By bringing together next-gen technology and the finest live data available, Genius Sports is enabling a new era of sports for fans worldwide, delivering experiences that are more immersive, interactive and personalized than ever before. Learn more at geniussports.com.
Role Overview
This is a transformational role. The Director is expected to lead the organization from fragmented, task-based security handling into a mature, agile program — modernizing how security is embedded across engineering, redefining operational efficiency, and setting how the cybersecurity function operates and perceived across the business.
This role leads the combined Product Security and Security Operations function at Genius Sports. It is a program leadership role responsible for embedding security into how products are designed, built, and shipped — and for owning the full threat detection and incident response pipeline end-to-end.
The Director sets direction for a global team spanning secure development lifecycle, security architecture, threat modeling, vulnerability and exposure management, offensive security, cloud security, security monitoring, and incident management. The role translates cyber risk into business risk and drives the conversation leadership can act on.
Strong experience across both Product Security and SecOps is required. This is a leader-coach role in a lean, high-ownership team operating in a regulated sports data and betting environment.
Key Responsibilities
Program Leadership
- Lead the transformation. Act as the agent of change from fragmented security tasks to a mature program, reshape team structure, ways of working, and organization growth.
- Own the ProdSecOps program — vision, goals, and delivery across both product security and security operations functions.
- Define and lead the product security framework — mapping assets, ownership, and cyber risk to business value.
- Build and maintain a cyber risk management view that is aggregate, contextual, and actionable for leadership.
- Lead, develop, and grow a distributed team across multiple regions and time zones.
- Set team objectives aligned to functional and company-level OKRs. Own delivery against them.
- Drive shift-left security — embed threat modelling, secure design review, and SDL practices into the development lifecycle.
- Own the security architecture direction, including zero trust principles and secure design patterns.
- Own vulnerability and exposure management across application, cloud, and infrastructure layers — risk-based prioritization, engineering ownership models, and remediation SLAs.
- Oversee application security testing — SAST, DAST, SCA — and the offensive security program including pen testing and red team engagements.
- Own cloud security posture across the estate — CSPM, container and Kubernetes security, IaC review.
- Own threat detection and telemetry fidelity end-to-end — high-fidelity signals into SIEM, log source coverage across endpoint, SaaS, cloud, and network.
- Own incident management — ensure the incident response plan is defined, tested, and executable, with clear escalation paths and playbooks.
- Drive detection engineering — use case development, correlation rules, alert tuning, and measurable noise reduction.
- Manage the MSSP relationship — enforce SLAs, drive false-positive reduction, and define L1 alert handling procedures.
- Deliver the 24/7 coverage model — on-call structure, follow-the-sun planning, SOAR automation of Tier 1 triage.
- Consolidate the security stack — one signal, one view, less noise. Drive down cost and eliminate coverage gaps.
- Own the security tooling lifecycle — evaluation, vendor management, implementation, and adoption to production maturity across both functions.
- Communicate at the executive level — concise, compelling, business-risk framing. Influence decision-making at senior level.
- Lead collaborative initiatives across the organization. Navigate complex stakeholder relationships to drive decisions and outcomes.
- Champion security culture across engineering and the wider business. Inspire others to care about security.
- Coach and mentor the team. Drive a culture of learning, quality, and accountability.
- Anticipate emerging risks, including AI-related risk, and shape security strategy accordingly.
Required Experience & Qualifications
- 10+ years in cybersecurity with significant depth in both product/application security and security operations.
- Proven leadership of security engineering or SOC teams — including distributed, multi-region teams.
- Expert-level knowledge of secure SDL frameworks (OWASP SAMM, NIST SSDF), threat modelling, and security architecture.
- Deep experience with detection engineering, SIEM/XDR platforms, incident response, and MSSP management.
- Strong cloud security expertise — AWS required; container and Kubernetes security experience.
- Track record of translating technical risk into business impact for executive audiences.
- Experience building or maturing vulnerability management programs with engineering ownership models.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in tech and regulated environments — betting, gaming, or sports data.
- Experience integrating acquired companies into an existing security program.
- Security certifications — CISSP, OSCP, GIAC, or equivalent.
- Experience with SOAR implementation and security automation at scale.
- Experience operating follow-the-sun or 24/7 security coverage models.
We enjoy an ‘office-first’ culture and maximize opportunities to collaborate, connect and learn together. Our hybrid working models differ depending on your role and location. Occasional travel may be required.
As well as a competitive salary and range of benefits, we’re committed to supporting employee wellbeing and helping you grow your skills, experience and career. Learn more about how rewarding life at Genius can be at Reward | Genius Sports. One team, being brave, driving change
We strive to create an inclusive working environment, where everyone feels a sense of belonging and the ability to make a difference. Learn more about our values and culture at Culture | Genius Sports.
Let us know when you apply if you need any assistance during the recruiting process due to a disability.
