SOC Manager at Prime Bank Kenya

Job purpose:

As a SOC Manager, you are responsible for the strategic direction, daily operations, and continuous improvement of the bank’s Security Operations Centre. You will lead a team of security analysts to ensure the rapid detection, analysis, and containment of cyber threats targeting the bank’s digital infrastructure and financial assets. By aligning SOC processes with the CBK Cybersecurity Guidance Note and the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime (Critical Information Infrastructure) Regulations 2024, you ensure the bank maintains a resilient security posture that protects customer trust and regulatory standing.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership and administrative oversight for the SOC team, including managing 24/7 shift rotations and performance evaluations.
• Oversee the bank’s incident response lifecycle, serving as the Lead Incident Commander for high-priority breaches to ensure effective containment and recovery.
• Manage the integration and health of the bank’s security stack, including SIEM, EDR, and SOAR platforms, to maintain 100% visibility.
• Develop and maintain automated “Playbooks” and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to standardize and accelerate the team’s response to common threats.
• Responsible for the timely reporting of security incidents to senior management, the Board, and the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) in accordance with regulatory mandates.
• Lead proactive threat-hunting initiatives and the integration of actionable threat intelligence to identify emerging regional financial sector threats.
• Define and track critical SOC performance metrics, such as Mean Time to Detect (MTTD) and Mean Time to Respond (MTTR), to drive operational excellence.

Job Experience/Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, Computer Information System, Cyber Security, Cyber Forensic or any equivalent field.
• Familiarity with industry standards, frameworks and regulations (e.g., ISO 27001, NIST, MITRE ATT&CK matrix etc.)
• Proficiency in using security tools and technologies, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, SIEM, and vulnerability management tools.
• At least seven years’ post qualification experience.
• Extensive experience in a 24/7 SOC environment within the financial services or telecommunications sector is highly preferred.
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of the Kenyan regulatory landscape, including the CBK Cybersecurity Guidelines and the Data Protection Act (2019).
• Proven expertise in managing complex incident response scenarios and coordinating with cross-functional teams like Legal, Fraud, and IT is mandatory.
• Hold advanced certifications such as CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), CISM, or GCIH (GIAC Certified Incident Handler).

Skills & Competencies:

• Exceptional leadership skills to mentor SOC analysts and build a high-performance, cohesive team under high-pressure conditions.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills are necessary to translate technical incident data into clear, actionable business risk reports for the Board.
• Exhibit an uncompromising level of integrity and ethical conduct.
• Possess a strategic mindset, with the ability to balance immediate operational needs against long-term security roadmaps.
• Strong project management and organizational skills are required to oversee the implementation of new security tools and process improvements.
• A proactive approach to networking within the Kenyan cybersecurity community is encouraged to share and receive intelligence on local and regional threat trends.