Hiring outlook, remote working rates, and which companies are actively recruiting.
Increasing cyber threat volumes, DORA operational resilience requirements, and the expansion of in-house SOC capability at Irish and UK financial services firms are driving sustained Security Operations Manager demand in 2026.
of UK IT Security Operations Manager roles advertise remote or hybrid working
Year-on-year salary movement in UK. Positive movement signals active market competition.
Strongest in: DORA compliance and growing cyber threat volumes driving SOC expansion
Increasing cyber threat volumes, DORA operational resilience requirements, and the expansion of in-house SOC capability at Irish and UK financial services firms are driving sustained Security Operations Manager demand in 2026.
Who companies hire: Senior Security Operations Engineers, SOC Team Leads, and Security Analysts with team management experience commonly transition into Security Operations Manager roles.
Salary premium over the UK median for IT Security Operations Managers who list these skills.
Companies with consistent or active IT Security Operations Manager hiring in UK.
Very high demand. Security Operations Manager is one of the most sought-after senior security roles in Ireland in 2026. DORA requirements, rising cyber threat levels, and the expansion of in-house SOC capability at Irish financial services firms are driving sustained and strong hiring demand.
A Security Operations Manager leads the SOC function specifically, managing day-to-day security monitoring, detection, and incident response operations. A CISO has C-suite accountability for the entire information security strategy, risk posture, and security investment decisions across all security domains. In most Irish organisations, the Security Operations Manager reports to the CISO. At smaller organisations without a dedicated CISO, the Security Operations Manager may hold broader responsibilities.
During a major cyber incident in Ireland, the Security Operations Manager leads the technical incident response from the SOC, directing the analyst and engineering team, escalating to the CISO and executive committee, coordinating with external IR retainers (forensic firms, legal counsel), and managing communications with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC Ireland) if required. Post-incident, the Security Operations Manager leads the post-incident review and drives improvements to detection and response processes.
CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) is the most widely required management certification for Security Operations Managers in Ireland. CISSP is commonly held alongside CISM. SANS GIAC GSOM (GIAC Security Operations Manager) is directly relevant to the role. CompTIA CySA+ and relevant SIEM vendor certifications (Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel) support technical credibility. DORA-specific training programmes are increasingly requested by Irish financial services employers for Security Operations Manager appointments.