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IT Security Operations Manager Salary in United Kingdom 2026: £118K Median & Range

The median IT Security Operations Manager salary in United Kingdom is £118K in 2026, with a typical range from £116K to £119K. Year-on-year movement is still building as more matched salary data is published. Northern Ireland currently leads city pay at £125K. This is base salary for permanent employees.

What does An IT Security Operations Manager do?

An IT Security Operations Manager is responsible for leading and managing the Security Operations Centre function, owning the SOC operating model, SIEM tooling strategy, and team performance metrics to deliver 24/7 threat detection and incident response.

Day-to-day responsibilities

  • Leading and developing the SOC team of analysts and security engineers
  • Managing major security incident response and post-incident reviews
  • Overseeing SIEM platform performance and detection quality
  • Producing SOC performance metrics and board reporting
  • Engaging with threat intelligence providers
  • Managing MSSP partner relationships
Low demand+18% SOC management+20% incident response management+16% SIEM platform management

National Median Salary

£118K

per year

United Kingdom annual benchmark • 2026

Salary Range (P25 – P75)

£118K
£90K£150K

Data quality & confidence

Confidence Score

61%

YoY Momentum

Trend building

Permanent Salary Benchmark for IT Security Operations Manager

Permanent salary benchmarks for IT Security Operations Manager in United Kingdom, from the low end to the top of the range, based on published market compensation data.

£118K
£90K£150K

Low

£90K

P25

£116K

Median

£118K

P75

£119K

High

£150K

IT Security Operations Manager Take-Home Pay in the UK (2026/27)

After Income Tax & National Insurance · single, standard payroll deductions

Entry

Take-home/year

£74,637

Effective rate

35.7%

Median

Take-home/year

£75,304

Effective rate

36.2%

Senior

Take-home/year

£75,609

Effective rate

36.5%

See the full band-by-band breakdown for IT Security Operations Manager

Adjust for your actual salary, see each Income Tax and NI band, and get monthly and weekly figures.

Is a IT Security Operations Manager hybrid salary worth the commute?

3-day/week office schedule · typical UK commute assumptions

Break-even remote salary

£89,800

minimum to match £118K hybrid

Annual commute impact

£12,700

costs + time value lost

Hours commuting/year

138 hrs

at 60 min/day, 3 days/wk

See the full break-even analysis for IT Security Operations Manager

Adjust commute costs, compare any two salaries, and find the exact remote salary you need.

Remote vs hybrid analysis

IT Security Operations Manager career path in the UK

Editorial progression guide. Current market benchmarks are shown on the salary page.

Hiring outlook

Growing

SOC Team salary

£55,000-£72,000

0-3 experience. Illustrative range.

Head of salary

£105,000-£145,000

8-13 experience. Illustrative range.

£55,000-£72,000
0-3
£72,000-£105,000
3-8
£105,000-£145,000
8-13
£140,000-£220,000+
13+

Full career progression guide for IT Security Operations Manager

Illustrative career stages, technical and management tracks, top employers, and progression FAQs.

Career path guide

IT Security Operations Manager market demand in the UK

Hiring outlook · remote rate · top employers

Hiring outlook

Growing

Remote / hybrid

35%

of roles offer remote or hybrid

Salary growth (YoY)

N/A

prior-year comparison unavailable

Top hirers:
HSBCBarclaysBT GroupBAE Systems Applied IntelligenceNCC GroupGCHQ

Full market demand breakdown for IT Security Operations Manager

Hiring drivers, remote rate detail, full employer list, and demand FAQs for the UK.

Market demand guide

Contract break-even

What day rate beats a £118K IT Security Operations Manager salary after tax?

Break-even day rate

£559/day

to match £118K permanent net

Permanent net take-home

£75,304/yr

£118K gross, 2026/27 rates

Outside IR35 (ltd), 220 days, no pension. Net figures are estimates; use the calculators for exact results.

Market Demand & Outlook

Hiring demand, top locations, and career outlook for IT Security Operations Manager

Moderate Confidence

Demand level

Low

Based on hiring signals relative to similar roles in this market.

Top hiring locations

LondonScotlandNorthern IrelandNorth West England

Career outlook

Outlook building

IT Security Operations Manager pay guidance is based on the current £118K median; year-on-year comparison data is not yet available for this role.

Skills That Command a Premium for IT Security Operations Managers

Certain technical skills push IT Security Operations Manager salaries in United Kingdom significantly above the £118K median. These are the most impactful skills to develop or highlight when negotiating.

SOC management

+18%

salary premium vs median

incident response management

+20%

salary premium vs median

SIEM platform management

+16%

salary premium vs median

threat intelligence

+18%

salary premium vs median

CISM CISSP

+20%

salary premium vs median

cyber resilience

+16%

salary premium vs median

How Much Does a IT Security Operations Manager Earn by City in United Kingdom?

IT Security Operations Manager salary varies meaningfully by location. Northern Ireland commands a +6% premium over the national benchmark (£125K), while London sits 0% at £118K. Location is worth factoring into any offer negotiation.

