Security Development & Test Director

Location: London (remote-first, travel to client site a few times a month)

Salary: Up to £135,000 (depending on experience) + 20% Bonus + Car Allowance

A leading security function is seeking a Security Development and Test Director to drive the strategy and execution of secure software development, DevSecOps integration, and security testing across a portfolio of high-impact programmes. This is a key leadership role for a technically credible professional who can influence architecture, shape delivery, and build security into every phase of the development lifecycle.

You will work closely with engineering, architecture, and client-facing teams to embed secure-by-design principles, lead tooling and automation strategy, and ensure consistent delivery of secure, compliant, and high-quality software systems.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Technical Leadership

• Lead secure development and testing strategy across complex environments.
• Integrate security into CI/CD pipelines through SAST, DAST, SCA, container scanning, and automated policy enforcement.
• Establish and govern secure architecture standards aligned to industry frameworks (e.g. NIST, OWASP, ISO 27001).
• Champion threat modelling and secure design throughout development lifecycles.

Client Engagement & Pre-Sales Support

• Represent the security development function in client meetings and solution design.
• Contribute to statements of work, technical assessments, and proposal development.
• Tailor offerings based on client-specific threat landscapes and compliance obligations.

Service Delivery & Governance

• Oversee delivery quality, SLAs, KPIs, and risk mitigation across all engagements.
• Act as the senior escalation point for complex service or technical issues.
• Drive DevSecOps maturity and measurable improvements in secure delivery practices.

Financial & Commercial Management

• Define and manage budgets, pricing models, and profitability metrics.
• Monitor operational costs and optimise billable utilisation.
• Support strategic growth planning and resource investment across the team.

What You’ll Bring

• 10+ years in secure software development, testing, or DevSecOps.
• 5+ years in a senior leadership or director-level role.
• Deep experience integrating security into development pipelines at scale.
• Strong knowledge of secure SDLC, application security tooling, and secure architecture.
• Commercial experience supporting pre-sales and service design.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strong track record in budget ownership and operational leadership.
• Relevant certifications (e.g. CISSP, CISM, CSSLP, CEH).
• Ability to gain Security Clearance (SC).

If you're ready to lead and evolve secure development practices within a major security services provider — and want to make a lasting impact — we encourage you to apply.