Infrastructure Security Operations Engineer - AVP

Who we are

United by a sense of purpose towards our customers – to be a trusted partner for the long-term – and our universal banking platform in EMEA, SMBC Group has an international growth agenda and award-winning products, meaning we provide exciting opportunities to work on a diverse range of projects and initiatives. We deliver a full suite of corporate finance products and solutions to our customers as well as investment banking and advisory services, and a range of innovative solutions in global capital markets. Read on to find out how you could enhance your skills and gain valuable experience, by joining us to support our clients transition to a sustainable future.

Sumitomo Mitsui Finance Dublin Limited (SMFD) is a wholly owned subsidiary of SMBC and is growing rapidly as a Centre of Excellence for the bank’s universal banking business across EMEA.  It provides a range of technology and operational support services, aligned to SMBC’s growth, innovation, and transformation strategies.

Purpose of Job

We are building a dedicated Infrastructure Security Operations function within Technology Infrastructure to design and implement enhanced  vulnerabilities management capabilities across the bank’s estate at pace and in line with regulatory expectations. 

This role leads the design and delivery of vulnerability remediation solution for network and network security technologies, while sharing responsibility for delivering security enhancement across Windows and Linux server remediation across the wider infrastructure estate. The role will initially work alongside Network Engineering on vulnerability-led upgrades, learning the estate and its change processes, before progressively assuming primary responsibility for the design, testing and implementation of vulnerability-led network upgrades and automated patching solutions. The role combines strong networking knowledge, broader infrastructure security capability and analytical skill: turning large volumes of raw vulnerability and configuration data into prioritised remediation plans and delivering them safely in a regulated environment. 

Background

Technology Infrastructure is establishing a dedicated Infrastructure Security Operations capability to improve the pace, consistency and governance of vulnerability remediation across the bank’s technology estate through enhanced processes, technical solutions and automation. 

The role prioritises network and network security technologies, including enterprise routing and switching, firewalls, application delivery controllers'/load balancers and DNS/DHCP/IPAM platforms. It also carries a material share of Windows and Linux server remediation, including cover for colleagues during absence and participation in the incident on-call rota. 

The initial focus is to work alongside Network Engineering to understand the estate, standards and change processes before taking primary responsibility for the design, testing and implementation of vulnerability-led upgrades and automated patching and upgrades of network devices. The role works closely with Network Engineering, server and cloud teams, IT Security, Architecture, Service Management, asset and CMDB owners, and regional technology teams. 

Success requires strong production networking experience, practical Windows and Linux vulnerability knowledge, disciplined change and project delivery, analytical capability, and the ability to design and develop repeatable runbooks, knowledge articles and audit-ready evidence. 

Facts and Scale

• The role is part of Technology Infrastructure and the developing Infrastructure Security Operations function, working closely with network, server, cloud and other infrastructure teams to deliver enhanced vulnerability-management capabilities. 
• Designs and delivers vulnerability-remediation solutions and security enhancements across enterprise network, network security and server technologies. 
• Network and network security vulnerabilities are the primary technical priority, with a material shared Windows and Linux server-remediation workload. 

Accountabilities and Responsibilities 1

Vulnerability remediation and technical ownership 

• Own the design and delivery of network vulnerability remediation solutions, from assessment and prioritisation through change delivery, technical validation, evidence and closure.
• Progressively assume primary responsibility for the design, testing and implementation of vulnerability-led OS and firmware upgrades on routers, switches, firewalls, application delivery controllers/load balancers and DNS/DHCP/IPAM platforms.
• Share responsibility for remediation of Windows and Linux server vulnerabilities, provide cover for colleagues during absence and support cross-platform remediation through the incident on-call rota.
• Assess critical, emerging, zero-day and actively exploited vulnerabilities and design and implement expedited remediation solutions or enhanced compensating controls where standard patching timescales are not suitable.
• Design and implement change validation and recovery controls, ensuring that a current, validated configuration backup and a viable rollback approach are available before changes.
• Troubleshoot issues caused by patches and upgrades, provide technical escalation, and develop as the team subject-matter expert for network vulnerability remediation.
• Design and implement enhanced segmentation, access controls, management-plane restrictions, feature configuration or other compensating controls materially reduce exposure while permanent remediation is planned.
• Harden infrastructure technologies in line with approved CIS and vendor security benchmarks, where applicable.
• Monitor vendor security advisories and assess their relevance and impact on the estate.
• Perform post-change technical validation, confirm service health and configuration integrity, and obtain rescans or equivalent evidence before closing vulnerability records. 

Accountabilities and Responsibilities 2

Analysis, prioritisation and reporting 

• Design and implement repeatable processes to process and analyse large volumes of raw vulnerability and configuration data: de-duplicate, normalise, enrich and map findings to assets and accountable owners. 
• Prioritise remediation using CVSS, EPSS, the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue, asset criticality, exposure and available threat intelligence. 
• Use enterprise vulnerability-management and ITSM platforms to validate findings, manage remediation workflows and maintain traceable evidence. 
• Track remediation against agreed risk-based targets, identify overdue or blocked findings. 
• Reconcile vulnerability data against authoritative asset and configuration records, identify data-quality gaps, and work with asset and CMDB owners to improve device, software-version and ownership information. 

