VP Security

Job Description

About us

ClearBank was built on the belief that banking infrastructure would no longer slow down progress. Instead, it’s the catalyst that unlocks the potential to innovate. That’s why our clients — financial institutions from fintech’s and crypto platforms, to banks and credit unions — use our API to power their banking infrastructure.

But we wouldn’t be ClearBank without our people. They’re what powers our innovative technology and the reason we love what we do every day. We’re a group of spirited people who are never afraid to challenge the norm – becoming stronger, more energised, and that much better when we’re together. It’s our belief in fairness, autonomy and choice that means our people are empowered with the tools to learn, grow, and contribute to ours and our clients’ success. Interested in joining us? Read on or visit our website for more information.

Role Purpose

The VP Security is responsible for leading all security functions across ClearBank, ensuring the safety, resilience, and regulatory compliance of our cloud-native banking platform. The VP Security role reports directly into the CTO.

The role oversees Security Engineering, Security Operations, and Identity & Access Management, ensuring ClearBank maintains a strong security posture across cloud, on‑prem, SaaS, and AI‑related risk areas.

What You Can Expect

• High‑impact leadership role owning all aspects of security across a regulated cloud banking environment.

• Full ownership of security strategy, team leadership, tooling, threat detection, and governance.

• A mandate to uplift maturity across security policy and governance, secure SDLC, AI governance, CSPM, and security operations / incident mgmt.

• Close partnership with Software Engineering, Infrastructure, Platform Engineering, and Product teams.

Teams You Will Lead

• Security Engineering (approx. 6 people): Responsible for ensuring a secure SDLC, embedding secure‑by‑default tooling, protecting infrastructure and application layers, and driving continuous security improvement.

• Security Operations (approx. 7 people): Monitors all environments, responds to threats and incidents, manages external threat intelligence, identifies emerging risks, and ensures nefarious activity is detected and remediated.

• Identity & Access Management – IAM (approx. 2 people): Manages access governance, least‑privilege models, user provisioning, periodic access reviews, entitlement tooling, and identity‑related controls

Your Role Includes (Key Responsibilities)

• Lead and mature all aspects of security across a regulated cloud banking environment.

• Own secure SDLC strategy and uplift, ensuring engineering teams use secure‑by‑default tooling and controls.

• Drive Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) across Azure and any supporting AWS estates.

• Lead improvement of Microsoft Defender coverage (aiming to increase from 66% toward 100%).

• Enhance AI governance, ensuring safe and compliant usage of AI tooling across the bank.

• Oversee threat intelligence, anomaly detection, and continuous tooling evolution.

• Embed breach readiness through game days, tabletop exercises, and improved response processes.

• Strengthen controls against internal/external threats, including least‑privilege access and endpoint lockdown.

• Monitor dark‑web exposure, data leakage risk, and ensure strong encryption and data‑handling practices.

• Ensure regulatory and audit expectations (ISO27001, internal/external audits, regulator engagement) are consistently met or exceeded.

• Partner closely with engineering and technology leadership to deliver resilient, secure systems.

• Lead, develop, and support high‑performing security teams.

• Security reporting to CTO, relevant governance forums including Board and Industry Regulators

Key Objectives

• Deliver measurable uplift in ClearBank’s security posture and reporting.

• Achieve 100% Microsoft Defender coverage and improved CSPM scoring.

• Mitigate AI, cloud, and SaaS‑related risks through improved governance and tooling.

• Ensure audit and regulatory readiness with strong conformance standards.

• Uplift breach‑readiness maturity through rehearsed scenarios and response enhancements.

What You’ll Bring (Must‑Have)

• Experience leading security in a highly regulated cloud environment (Bank or EMI).

• Expert knowledge of ISO27001, regulatory expectations, and audit management.

• Leadership experience running multi‑disciplinary security functions.

• Deep experience handling security incidents and post‑incident learning.

• Ability to design and execute strong breach‑readiness processes.

• Expertise in threat intelligence, anomaly detection, and modern security tooling.

• Hands‑on understanding of insider‑threat controls, endpoint security, and least‑privilege models.

• Cloud‑native security expertise.

Ways of Working & Culture

• Ownership mindset with accountability for outcomes.

• Collaborative and transparent communication style.

• A focus on continuous improvement and innovation.

• Comfort working in a fast‑paced, scaling technology environment.

A little bit more about us!

ClearBank is Where You Can belong:

At ClearBank we think about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) a lot. Not because we think we should. But because we know we should – how else can we build a happy workforce and be successful as a business. We’re committed to making sure our teams reflect society. And we put energy and effort into making this a place where everyone feels at home, where they’re given the trust and encouragement to do their very best work. Here are some of the things we’re most proud of:

• 42% of our senior management roles are held by women

• Our enhanced family leave policies

• Launching our partnership with Code First Girls

• Increasing awareness of neurodiversity in the workplace through our partnership with the Inclusive Group

Our hiring process and what you can expect:

Application: a member of our talent acquisition team will review your application against the key requirements for the role and let you know within two weeks whether you’re moving forward to the next stage;

Screening: You’ll spend 30-45 minutes speaking to one of our recruiters learning more about the role and ClearBank, and we’ll get it know more about you, your experience and how your skills align with the role (this will be via phone or Teams video call). You can expect to hear back from us within seven days following this meeting (if things are taking longer than expected, we’ll let you know that too);

First Interview: You’ll spend one hour with a member of our hiring team focusing on your skills, competencies and your ways of working at the same time we’ll give you time to ask more questions about the role, the team and learn more about the ClearBank culture. This will be via Teams.

Second Interview: This will be a competency-based interview with one or more members of our team.

Final Stage: You will have a final meeting with the Head of Department. This will be around 45-60 minutes.

Offer: Congratulations! Get ready to transform banking forever!

Our commitment to you as a candidate:

We will always try our best to get back to you within seven days of your interview whether you’ve been successful or not and provide you with feedback. Sometimes things take a little longer, so we may not have a decision to share but we will get it touch to let you know we need a little more time.

We’re unable to provide specific individual feedback at the application or screening stage but know that your application was reviewed and considered carefully.

We wish you the best of luck with your application and maybe we’ll be celebrating your new role at ClearBank soon!

Equal Opportunities

ClearBank is committed to ensuring equal opportunities throughout every stage of the recruitment process. ClearBank recognises that diversity is vital to the long-term success of the business in the communities and markets in which it operates. ClearBank is also a firm believer that an inclusive culture fosters greater employee engagement and collaboration.

ClearBank strives for diversity and inclusion of all forms, including (but not limited to): gender, age, educational and professional background, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

As part of the Company’s commitment to equal employment opportunity, we provide reasonable adjustments, to candidates during the recruitment process, including to individuals with disabilities. We want to create a safe space that welcomes everyone so please let us know how we can accommodate you. In case you have any accessibility requirements you can share that with our Talent Acquisition team prior to your interview stage, if applicable.

The legal bit

By submitting your CV to ClearBank Limited you are providing your consent for us to use the information you provide for recruitment purposes. For more information on how we manage your data go and check out our Candidate Privacy Notice on the ClearBank website to see how we process, manage and look after your data. You are also allowing us to communicate with you by email and telephone for recruitment purposes.