Director of Security Engineering

ABOUT TIDE

At Tide, we are building a business management  platform designed to save small businesses time and money. We provide our members with business accounts and related banking services, but also a comprehensive set of connected administrative solutions from invoicing to accounting.

Launched in 2017, Tide is now used by over 1 million small businesses across the world and is available to UK, Indian and German SMEs. Headquartered in central London, with offices in Sofia, Hyderabad, Delhi, Berlin and Belgrade, Tide employs over 2,000 employees.

Tide is rapidly growing, expanding into new products and markets and always looking for passionate and driven people. Join us in our mission to empower small businesses and help them save time and money.

ABOUT THE TEAM

We are a technology-forward group, constantly pushing boundaries and pioneering innovative solutions that are only now beginning to be adopted across the industry. Operating with a deep engineering mindset, we are committed to building robust, bespoke security measures from the ground up, rather than relying solely on off-the-shelf solutions. This is an environment where a true zero-trust network is rigorously implemented, and our SaaS-native architecture offers both exciting opportunities and a stimulating learning curve for those eager to engage with cutting-edge practices.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As the Director of Security Engineering, you will be a pivotal and hands-on leader, operating as a key part of our "first line" of defense. You will be instrumental in defining and shaping Tide's overall security posture and technical strategy, driving excellence and fostering continuous improvement across a broad and critical set of domains. Your leadership will extend across multiple security-related and IT engineering teams, including:

• Information Security: Product Security, Threat Detection & Response, & Identity
• IT Engineering: IT Engineering, IT Enablement & IT Operations
• Tech Ops: FinOps, Programme Management & Audit Support

As Director of Security Engineering you will:

• Provide visionary technical leadership and strategic direction for all security engineering and IT operations, ensuring alignment with Tide's ambitious growth and security objectives.
• Lead, empower, and grow a diverse, high-performing team of security and IT engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and proactive problem-solving.
• Drive the design, development, and implementation of advanced, bespoke security solutions and policies, prioritising engineering-led approaches over vendor-dependent solutions.
• Champion a profound engineering mindset across all security and IT challenges, with deep practical experience in identity, detection and response, configuration as code, and infrastructure as code.
• Oversee the robust design, development, and operation of scalable, resilient, and secure systems within our SaaS native, zero-trust network architecture.
• Collaborate seamlessly with cross-functional teams and articulate complex technical security concepts with clarity and conviction to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including executive leadership.
• Lead the ongoing organisational restructuring and integration of security, IT, and Tech Ops teams, ensuring a cohesive, efficient, and highly effective operational model.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking an exceptionally technical and strategic security leader with a proven track record of hands-on experience in security engineering within highly dynamic, tech-first organizations. 

• Extensive Hands-on Security Engineering Leadership: Substantial experience leading and managing multiple distinct security and IT engineering teams (Product Security, Threat Detection, Identity & IT Engineering). 
• Builder Mentality & Solution Implementation: Demonstrated ability to engineer, implement, and build robust security policies and solutions, with a strong preference for candidates who have actively constructed security measures rather than solely suggested them or relied on purchased solutions.
• Profound Engineering Mindset: A deep, practical engineering approach to solving complex security problems and IT challenges, including extensive hands-on experience with identity, detection and response, configuration as code, and infrastructure as code.
• Strategic & Cross-Functional Leadership: Proven experience in managing and leading technical teams, navigating complex security landscapes, and communicating effectively across different organizational levels, including non-technical executives.
• Adaptability to Modern Security Paradigms: Ability to adapt and thrive in a fast-paced, modern security environment that embraces cutting-edge approaches.
• Hands-on Technical Focus: This role is for a hands-on technical leader with a strong bias for action and building.

WHAT YOU’LL GET IN RETURN

Our location-specific employee benefits are designed to cater to the unique needs of Tideans: 

• Flexible working options
• Share options 
• Group Life Insurance 
• Vitality Health Insurance, with a proactive focus on mental and physical wellbeing
• 25 days holiday with the ability to buy extra days
• 3 days for L&D or volunteering time off per year
• We invest in your development with a £1,000 professional L&D budget per year
• Access to ‘salary sacrifice’ benefits such as Cycle to Work scheme and pension contribution
• Spacious brand-new office near Old Street with an all-day snacks bar
• Enhanced family-friendly leave
• Sabbatical leave

TIDEAN WAYS OF WORKING

At Tide, we champion a flexible workplace model that supports both in-person and remote work to cater to the specific needs of our different teams. 

While remote work is supported, we believe in the power of face-to-face interactions to foster team spirit and collaboration. Our offices are designed as hubs for innovation and team-building, where we encourage regular in-person gatherings to foster a strong sense of community.

TIDE IS A PLACE FOR EVERYONE

At Tide, we believe that we can only succeed if we let our differences enrich our culture. Our Tideans come from a variety of backgrounds and experience levels. We consider everyone irrespective of their ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, national origin, veteran, neurodiversity or differently-abled status. We celebrate diversity in our workforce as a cornerstone of our success. Our commitment to a broad spectrum of ideas and backgrounds is what enables us to build products that resonate with our members’ diverse needs and lives. 

We are One Team and foster a transparent and inclusive environment, where everyone’s voice is heard.

 

At Tide, we thrive on diversity, embracing various backgrounds and experiences. We welcome all individuals regardless of ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Our inclusive culture is key to our success, helping us build products that meet our members' diverse needs. We are One Team, committed to transparency and ensuring everyone’s voice is heard.

 

You personal data will be processed by Tide for recruitment purposes and in accordance with Tide's Recruitment Privacy Notice.