Global Head of Cyber Defense and Security Operations

Role description

Who We Are:

Born digital, UST transforms lives through the power of technology. We walk alongside our clients and partners, embedding innovation and agility into everything they do. We help them create transformative experiences and human-centered solutions for a better world.

UST is a mission-driven group of 29,000+ practical problem solvers and creative thinkers in more than 30 countries. Our entrepreneurial teams are empowered to innovate, act nimbly, and create a lasting and sustainable impact for our clients, their customers, and the communities in which we live.

With us, you’ll create a boundless impact that transforms your career—and the lives of people across the world.

Visit us at UST.com.

You Are

A Global Head of Cyber Defense and Security Operations who will lead the cyber defense mission for this environment and the clients who depend on it.

You will own the strategy, execution, and continuous maturation of UST's 24x7 Security Operations Center, threat detection and response, threat intelligence, insider risk, vulnerability management, attack surface operations, and incident response programs.

As the senior-most security leader in the United States, you are the primary point of contact for US executive leadership, US-based clients, and cross-functional partners in HR, Legal, Privacy, and Talent Acquisition while leading a globally distributed team headquartered in India. You will partner closely with the CISO to develop the analysis, narrative, and operational data that drive quarterly Board of Directors and Audit Committee reporting.

The role carries a strong Field CISO orientation: engaging directly with client CIO, CTO, and CISO teams to represent UST's security posture, respond to assurance inquiries, and co-navigate shared-fate security outcomes. This is not a sales role. The engagement is peer-to-peer, technical, and trust-based.

You will bring deep operational command - SOC, detection engineering, IR, threat hunting, XDR/SIEM/SOAR - combined with the executive presence to lead a global organization, influence at the C-suite level, and serve as a credible US-facing voice for a security program executed largely from India.

The Opportunity

• Lead the global 24x7 SOC, detection engineering, threat hunting, threat intelligence, malware analysis, digital forensics, and incident response functions.
• Drive measurable improvements in MTTD, MTTR, ATT&CK-aligned detection coverage, and analyst efficiency through automation, orchestration, and continuous tuning.
• Own Security Posture Management as a continuous discipline -translating control gaps, detection coverage, and threat exposure into prioritized remediation actions aligned to UST's risk appetite.
• Own the security operations technology stack - SIEM, SOAR, EDR/XDR, NDR, email security, DLP, deception, and threat intelligence platforms and the roadmap that keeps it ahead of the threat.
• Drive the Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) program to continuously validate detection coverage and control effectiveness against real-world attack patterns.
• Own Digital Risk Monitoring and Brand Protection - covering external threat surface, dark web exposure, credential leakage, and brand impersonation targeting UST and its clients.
• Own the end-to-end Vulnerability and Penetration Testing findings lifecycle from intake and prioritization through remediation coordination, closure validation, and reporting- partnering with Engineering, Architecture, and application teams to drive accountability and measurable risk reduction.
• Govern the Responsible Disclosure program, serving as the operational owner for vulnerability intake, security researcher engagement, and remediation coordination.
• Partner with Security Engineering and Architecture to operationalize controls and scale detection-as-code practices across the environment.
• Serve as the senior US-resident security leader and primary escalation point for US executive leadership on all cyber defense matters.
• Partner with the Global CISO on quarterly Board of Directors and Audit Committee materials, executive risk reporting, and governance deliverables - owning the underlying metrics, narrative, and analysis.
• Represent UST's cyber defense program in client-facing engagements with CIO, CXOs, and CISO teams - security reviews, assurance discussions, joint tabletop exercises, post-incident debriefs, and strategic roadmap conversations.
• Translate client expectations and regulatory pressure (FFIEC, NYDFS, HIPAA, HITRUST, PCI, SOX, NAIC, NIST CSF, ISO 27001) into operational requirements for the global team.
• Build trusted peer relationships with CISOs in UST's client base and with industry ISACs and government partners, including CISA, FBI, and sector-specific ISACs.
• Lead the Insider Risk and Insider Threat program in partnership with HR, Legal, Employee Relations, and Privacy - covering monitoring strategy, investigation protocols, case management, and offboarding controls.
• Coordinate with Legal and Privacy on incident response notification, regulatory engagement, litigation holds, eDiscovery support, and law enforcement liaison.
• Own US-specific compliance and assurance activities requiring domestic presence - client audits, regulatory engagements, and federal and state-level inquiries.
• Lead, mentor, and grow a global Cyber Defense organization headquartered in India - building a high-trust operating model that bridges time zones and cultures.
• Establish clear operating cadences, KPIs, and decision rights that empower India-based leadership while maintaining alignment with US executive priorities.
• Sponsor talent development, succession planning, and a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Maintain a regular travel cadence to India and client sites to build presence and reinforce one global team.

