why we offer a hybrid working model, where you’ll spend a minimum of 50% of your working time per month in the office. For new team members, an initial period will be full-time in the office to help you immerse yourself in our business and build valuable relationships with your colleagues.