Head of Cyber Defense, Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC)

Location: Malvern, PA

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

Overview:
 

As the Head of Cyber Defense within Vanguard’s Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC), you will serve as a senior leader responsible for advancing and executing Vanguard’s global cyber defense strategy. The person in this role will lead a global organization accountable for end-to-end cyber defense operations—spanning threat detection, response, mitigation, and continuous improvement—across data center and multi-cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP).

This role goes beyond operational leadership. You will act as a strategic partner and extension of the CSOC senior leadership team, shaping the future of cyber defense capabilities, strengthening organizational resiliency, and ensuring Vanguard remains ahead of an evolving threat landscape.

Success in this role requires the rare ability to combine deep technical credibility, executive leadership, and enterprise influence—translating complex cyber risk into clear business outcomes while enabling the firm to operate securely at global scale.

Core Responsibilities:
 

Cyber Defense Strategy & Execution

• Execute and evolve Vanguard’s CSOC cyber defense strategy, translating enterprise priorities into actionable, measurable outcomes.
• Drive an intelligence-led, proactive defense model across all domains.
• Continuously adapt capabilities to address an evolving and complex threat landscape.

Cyber Defense Operations

Accountable for end-to-end execution of integrated cyber defense capabilities, including:

• Threat detection, analysis, and rapid mitigation
• Advanced attack analytics and forensics
• Integration with cyber threat intelligence to enable proactive defense
• Close alignment with incident response, detection engineering, and platform teams
• Continuous monitoring and protection across cloud, network, and enterprise systems

These capabilities ensure continuous monitoring and mitigation of threats impacting the enterprise.

Operational Excellence & Performance Management

• Lead high-performing, 24x7 global operation teams with a focus on speed, accuracy, and resilience.
• Establish and manage key performance indicators (e.g., mitigation speed, detection effectiveness, containment outcomes).
• Drive continuous improvement to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Ensure seamless coordination across CSOC domains to deliver unified cyber defense outcomes.

Capability Maturity & Cyber Defense Modernization

• Advance Threat Mitigation capabilities toward a fully integrated, intelligence-led defense model.
• Drive automation and orchestration to improve scalability, speed, and consistency.
• Reduce complexity and technical debt while strengthening platform integration.
• Align capabilities to leading frameworks (e.g., NIST CSF).

Cyber Modernization & Innovation

• Advance cyber defense toward a fully integrated, intelligence-driven, and automated model.
• Drive adoption of:
  * Automation and orchestration
  * Advanced analytics and AI-enabled capabilities
• Reduce complexity while strengthening platform integration and scalability

Risk, Controls & Regulatory Leadership

• Maintain a strong, defensible control environment aligned with leading frameworks (e.g., NIST CSF)
• Own audit readiness and remediation
• Provide clear, executive-level visibility into cyber risk and mitigation effectiveness

Enterprise Partnership & Influence

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders across technology, risk, and business functions
• Enable secure growth by balancing risk rigor with business agility
• Operate effectively in a dynamic, evolving stakeholder environment

Talent & Leadership Development

• Build and sustain a high-performing, diverse cyber defense organization
• Develop future leaders and succession pipelines across all layers
• Foster a culture of ownership, innovation, and continuous improvement
   

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 12 years of experience in cybersecurity, with significant leadership in cyber defense / security operations (SOC).
• Undergraduate degree in Technical discipline, Computer Science or related field required. Graduate degree preferred.
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and/ or Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).
• Demonstrated ownership of end-to-end cyber defense operations, including detection, response, and post-incident improvement.
• Proven experience leading large, complex, multi-layered technical organizations (leader-of-leaders model).
• Deep experience across:
  * Data center and enterprise security
  * Multi-cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Strong understanding of:
  * Threat intelligence integration
  * Detection engineering and response frameworks
  * Modern attack vectors and adversary tactics
• Demonstrated success operating at senior leadership levels, influencing across complex organizations.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and executive communication skills
• Ability to translate technical risk into business-relevant insights and decisions.

Special Factors

Sponsorship

Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we dont just have a mission—were on a mission.

To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.