Director of Security Operations

COGNNA is shaping the future of cybersecurity through innovation, intelligence, and a relentless drive to protect. Our platforms integrate cutting-edge AI, real-time threat detection, and deep security insights to help organizations proactively defend against evolving cyber threats.

A Director of Security Operations is responsible for setting the strategic vision and operational framework for COGNNA’s entire security operations function; defining how we detect, respond, and continuously improve at scale, while building the leadership team, organizational structures, and cross-functional partnerships required to deliver world-class security outcomes.

You will own the strategy, structure, and execution of our security operations organization. You will define the operating model for how COGNNA delivers detection and response at scale, build and lead a team of managers and senior practitioners, and represent the voice of security operations across the company.

This role requires a leader who can think at the organizational level; designing team structures, operating models, and maturity roadmaps, while staying deeply connected to the realities of frontline security operations and the evolving threat landscape.

🔧 What You’ll Do

• Define and execute the strategic vision for COGNNA’s security operations function, including organizational design, operating model, maturity roadmap, and multi-year capability plan.
• Build, lead, and develop a team of SOC managers, senior analysts, and incident response leads, creating a high-performance culture grounded in accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Establish and own the SOC operating model including tiered response structures, escalation frameworks, shift models, and cross-team coordination protocols.
• Define the operational SLA/SLO framework in partnership with Customer Success and Product, ensuring commitments are achievable, measurable, and consistently met.
• Drive the adoption and optimization of SOC platforms, SOAR automation, and AI-assisted workflows to maximize analyst efficiency and detection efficacy.
• Own the security operations metrics and reporting program, providing executive-level visibility into operational health, threat trends, risk posture, and team performance.
• Represent security operations in cross-functional leadership forums, influencing product roadmap, platform architecture, and go-to-market strategy with operational insights.
• Partner with Security Research and Detection Engineering to ensure detection coverage, fidelity, and response capabilities evolve in lockstep with the threat landscape.
• Lead major incident response for critical and high-severity events, overseeing coordination across technical, communications, and customer-facing teams.
• Design and implement workforce development programs including career ladders, competency frameworks, certifications pathways, and structured mentoring.
• Establish quality assurance and continuous improvement programs including case reviews, detection feedback loops, and operational retrospectives.
• Manage budget, vendor relationships, and resource allocation for the security operations organization.
• Serve as a thought leader and external representative for COGNNA’s security operations capabilities with customers, prospects, and the broader security community.

Requirements:
• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, or a related field; Master’s degree or MBA is a plus.
• 10+ years of experience in security operations, incident response, or cybersecurity leadership, with at least 5 years in a senior management or director-level role.
• Proven track record of building and scaling security operations teams from the ground up or through significant organizational growth.
• Deep expertise in SOC operating models, detection engineering, incident response frameworks, and threat intelligence programs.
• Experience designing and managing SLA/SLO frameworks, operational KPIs, and executive reporting programs.
• Strong understanding of modern SOC tooling ecosystems including SIEM, EDR/XDR, SOAR, and AI/ML-driven security analytics.
• Experience operating in a SaaS, MSSP, MDR, or platform-driven security services environment.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and represent security operations at the executive level.
• Strong knowledge of MITRE ATT&CK, NIST CSF, and industry-standard incident response methodologies.
• Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, GSLC, CRISC, or equivalent are a plus.
• Experience with organizational design, change management, and building security talent pipelines.
• Excellent executive communication skills, with experience presenting to C-suite stakeholders and customers.
• Fluent in English; Arabic proficiency is a bonus.

Benefits:
💰 Competitive Package – Salary + equity options + saving plan
🧘 Flexible & Remote – Work from anywhere with an outcomes-first culture
🤝 Team of Experts – Work with designers, engineers, and security pros solving real-world problems
🚀 Growth-Focused – Your ideas ship, your voice counts, your growth matters
🌍 Global Impact – Build products that protect critical systems and data