About Company:Airtel, we are transforming from a telecom giant to a digital force and changing how people consume entertainment, how companies manage their assets to how cities use energy.. Today, our work goes beyond telecom -- we build products that entertain and inform, connect devices to the internet, and enable businesses to securely harness the power of their data. With a remarkable team of talent led by eminent industry leaders, our goal is to expand our people power and deliver solutions that truly enrich the lives of our customers. There could not be a better time to join us and be a part of this incredible journey…Job Description:Location:Gurgaon (India) Experience:12+ years Role summary: Own and elevate both day-to-day security operations and forward-looking security architecture for a large telecom environment. Run high-availability security programs (e.g., SOC, EDR, AppSec, VAPT) with operational rigor, while designing next-gen controls for emerging platforms and threats (e.g., AI security, post-quantum cryptography, cloud-native).A. Technical Accountabilities Security Operations (Always-On) 1.aOversightandstrategic guidancefor a 24×7SOCwith tiered response, playbooks, KPIs, and continuous tuning of SIEM/SOAR. 1.b Driveendpoint protectionandEDR , threat intel,incident handling , and post-incident RCA with measurableMTTA/MTTRimprovements. Application & Product Security (Shift-Left + Runtime) 2.a Oversight and strategic guidance for a secure SDLC with SAST/DAST program involving dependency scanning, and SBOM. 2.b Build a pragmatic and “ engineering-friendly ” vulnerabilityremediation model ; block high-risk releases by policy, not by surprise. Vulnerability & Exposure Management 3.aPragmatic approachtovulnerability managementacross app, infra and containers, with the end goal of reducing likelihood of exploitation along with minimal downtime. 3.b Implementrisk-based patchingand virtual patching (IPS/WAF/EDR policy) to cut exposure when downtime is constrained. Cloud & Platform Security 4.aDeliver CNAPP(CSPM/CWPP), OpenShift hardening, container scanning, and IaC guardrails. Architecture & Emerging Threats 5.a Define and deployzero-trustreference architectures spanning IT, cloud, and edge. 5.b LeadAI security : model/data/agent protections, prompt/guardrail controls, model provenance, and red teaming. 5.c Lead thequantum-riskroadmap: crypto inventory, agility, and transition to PQC for long-lived data/links.B. Non-Technical & Leadership Accountabilities Stakeholder Management 2.a Partner with engineering to reduce toil (e.g., virtual patching, safe defaults, golden paths). 2.b Align with product, legal, privacy, and network teams; translate risk into business terms. Strategy & Roadmapping 3.a Maintain a rolling 12–24 month security roadmap covering ops, architecture. People & Culture 4.a Build and mentor a high-caliber team; succession planning for critical roles. 4.b Raise the bar on “secure by default” through enablement, docs, and incentives. Communication & Executive Presence 6.a Clear narrative for the board/CXO on threats, posture, and trade-offs. 6.b Calm crisis leadership during incidents; crisp, timely updates.Qualifications 10+ years in cybersecurity with deep experience across SecOps and security architecture; at least 5 years leading managers. Telecom-scale background preferred (high-throughput networks, 5G core, OSS/BSS, large consumer base). Proven delivery running SOC/EDR, VAPT, and AppSec in complex, hybrid environments. Hands-on familiarity with AWS/GCP, OpenShift, service mesh, APIs, and modern data/ML stacks. Certifications a plus: CISSP, CISM, CCSP/CCSK, GIAC (e.g., GCIA/GCED/GCSA), OSCP—valued but not a substitute for real outcomes. Excellent written/spoken communication; ability to influence senior engineering and business leaders.Interview Signals We’ll Look For Operational depth:concrete stories improving SOC signal-to-noise, stopping real incidents, reducing toil. Architectural judgment:intelligent trade-offs in security vs agility. Leadership:building teams, influencing peers, running tough programs without heroics. Forward-thinking:practical plans for AI security and quantum risk that
Job Title
Head- Security Operations & Security Architecture