Job
Description
JOB PURPOSE: The Head of mXDR Operations is responsible for leading and managing the operational aspects of cybersecurity at the airport, including oversight of the Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) delivering SOC operations, Threat Hunting, Detection & Prevention, and Incident Response. The role also encompasses direct accountability for Information Security Operations covering both IT and OT (Operational Technology) domains, ensuring a unified and effective defense posture against cyber threats in a critical infrastructure environment. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES: SOC & mXDR Oversight Lead daily operations and governance of MSSP-managed Security Operations Center (SOC) and mXDR services. Review and validate alerts, use cases, playbooks, and tuning recommendations submitted by MSSP. Define and track service level agreements (SLAs), mean time to detect/respond (MTTD/MTTR), and other performance KPIs. Ensure continuous coverage across IT, cloud, and OT assets within the SOC’s visibility and telemetry scope. Collaborate with MSSP to plan capability upgrades (e.g., EDR, NDR, cloud telemetry integration). Optimize the performance of managed XDR solutions to proactively identify and mitigate risks. Monitor and evaluate partner performance, addressing any issues related to quality, cost, or delivery. Threat Hunting & Detection Engineering Guide the proactive hunting of threats across endpoints, networks, OT environments, and cloud workloads. Review hunting hypotheses and analytics built on threat intelligence, behavior analytics, and anomaly detection. Oversee development and refinement of detection rules, correlation logic, and behavioral models. Drive periodic reviews of MITRE ATT&CK coverage and detection effectiveness. Support threat simulation and emulation exercises (e.g., purple teaming) to enhance detection posture. Incident Response & Management Ensure a well-defined incident response plan is in place and regularly tested through simulations. Continuously improve detection and response capabilities based on threat intelligence and industry trends. Conduct post-incident reviews to identify lessons learned and improve processes. Act as the lead coordinator for high-severity and regulatory-reportable cyber incidents. Ensure MSSP follows incident response procedures and escalates as per predefined thresholds. Maintain and test incident response playbooks, RACI charts, and communication protocols. Coordinate evidence collection, forensic analysis, and root cause investigations. Oversee the implementation and verification of post-incident recovery and lessons learned. OT Cybersecurity Operations Work with the ICS Security SME to oversee deployment and operations of OT-specific security controls (e.g., ICS firewalls, passive monitoring). Support ICS Security SME in working with OT vendors and facilities teams to ensure security of SCADA, BMS, and other critical systems. Track vulnerabilities in OT assets and coordinate with ICS Security SME and stakeholders for safe remediation. Monitor lateral movement risks between IT and OT environments and enforce network segmentation. Ensure OT environments are covered in threat detection, logging, and alerting workflows. Information Security Operations Manage day-to-day internal security operations including DLP, endpoint protection, and access monitoring. Review all Change Requests and provide insight & recommendations ensuring CRs/amendments are fit for purpose, negotiated and executed by working with all stakeholders. Ensure critical patches, vulnerabilities, and security misconfigurations are tracked and remediated. Maintain visibility of high-value assets and enforce control compliance (e.g., logging, backup, access). Investigate user behavior anomalies and enforce insider threat detection measures. Coordinate identity and access management reviews for privileged and third-party access. Governance, Reporting & Compliance Generate monthly and quarterly dashboards covering alerts, incidents, SLAs, and threat trends. Report on MSSP adherence to contract deliverables, including risk exposure and gap analysis. Manage escalations as per contracted frameworks. Ensure unresolved escalations are tabled in governance forums and taken up for resolution. Drive the resolution of such escalations by working with all concerned stakeholders Coordinate with compliance teams for audits and regulatory inspections related to cybersecurity. Contribute to cyber risk assessments for critical airport systems and digital services. Ensure alignment with international frameworks (e.g., NIST CSF, ISO 27001, NIS2) and aviation-specific mandates. Strategic Leadership Provide strategic direction and leadership to the MSSP, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement. Drive innovation in information security solutions and practices, ensuring the organization remains competitive and forward-looking. Act as a key advisor on Information Security matters, contributing to strategic decision-making. DIMENSIONS: Financial Optimize operational expenses while delivering high-value outcomes through effective vendor negotiations. Support financial risk mitigation by safeguarding against data breaches, penalties, and other cyber-related losses. Non-Financial Manage the MSSP (both remote and no-premises resources) with day-to-day tasks, review, and guidance on in-scope activities. Assess the skills, capabilities & expectations of the MSSP from time to time and work with MSSP management for right sourcing in BIAL account. Provide inputs on team capacity planning & hiring plans if any Lead and mentor MSSP team, fostering a high-performing team culture. Enhance the organization's ability to respond to and recover from cyber incidents effectively. Competency - Proficiency Level - Description: Cybersecurity Operations - Expert - Deep knowledge in SOC, SIEM, XDR, endpoint, network, and cloud security Threat Detection & Threat Hunting - Advanced - Experience in proactively identifying advanced threats and anomalies Incident Response & Forensics - Advanced - Skilled in leading structured incident response and root cause analysis OT Security - Intermediate - Understanding of OT systems and securing industrial environments Vendor & MSSP Management - Advanced - Strong experience in managing MSSP contracts and delivery governance Information Security Frameworks - Advanced - ISO 27001, NIST, MITRE ATT&CK, CIS Controls Communication & Reporting - Advanced - Capable of translating technical issues into business impact for leadership Risk Management & Compliance - Intermediate - Knowledge of regulatory and critical infrastructure compliance requirements Team Leadership & Collaboration - Advanced - Experience in leading internal security teams and cross-functional teams JOB SPECIFICATION: Knowledge and work skills: Comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity frameworks, technologies, and methodologies (e.g., NIST CSF, ISO 27001, MITRE ATT&CK, ITIL v3, PMP, TOGAF, ISO 20k & 27k and COBIT). Expertise in managed XDR operations, incident response, threat intelligence, and identity management. Familiarity with security architecture principles, ICS/OT security frameworks, and industrial protocols. Adequate knowledge of regulatory standards applicable to the industry. Proficient in process improvement and development practices Strong knowledge of SLA & service management, and operations management. Knowledge with InfoSec tools like: AV/EDR, Data Leakage Prevention, Metasploit, TripWire, Rapid7, Tenable, Snort, Nessus, Burp Suite, Appscan, Nmap, Wireshark, Firewalls, SIEM, SOAR, , SSE, CASB, PIM/PAM, WAF, O365 suite (Intune, Conditional access, Data classification and protection). Skills Minimum 10–12 years of experience in cybersecurity operations, with at least 5 years in a leadership or MSSP governance role. Experience in driving initiatives centered on continuous improvement, innovation, execution excellence, customer centricity and automation Analytical and problem-solving skills for assessing threats, vulnerabilities, and risks in complex environments. Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills to influence decision-making and secure buy-in. Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams. Ability to build and maintain relationships with internal teams, partners, and external vendors. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Security, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred). Certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CISA, CEH, or equivalent are highly desirable. **Please note that this position requires 5 days work from Office. Show more Show less