What You

Need:

• At least 12 years in cybersecurity, with at least 5 years leading security operations, cyber defense, or incident response at enterprise scale.
• Demonstrated success running a 24x7 SOC and modern detection and response stack -SIEM, SOAR, EDR/XDR, and threat intelligence.
• Experience leading globally distributed teams across multiple time zones, ideally including India or a major offshore delivery hub.
• Executive presence and the ability to communicate credibly with CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, auditors, and regulators - and to produce Board-quality reporting in partnership with the Global CISO.
• Hands-on command of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, detection engineering, threat hunting methodology, and the NIST 800-61 incident response lifecycle.
• Strong track record partnering with HR, Legal, and Privacy on insider risk and personnel security.
• US-based, with the ability to travel internationally (~15-25%).

Preferred Skills

• Prior Security Leadership Experience, or Global Head of Cyber Defense / SecOps experience.
• Active relationships with US law enforcement and federal cyber agencies - FBI, USSS, CISA, DHS -with demonstrated experience engaging them in incident response, investigations, or threat intelligence coordination.
• Background in or serving regulated industries (financial services, healthcare, government, critical infrastructure) and fluency with relevant frameworks (FFIEC, NYDFS, HIPAA/HITRUST, PCI DSS, SOX, NIST CSF, ISO 27001).
• Field CISO, client-facing security advisory, or consulting leadership experience.
• Active participation in ISACs, sector partnerships, or government-industry forums (CISA, FBI InfraGard, sector ISACs).
• Industry certifications: CISSP, CISM, GCIH, GCFA, GCIA, or equivalent.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field - equivalent experience considered.

*Compensation can differ depending on factors including but not limited to the specific office location, role, skill set, education, and level of experience. UST provides a reasonable range of compensation for roles that may be hired in various U.S. markets as set forth below.*

Role Location

: Remote

Compensation Range

: $ 227,000-341,000

Benefits

Full-time, regular employees accrue a minimum of 10 days of paid vacation per year, receive 6 days of paid sick leave each year (pro-rated for new hires throughout the year), 10 paid holidays, and are eligible for paid bereavement leave and jury duty. They are eligible to participate in the Company’s 401(k) Retirement Plan with employer matching. They and their dependents residing in the US are eligible for medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as the following Company-paid Employee Only benefits: basic life insurance, accidental death and disability insurance, and short- and long-term disability benefits. Regular employees may purchase additional voluntary short-term disability benefits, and participate in a Health Savings Account (HSA) as well as a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for healthcare, dependent child care, and/or commuting expenses as allowable under IRS guidelines. Benefits offerings vary in Puerto Rico.

Part-time employees receive 6 days of paid sick leave each year (pro-rated for new hires throughout the year) and are eligible to participate in the Company’s 401(k) Retirement Plan with employer matching.

Full-time temporary employees receive 6 days of paid sick leave each year (pro-rated for new hires throughout the year) and are eligible to participate in the Company’s 401(k) program with employer matching. They and their dependents residing in the US are eligible for medical, dental, and vision insurance.

Part-time temporary employees receive 6 days of paid sick leave each year (pro-rated for new hires throughout the year).

All US employees who work in a state or locality with more generous paid sick leave benefits than specified here will receive the benefit of those sick leave laws.

What We Believe

We proudly embrace the values that have shaped UST since day one. We build our culture of Humility, Humanity, and Integrity. These values inspire us to nurture a people-first, human centric culture that fosters belonging, prioritizes sustainable solutions, and keeps our people and clients at the forefront of all decisions.

Humility

We will listen, learn, be empathetic and help selflessly in our interactions with everyone.

Humanity

Through business, we will better the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves.

Integrity

We honor our commitments and act with responsibility in all our relationships.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

*UST is an Equal Opportunity Employer.*

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law. We will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records in accordance with state and local laws and “fair chance” ordinances.

UST reserves the right to periodically redefine your roles and responsibilities based on the requirements of the organization and/or your performance.

#UST

#LI-JH1

#LI-Remote

Skills

information security,sec ops,cyber defense,security operations,threat intelligence platforms,siem,security operations center,

Benefits

Compensation range: $227,000.00 to $341,000.00 per year

About UST

UST is a global digital transformation solutions provider. For more than 20 years, UST has worked side by side with the world’s best companies to make a real impact through transformation. Powered by technology, inspired by people and led by purpose, UST partners with their clients from design to operation. With deep domain expertise and a future-proof philosophy, UST embeds innovation and agility into their clients’ organizations. With over 30,000 employees in 30 countries, UST builds for boundless impact—touching billions of lives in the process.