Xero is a beautiful, easy-to-use cloud based platform that helps small businesses and their accounting and bookkeeping advisors grow and thrive.
Diversity of people brings diversity of thought, and that is core to driving Xero’s mission. Supporting a culture of inclusion is something we’re immensely proud of. We know that a diverse workforce is a strength that enables businesses, including ours, to better understand and serve customers, attract top talent and innovate successfully. A part of that is to support many types of flexible working arrangements that allow you to balance your work, your life and your passions. So, from the moment you begin your journey with Xero, we will constantly strive to ensure you’ll feel welcome and supported to do the best work of your life.
How you’ll make an impact
You will be accountable for the Security Engineering area at Xero, which includes the build and run functions for Security. You will provide leadership and technical direction for this area, including managing, growing and developing the security leaders who report to you. You will cultivate strong relationships across the organisation, working closely with other GMs and EGMs to ensure that security is built in by design to all Xero technical solutions. You will provide strategic, commercial, and technical oversight across your area to ensure alignment with the overall Xero strategy and the Xero security strategy. You will own the communication with stakeholders around the globe, building empathy for and understanding of your users, customers, and markets and taking a global view to running your teams. You will empower your teams to increase the technical efficiency and effectiveness of the technical security platforms, operate at scale and continuously improve from a people, process and technology perspective.
What you’ll do
- Coach, lead, and develop a team of security leaders to be a high performing and highly engaged team. Role model exemplary leadership and ensure your direct reports have the opportunity to grow and develop. Ensuring the team is equipped with the necessary capabilities and tools to collectively deliver across all areas of Security Engineering function.
- Provide technical leadership for your teams to ensure they build, manage and monitor our technical security platforms in accordance with Xero architectural standards
- Develop a technical security roadmap in collaboration with EGM Security and internal stakeholders to meet Xero’s strategic objectives, ensuring we optimise for automation
- Ensure the roadmaps produced are data-informed, based on research, have clear objectives and KPIs, and deliver the highest levels of operational excellence
- Manage our technical security vendors with a high degree of commercial acumen and integrity
- Actively contribute to the information security governance & reporting process
- Cultivate strong relationships with business stakeholders providing thought leadership and insight in order to improve the security posture of Xero
- Collaborate with the Security leadership team to continually improve our security programme, practices and operating model
- Collaborate with other Senior Engineering leaders across Xero to build world class engineering practices, including taking a global perspective on our issues & challenges
- Represent Xero at external events to raise awareness of the work we do and the career opportunities we offer
What you’ll bring with you - Critical competencies
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, comfortable with ambiguity and proven ability to lead teams through change Strong problem solving skills and high quality decision making
- Building effective relationships across all levels of the business
- Ability to break down complex problems, deliver pragmatic solutions and able to manage changing priorities
- Strong understanding of technical security concepts and broad knowledge of cloud technologies
- Strong skills in managing strategy, business delivery, financial planning and building high performing diverse teams
- Excellent written, interpersonal communication and presentation skills
- Strong influencing/negotiating/ people skills
- Outstanding people leadership and management skills
- Systems thinking and can put solutions in place at scale
- Senior ambassador and champion for Xero internally and externally
What you’ll bring with you - Experience
- Extensive experience in cybersecurity
- Extensive experience leading and coaching technical leaders as a “manager of managers”; minimum of 3 years at this level, ideally 5 years +
- Extensive technical security experience
- Proven experience collaborating with a diverse stakeholder group to realise commercial outcomes
- Proven ability to influence outcomes at all levels
- Demonstrated experience in defining technology roadmaps and planning
- Experience in setting and executing on global strategy
- Strong budget and financial management
Xero prides itself on living its values, one being #human. In your cover letter outlining why this role is a great fit for you please also address how you would bring #human to the role.
At Xero we embrace diversity and inclusion and value a #challenge mindset. Research has shown that women and underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single competency or experience . If you are excited about this role, but your past experience doesn't align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You could be just the right person for a role at Xero. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at time of application and throughout the interview process.