Compare this role

Put the IT Security Operations Manager benchmark in context

Compare adjacent roles, employer estimates, and published agency guides before you make a decision.

Why IT Security Operations Manager Salaries Are at This Level

IT Security Operations Managers in United Kingdom earn a median salary of £118K in 2026, with a typical range from £116K at the 25th percentile to £119K at the 75th percentile. This benchmark reflects published market compensation data for annual pay across the United Kingdom market.

Northern Ireland currently leads city pay at £125K, which is 6% above the national benchmark. City coverage for this role includes London, Scotland, Northern Ireland, South West England, North West England, Midlands, Wales, North East England, helping you compare local pay differences without needing separate city-role pages.

At experience level, and upper bands continue to trend above the median. Demand is currently steady for this role based on recent coverage and salary momentum signals.

Frequently Asked Questions About IT Security Operations Manager Salary in United Kingdom

1

What is the median IT Security Operations Manager salary in United Kingdom?

The median IT Security Operations Manager salary in United Kingdom is £118K in 2026. The typical range runs from £116K at the 25th percentile to £119K at the 75th percentile, based on published market compensation data.

2

Is IT Security Operations Manager salary increasing in United Kingdom?

Year-on-year trend data is not yet available for this role. Check back as the dataset grows.

3

How does IT Security Operations Manager salary vary by city in United Kingdom?

IT Security Operations Manager salaries vary across United Kingdom. Northern Ireland leads at £125K (+6% vs the national benchmark), while London sits at £118K. Use the city breakdown above to compare all locations.

4

What does a IT Security Operations Manager take home after tax in United Kingdom?

A IT Security Operations Manager earning the median £118K gross in United Kingdom will take home a net amount after income tax and other deductions. Use the PayMetric Labs take-home calculator on this page for an exact breakdown by tax band.

5

Is a £118K IT Security Operations Manager hybrid role worth the commute in the UK?

On a 3-day hybrid schedule with a typical UK commute (£15/day travel, 60-minute round trip, daily meal premium, annual wardrobe costs), your true net income at £118K is approximately £62,604 per year, compared to £75,304 net without any commute. The commute costs £12,700 per year in direct expenses and lost time. A fully remote role paying £89,800 would leave you equally well off.

6

What remote salary is equivalent to a £118K hybrid IT Security Operations Manager salary in the UK?

Assuming a 3-day hybrid schedule with typical commute costs, you would need a remote salary of at least £89,800 to match the true net value of a £118K hybrid IT Security Operations Manager role in the UK. For a 5-day fully in-office role, the break-even remote salary rises to £75,800, as the higher office frequency increases travel, meal, and time costs significantly.

7

How many hours per year does a IT Security Operations Manager in the UK spend commuting?

On a 3-day hybrid schedule with a 60-minute round trip, a IT Security Operations Manager in the UK spends approximately 138 hours commuting per year, equivalent to 17 full working days. Valued at the implied hourly rate for a £118K salary (£68/hr), that time is worth £9,440 annually.

8

How does the 2026 Return to Office trend affect IT Security Operations Manager compensation in the UK?

As more employers in the UK reintroduce hybrid or full in-office mandates in 2026, the true value of a IT Security Operations Manager salary depends increasingly on the number of required office days. At £118K, each additional day in the office costs roughly £4,067 per year in direct and time costs (moving from 3 to 5 days). Candidates evaluating offers should compare true net income rather than gross salary alone.

9

What day rate do you need to earn more than a IT Security Operations Manager permanent salary in United Kingdom?

A IT Security Operations Manager earning £118K permanently takes home approximately £75,304 per year after tax in United Kingdom. As a outside IR35 limited company contractor at 220 billable days, you need a day rate of at least £559/day to match that net income. Anything above that rate puts more money in your pocket compared to the permanent equivalent. Use the IR35 calculator at /uk/calculators/ir35-calculator for a full breakdown.

10

Is contracting more profitable than a permanent IT Security Operations Manager role in United Kingdom?

Whether contracting beats permanent pay for a IT Security Operations Manager in United Kingdom depends entirely on the day rate you can command. The break-even rate is approximately £559/day (220 working days, outside IR35 limited company), which is the minimum required to match the £118K median permanent net take-home of £75,304 per year. Day rates above this produce a higher net income; rates below it mean the permanent role pays more after tax.

11

How reliable is this IT Security Operations Manager salary benchmark?

This benchmark is derived from verified market compensation data and is rated Moderate Confidence. High Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only.

12

Is IT Security Operations Manager pay increasing?

There is not enough matched prior-year data yet to publish a reliable growth figure. Growth is matched using the closest comparable prior-year role, location, seniority, currency, and salary type available in the salary intelligence tables.

13

What should employers and candidates take from this benchmark?

Candidates should compare offers against the £116K-£119K middle-market band, while employers should treat £118K as the current market midpoint for this role.

Compare IT Security Operations Manager pay in another market

The same role has published benchmarks in these markets. Open each local page for its salary range, tax context, and city detail.

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