Governance, project delivery and ways of working 

• Raise and deliver changes through formal change management. 
• Plan and deliver vulnerability-remediation initiatives and technical workstreams as controlled projects. 
• Assess and document exceptions and false positives and coordinate formal risk acceptance. 
• Create, maintain and continuously improve vulnerability-management runbooks, standard operating procedures, technical knowledge articles, audit-ready evidence, and reusable implementation documentation 
• Participate in the incident on-call rota and provide technical escalation for vulnerability-related incidents. 
• Perform implementation of planned patching and enhanced remediation during out-of-hours maintenance windows, overnight and weekend work. 
• Automate repetitive activities such as data processing, evidence collection and pre\post change checks. 
• Maintain collaborative relationships with Technology Infrastructure, IT Security, Architecture, Service Management to support the design and implementation of enhanced infrastructure-security capabilities. 
• Adhere to the policies and procedures of the organisation and undertake other reasonable tasks appropriate to the role.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Qualifications 1

Essential Requirements 

• Proven experience operating, upgrading and troubleshooting enterprise network devices in a production environment. 
• Deep understanding of the OSI model, including VLANs, spanning tree, routing, OSPF and BGP. 
• Strong hands-on experience with Cisco and meaningful production experience across at least two of the following technology areas: enterprise firewalls, application delivery controllers/load balancers, and DNS/DHCP/IPAM platforms. Experience with Palo Alto Networks, Check Point, F5, Infoblox or Citrix NetScaler is particularly relevant. 
• Experience planning and carrying out network OS and firmware upgrades, including configuration backup, service validation, restore and rollback. 
• Experience in vulnerability management, including interpreting scanner findings, vulnerability scoring, exploitability, vendor advisories and remediation evidence. 
• Experience using enterprise vulnerability-management and ITSM platforms to validate findings, manage remediation workflows and maintain evidence, such as Qualys, Tenable, Rapid7, ServiceNow Vulnerability Response or equivalent platforms. 
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to work through large, unstructured data sets, identify patterns and turn them into prioritised remediation plans and operational reports. 
• Meaningful working knowledge of Windows and Linux vulnerabilities, including operating-system components, services, dependencies, patching risks and validation considerations. 
• Experience working within formal change management, ITSM, project-delivery and CMDB processes. 
• CCNA, CCNP or equivalent demonstrable enterprise networking knowledge and experience. 
• Willingness to participate in incident on-call and to perform planned overnight and weekend maintenance work. 
• Ability to write clear technical runbooks, knowledge articles, change records and audit-ready evidence. 
• Clear written and verbal communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders. 

Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Qualifications 2

Desirable Requirements 

• Experience scripting and automating infrastructure or vulnerability-management activities using PowerShell and/or Python. 
• Network automation experience using technologies such as Ansible, REST APIs and Git. 
• Experience automating pre- and post-change validation, evidence collection and vulnerability-data processing. 
• Experience producing vulnerability and remediation reporting using Power BI or equivalent reporting and data-visualisation tools. 
• General knowledge of Microsoft Azure networking and security controls. 
• Awareness of DORA and PRA/FCA operational resilience requirements. 
• Experience in financial services or another regulated industry. 
• Relevant security, cloud, network or vulnerability-management certifications. 

Personal Characteristics 

• An individual with excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills who can communicate effectively. 
• A dependable self-starter who can take appropriate action with minimal direction. 
• An individual who can leverage project management methodologies and effectively manage multiple projects and tasks. 
• A customer-focused individual who is flexible and eager to take ownership of issues and projects. 
• An individual who demonstrates consistent and meticulous attention to detail. 
• An individual who demonstrates an effective professional presence and impact. 
• An individual who can work under pressure to resolve issues and maintain a positive outlook. 
• An individual who can work collaboratively with multiple support teams on emerging issues. 

Competencies

What we offer

For all the expertise and experience you bring to help us make a difference, it’s only sustainable if we support you to build your career and be your best self so we offer competitive company benefits, centred around promoting positive well-bring and work-life balance. We also believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment, where all team members perspectives and contributions are valued. Initiatives in place which promote a diverse and inclusive culture and healthy work life balance include hybrid working, Sport & Social Clubs and Diversity and Inclusion networks.

As an employee of SMBC you have access to a host of both useful and exciting benefit offerings. See below some of the benefits on offer to you:

• Hybrid and flexible working 
• Competitive paid leave days
• Benefits to support your physical wellbeing, including private medical insurance and life and invalidity insurance 
• Various policies to support your mental wellbeing, including a robust behavioural health network with counselling and coaching services  
• Access a wide range of learning and development opportunities and career progression opportunities 
• Ambitious remuneration package

So, if you like a challenge and want to continuously grow and develop in a role where you will be supported along the way by a dynamic and diverse team, apply today!!