Director of Security Services

K2 Services•Chicago, IL

About The Position

This role leads the client-facing security services function within Technology Enabled Solutions, encompassing security engineering, managed security operations, service quality, and client outcomes. The Director will provide direct leadership, coaching, prioritization, and performance management for a team of security engineers supporting client environments. Key responsibilities include establishing clear operating standards, escalation paths, service expectations, documentation practices, and quality controls. The role involves partnering with the EVP of Technology Enabled Solutions to define the roadmap for Opensity’s security service offerings, ensuring clear service definitions, operational runbooks, and escalation criteria. The Director will also serve as a senior escalation point for client security concerns and incidents, oversee daily security operations for managed clients, lead incident response coordination, and own the operational use and effectiveness of security tools. Additionally, the role involves acting as a trusted security advisor to clients, participating in client meetings, and translating complex security issues into business language. The Director will also build and maintain consistent security service delivery processes, develop KPIs and operational reporting, and identify gaps in service delivery. Team development, recruitment, and fostering a culture of accountability and excellence are also crucial aspects of this position. This is a client-facing role focused on managed security service delivery, not internal corporate security.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Computer Science, or equivalent professional experience.
7+ years of experience in cybersecurity, security operations, managed services, infrastructure security, or related technology leadership roles.
3+ years of experience leading technical security teams, security engineers, SOC analysts, or managed security service personnel.
Experience working in an MSP, MSSP, consulting, or client-facing technology services environment.
Strong understanding of SOC operations, incident response, alert triage, vulnerability management, endpoint security, email security, identity security, and cloud security.
Strong understanding of enterprise infrastructure and security dependencies across cloud and on-premises environments, including Microsoft Azure, traditional data center infrastructure, networking, firewalls, DNS, Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID, Intune, endpoint management, and related infrastructure technologies that support secure client operations.
Hands-on or leadership experience with security platforms such as Rapid7, Microsoft 365 security tools, Microsoft Defender, Cisco Umbrella, Mimecast, and related security technologies.
Experience supporting Microsoft-centric client environments, including Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Defender, Exchange Online, Intune, and security/compliance capabilities.
Strong understanding of ITIL-based incident, problem, change, and request management processes.
Ability to communicate effectively with executive stakeholders, technical teams, clients, vendors, and internal leadership.
Demonstrated ability to build structure, improve processes, lead escalations, and deliver measurable service improvement.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading managed SOC, MDR, or co-managed security services.
Experience with security frameworks such as NIST CSF, CIS Controls, ISO 27001, or similar standards.
Experience supporting legal, professional services, financial services, or other highly regulated client environments.
Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, Security+, CySA+, Microsoft Security certifications, or equivalent experience.
Experience with ServiceNow.
Experience developing client-facing security reports, executive briefings, remediation roadmaps, and QBR materials.
Experience supporting security assessments, risk reviews, vulnerability remediation programs, security roadmaps, or vCISO/vCIO-style advisory services.

Responsibilities

Lead the client-facing security services function, including security engineering, managed security operations, service quality, and client outcomes.
Provide direct leadership, coaching, prioritization, and performance management for a team of security engineers.
Establish clear operating standards, escalation paths, service expectations, documentation practices, and quality controls.
Establish and enforce operational standards for client-facing security services.
Partner with the EVP of Technology Enabled Solutions to define the roadmap for Opensity’s security service offerings.
Maintain clear service definitions, scope boundaries, operational runbooks, escalation criteria, and ownership expectations.
Serve as a senior escalation point for client security concerns, security incidents, service delivery issues, and complex technical matters.
Oversee daily security operations for managed clients, ensuring alignment with defined SLAs, client expectations, and internal operational standards.
Lead the operational delivery of SOC-supporting services.
Ensure proper incident response coordination across internal teams, client stakeholders, third-party security partners, and external vendors.
Support major incident response activity by providing executive-level communication, timeline development, containment coordination, remediation oversight, and post-incident reporting.
Drive continuous improvement in how security incidents are documented, communicated, escalated, and resolved.
Own the operational use, service delivery standards, governance, and client-facing effectiveness of security tools.
Partner with Corporate Information Security, Engineering, IT, and other platform owners for shared tools.
Ensure security tools are properly configured, monitored, maintained, documented, and aligned to service delivery standards.
Work with engineering teams to improve integrations between security tools, monitoring platforms, ticketing systems, and client reporting processes.
Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for security tooling, alert handling, escalation workflows, and client-specific requirements.
Evaluate new security technologies, service enhancements, automation opportunities, and vendor capabilities.
Act as a trusted security advisor to clients, providing practical guidance on risk reduction, security posture improvement, incident readiness, and operational security maturity.
Participate in client meetings, QBRs, service reviews, renewal discussions, security assessments, and executive briefings.
Translate complex security issues into clear business language for client executives, account teams, and internal leadership.
Partner with Account Management, Service Delivery, Engineering, and Sales teams to support client retention, service expansion, proposal development, and security-related solution design.
Support review of client-facing security commitments, RFP responses, service descriptions, and contractual obligations.
Provide input into client roadmaps, remediation plans, security recommendations, and prioritized improvement initiatives.
Build and maintain consistent security service delivery processes aligned to ITIL, SOC operations, incident management, change management, and managed services best practices.
Partner with Corporate Information Security to ensure managed security services align with enterprise security standards, client commitments, regulatory expectations, audit requirements, and approved security governance practices.
Ensure security work is properly captured, tracked, prioritized, and reported through Opensity’s operational systems.
Develop KPIs and operational reporting for security services.
Identify gaps in service delivery, staffing, tooling, documentation, and client coverage, and develop plans to address them.
Ensure security services are delivered in a scalable, repeatable, and margin-conscious manner across the client base.
Recruit, develop, and retain high-performing security engineering talent.
Define roles, responsibilities, career paths, technical expectations, and performance standards for the security services team.
Promote a culture of accountability, urgency, client service, technical excellence, and continuous improvement.
Ensure team members maintain appropriate knowledge across security operations, Microsoft security platforms, MDR/SOC tooling, email security, endpoint protection, network security, identity security, and client-specific environments.
Provide hands-on guidance during complex client issues while also developing the team’s ability to operate independently and consistently.