General Information
- Type of contract: Fixed-term contract which may be converted into a permanent contract after five years subject to individual performance and organisational needs
- Who can apply?: EU nationals
- Salary: J (bracket 1 - step 1) full time monthly net salary: €8,938 plus benefits, for further information see
- Role specialisation: Leadership
- Working time: Full time
- Place of work: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Closing date: 02.01.2025
Your team
Our Directorate General has around 350 staff providing IT services to our users in the ECB, European banking supervision, the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) and beyond. In this context, you will be the leader of the Digital Security Services (Cybersecurity) Division in the Directorate General Information Systems (DG/IS).
In your role as Head of the Digital Security (Cybersecurity) Division, you will be leading a team of 40 members of staff responsible for providing a wide range of security services in an international context. These include security threat intelligence, analysis and governance, policy development and enforcement, security by design and security engineering, as well as security monitoring, architecture and incident response services to protect the ECB against cyber threats.
The Division is also responsible for raising security awareness at the ECB and providing guidance and expertise on digital security to colleagues in other DG/IS divisions. The division also actively participates in European wide networks of security experts. Managing digital security risks is a key aspect of corporate governance at the ECB and the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). You will work with other corporate governance functions within the ECB such as operational risk management, physical security, information management and internal audit. You will also manage all related audit control and security risk activities, as well as digital-related contracts and vendor management.
The ECB is an inclusive employer and we strive to reflect the diversity of the population we serve. We encourage you to apply irrespective of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or other characteristics.
Your role
As Head of the Digital Security (Cybersecurity) Division, you will:
- ensure that threat intelligence and analysis relevant to the ECB, the ESCB and European banking supervision keep up with the latest market trends and technologies by analysing all relevant information about current and emerging cyber threats and communicating it to stakeholders;
- define or enhance the security policies and procedures needed to protect the organisations’ assets, ensuring that security is integral to design and that the organisation complies with the relevant laws, regulations and industry standards;
- ensure the smooth, efficient and secure implementation of digital security services under your responsibility and beyond, ensuring that sensitive data or organisational processes are protected from unauthorised access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification or destruction;
- establish sound security monitoring and incident response services to protect the ECB against cyber threats, including developing proactive measures like simulated cyberattacks to test defences, identify weaknesses, increase awareness of new potential threats and enhance procedures;
- represent the Directorate General internally, and the ECB externally, by participating in and/or chairing internal and external meetings and maintaining excellent relations with internal and external stakeholders, acting as a crucial bridge between the ECB and other European institutions as well as the ESCB and European banking supervision cybersecurity community;
- collaborate with external peers, policymakers and industry experts to share insights, best practices and information on emerging threats;
- manage the Division to achieve organisational goals by establishing a productive, trust-based and agile work environment focused on collaboration, creating an open culture based on inclusion, ethics and well-being where staff can deliver high-quality results and develop.
The position offers you excellent opportunities to drive the transformation of the Directorate General, with a particular focus on applying state-of-the-art concepts, technologies and methods to protect the ECB’s information assets. You will be part of a multicultural team that strives for continuous innovation to make a positive impact on the lives of European citizens.
Qualifications, experience and skills
Essential:
- a master’s degree or equivalent in computer science, physics, mathematics, business or another relevant field (see How you can join us for details on degree equivalences);
- in addition to the above, a minimum of twenty years’ professional work experience in the field of digital and information security;
- a minimum of ten years’ managerial experience in leading teams of cybersecurity experts from diverse backgrounds including external staff;
- proven experience in the design and delivery of large-scale cybersecurity projects, including familiarity with agile project management methodologies;
- familiarity with industry regulations and standards as well as experience in designing and driving digital security policies, raising awareness and ensuring engagement among diverse stakeholders within and outside the organisation, for both on-site and in-the-cloud services;
- experience of IT architecture landscapes, including the analysis, implementation and evaluation of a security stance as part of the design and operations of the various IT systems;
- sound experience in identifying potential threats to the organisation and triggering and conducting risk assessment updates, including regular monitoring of the implementation status of agreed mitigation plans or strategies;
- an advanced (C1) command of English and an intermediate (B1) command of at least one other official language of the EU, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Desired:
- experience in the field of safety, physical security and digital assets, with a focus on organisational safety, security risk analysis and ensuring high security standards across large-scale organisations.
You engage collaboratively with others. You pursue team goals and can draw on the strengths of a diverse team to get the best results. You support the efforts of team members to develop their abilities and are able to build up high-performing teams. You facilitate change and can articulate strategic priorities and scenarios for your team.
You are highly motivated to guide teams in their daily work and support their professional development.
Working modalities
To enable the Directorate General to maintain its business continuity capability, you will occasionally be expected to perform work during non-standard working hours and work at the ECB’s standby sites.
Further information
For additional information on this specific vacancy, you can speak to the hiring manager, Alain Busac, on +49 (0)69 1344 5042 between 14:30 and 15:30 on Thursday, 5 December 2024.
Application and selection process
The recruitment process for this position will be conducted in part remotely. It may include a pre-recorded video interview in the pre-selection phase and – if you are invited to participate in the subsequent selection phase – a written exercise, a presentation and an interview. The selection procedure will also include a separate assessment of your leadership competencies.
If you are not selected for this position but are still considered suitable, you will be placed on a reserve list (see step 4 of How we hire), from which you might be considered for similar positions within the ECB.
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