Reporting to the Security Operations Lead, the Security Operations Specialist Contractor will provide hands-on support across Monument Re’s Security Operations capability, with a focus on monitoring, triage, investigation, response, alert quality and operational documentation.
This is a day-rate contractor role and requires someone who can work independently from day one. It will not be suitable for candidates requiring significant training on the core tooling used by the Security Operations team.
The successful candidate must have current or recent hands-on operational experience using Rapid7 IDR within the last 12 months. Experience with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and broader Microsoft security tooling is also required. Experience with Recorded Future, Abnormal Security and Rapid7 IVM would be beneficial.
The role will support the day-to-day operation of security monitoring and response activity, working closely with internal Security Operations, Technical Security, IT and GRC colleagues, as well as the externally managed Security Operations Centre.
This opportunity is available on a day-rate contractor basis. The role is based in Dublin and is expected to operate on a hybrid working basis, with a couple of days per week in the office and the remainder working remotely.
- Operate and support technical security controls, including Rapid7 IDR, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, email security tooling, vulnerability scanning and related Microsoft security capabilities.
- Conduct security monitoring, triage and response for day-to-day security events and incidents, including phishing, endpoint alerts, suspicious activity, identity-related alerts and other security events of interest.
- Use Rapid7 IDR to investigate alerts, review evidence, assess severity, document findings and support escalation where required.
- Work with the externally managed Security Operations Centre to ensure alerts are appropriately investigated, assessed, documented and escalated.
- Support the improvement of alert quality, investigation notes, closure rationale, and operational handover information.
- Maintain and improve playbooks, runbooks and standard operating procedures associated with security alerting, incident triage and response activity.
- Provide incident response support to assist with containment, eradication and recovery from security incidents.
- May be required to support major incidents outside normal business hours by prior agreement.
- Perform threat hunting activity to proactively identify suspicious behaviour, emerging risks and potential security issues.
- Assess threat intelligence sources for relevance to Monument Re and support defensive activity to mitigate identified threats.
- Support regular security assessments, vulnerability scans and penetration testing activity where required.
- Identify security gaps emerging from incidents, alerts, trends or operational activity and support their capture within the appropriate risk or issue management process.
- Collect and maintain KPIs and KRIs that contribute to periodic security reporting for governance forums.
- Participate in the technical aspects of internal and external security audits.
- Support the operation of security controls relevant to DORA and broader operational resilience requirements across Monument Re Group.
- Stay current with relevant threats, vulnerabilities, attacker techniques and security technologies.
- Demonstrable hands-on experience in Security Operations, SOC, detection and response, or technical security operations.
- Essential: current or recent hands-on operational experience using Rapid7 IDR within the last 12 months.
- Strong experience using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and broader Microsoft security tooling.
- Ability to investigate, triage, document and escalate security alerts without requiring significant training on core SOC processes or tooling.
- Experience working with managed SOC or MDR providers, including alert review, escalation management and operational feedback.
- Experience of incident response activity, particularly in high-pressure situations requiring sound judgement, clear documentation and appropriate escalation.
- Strong understanding of security monitoring, endpoint detection and response, phishing triage, identity-related alerts, threat hunting and alert investigation.
- Experience working in partnership with IT, GRC, Technical Security and other internal colleagues.
- Experience of working in a regulated environment, ideally financial services.
- Understanding of DORA and the regulatory expectations associated with operational resilience would be beneficial.
- High attention to detail, particularly when documenting investigations, alert closure rationale and incident timelines.
- Able to work independently, prioritise effectively and operate in a fast-moving environment.
- Good interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent English language skills. French language skills would be desirable.
- Proactive approach with a willingness to improve existing operational processes, documentation and alert handling quality.
Desirable experience
- Experience using Recorded Future for threat intelligence review, enrichment and defensive activity.
- Experience using Abnormal Security for email security monitoring and phishing investigation.
- Experience using Rapid7 IVM or other vulnerability management tooling.
- Experience with Microsoft Purview, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Entra ID, Defender for Office 365 or wider Microsoft XDR capabilities.
- Relevant technical security certifications, such as ISC2, SANS GIAC, Microsoft, Rapid7 or other vendor-specific certifications.
- Experience supporting internal or external audit activity in a regulated financial services environment.
Dublin, Hybrid Work Model
Monument Re Group is an Equal Opportunity employer. Our Corporate values of Trust and Collaboration demonstrate our commitment to fostering an inclusive culture where all our employees feel respected and valued. We recognise that each employee brings their own unique skill sets, capabilities, immutable characteristics, and varied experiences to their work. In turn, the Monument Re Group provides a work environment for all our employees to achieve personal and professional growth and development throughout their careers with us.
