Head Of Application Security (Fintech)

TL;DR

Head of Application Security (Fintech): Leading and maturing the global application security capability with an accent on DevSecOps, AI security, and cloud-native engineering. Focus on defining security strategy, driving secure-by-design principles across the SDLC, and managing high-performing security engineering teams in a highly regulated environment.

Location: Onsite in Cape Town, Apex House.

Company

hirify.global is a global financial services provider offering fund administration and middle office solutions, operating with over 13,000 employees across 112 offices worldwide.

What you will do

• Define and own the global application security strategy aligned with cyber risk posture and regulatory obligations.
• Lead and develop multiple security engineering teams across AppSec, DevSecOps, AI/Data Security, and Cloud Platform Security.
• Serve as the senior authority for secure design, architecture risk assessments, and threat modeling.
• Drive the adoption of automated security testing (SAST, DAST, SCA) and secure coding standards within CI/CD pipelines.
• Partner with architecture and engineering teams to deliver secure-by-default solutions in hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
• Communicate application and platform risks to senior leadership and governance forums.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in cybersecurity, software engineering, or platform engineering.
• 8+ years in senior management positions leading enterprise-scale security programs.
• Strong hands-on expertise in application security architecture, threat modeling, and DevSecOps practices.
• Proven experience securing microservices, API ecosystems, and cloud environments (Azure, AWS, OCI).
• Familiarity with frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001, OWASP, and SOC1/SOC2.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and mentor distributed engineering teams.

Nice to have

• Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, or CSSLP.
• Exposure to architecture frameworks like SABSA or TOGAF.
• Experience in financial services or highly regulated industries.
• Familiarity with AI security and modern platform engineering models.

Culture & Benefits

• Opportunity to shape and lead a critical global security capability.
• Exposure to enterprise-scale, cloud-native, and modern engineering environments.
• Collaboration with senior technology and security leaders across the organization.
• Strong focus on team development, ownership, and career growth.