Cyber Security Senior Director - UAEN

At Miral, we create world-class destinations and immersive experiences that inspire millions of guests every year. As we continue to expand our digital capabilities and technology landscape, cybersecurity remains at the heart of delivering safe, resilient, and seamless experiences.

We are seeking an exceptional Cybersecurity Operations Senior Director to lead our technical security operations function and play a critical role in protecting a complex, large-scale enterprise environment.

About the Role

Reporting to the Vice President of Digital & Technology, this strategic leadership role is responsible for driving the design, implementation, and operation of Miral's cybersecurity controls across infrastructure, networks, applications, endpoints, privileged access, and security operations.

You will lead a multidisciplinary team spanning Security Operations (SOC), Network Security, Identity & Access Management, and Cyber Incident Response, ensuring the organization remains resilient against evolving cyber threats while supporting business growth and innovation.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of cybersecurity within one of the UAE's most dynamic organizations, where technology, innovation, and guest experience come together at scale.

What You'll Be Leading

• Strategy, Operating Model & Governance Interface

Translate Miral's security strategy into an actionable technical security operations roadmap aligned to NIST CSF 2.0, ISO 27001, the UAE Information Assurance Standards and ADHICS. Implement and operate the security policies, standards and controls defined by the independent Information Security Governance (second-line) function, maintaining clear segregation of duties between security operations and security governance. Act as the first-line technical authority on cyber risk, providing assurance to the VP Digital & Technology and the governance function on the design and effectiveness of security controls.

• Network & Infrastructure Security

Own the design, deployment and day-to-day operation of all network and infrastructure security controls — firewalls, switches and cores, segmentation, NAC, VPN and secure remote access, IDS/IPS, web and email gateways, and DDoS protection. Led the network security team transitioned from IT Infrastructure & Operations, enforcing secure-by-design network architecture and zero-trust principles. Ensure security hardening, baseline configuration and continuous compliance across servers, endpoints, cloud and OT/IoT environments supporting Miral's destinations.

• Security Operations & Threat Management (SOC)

Direct 24x7 security monitoring, threat detection and triage through the Security Operations Centre, leveraging SIEM, EDR/XDR, SOAR and threat intelligence. Oversee detection engineering, use-case development and continuous tuning to reduce false positives and improve mean-time-to-detect and mean-time-to-respond. Lead proactive threat hunting and adversary emulation to validate the resilience of Miral's technology estate.

• Identity, Privileged Access & Application Security

Operate and continuously improve Privileged Access Management (PAM), identity and access controls, and joiner-mover-leaver enforcement in partnership with IT. Embed application security across the SDLC — secure code review, SAST/DAST, API security and DevSecOps practices.

• Vulnerability, Patch & Configuration Management

Run the enterprise vulnerability management lifecycle — discovery, prioritisation, remediation tracking and reporting — across infrastructure, applications and endpoints. Coordinate patch and configuration management with IT operations to close exposures within agreed SLAs.

• Incident Response & Cyber Resilience

Own the technical cyber incident response capability — preparation, detection, containment, eradication, recovery and post-incident review. Maintain and regularly test incident response playbooks, conduct tabletop exercises, and ensure timely escalation and regulatory notification in coordination with the governance function. Contribute security requirements to business continuity and disaster recovery planning.

• Compliance, Audit & Reporting (Accountability)

Be accountable for the operational effectiveness of all technical security controls and for evidencing compliance during internal and external audits and regulatory assessments. Establish and report security operations KPIs, KRIs, and dashboards to leadership and the governance function. Ensure all security incidents, exceptions, and risks are accurately documented, escalated and remediated to closure.

• People Leadership

Lead, develop, and retain a multidisciplinary team spanning network security, security operations and identity & access, building a high-performance, Emiratisation-aligned talent pipeline. Set objectives, manage performance, and foster a culture of security awareness and continuous improvement.

• Financial Accountability, Vendor Management & Continuous Improvement

Assist in preparing and managing the cybersecurity operations budget, ensuring cost-effective use of security tooling and services and adherence to procurement policies. Manage security vendors, managed service providers and technology partners against defined SLAs and outcomes. Continuously evaluate emerging threats and technologies to mature Miral's security posture.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a proven cybersecurity leader who combines deep technical expertise with strong business acumen and people leadership skills.

Minimum Qualifications & Skills

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or a related field.
• Industry-recognised security certification such as CISSP or CISM (or equivalent).
• Master's in IT Security certifications such as CCSP, GIAC, CEH, OSCP, or vendor security credentials (e.g., Cisco, Fortinet, Palo Alto).

Years of Experience:

• 10 plus years of experience in IT Security Engineering and operations.
• 5 plus years of experience in managing the IT Ops-Security function.

Skills:

• Deep technical expertise across network and infrastructure security (firewalls, segmentation, NAC, VPN, IDS/IPS) and SOC operations (SIEM, EDR/XDR, SOAR, threat detection, and incident response).
• Strong working knowledge of security frameworks and regulations — NIST CSF, ISO 27001, UAE Information Assurance Standards, and ADHICS — with proven leadership of technical security teams and vendors.
• Experience with Privileged Access Management (PAM), cloud security (Azure/AWS), and application/DevSecOps security.
• Knowledge of OT/IoT security within a hospitality, leisure, or large-scale operations environment.

Why Join Miral

At Miral, you'll have the opportunity to work on large-scale, innovative projects that shape the future of entertainment, leisure, and destination experiences in the UAE. You'll collaborate with talented professionals, influence strategic technology decisions, and contribute to an environment that values innovation, excellence, and continuous growth.

If you're ready to make a meaningful impact and lead cybersecurity operations at enterprise scale, we'd love to hear from you.

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