Cyber Security Manager

Gas Networks Ireland operates and maintains Ireland’s €3bn, 14,725km national gas network, which is considered one of the safest and most modern renewables-ready gas networks in the world.

Almost 725,000 Irish homes and businesses trust Ireland’s gas network to provide efficient and reliable energy to meet their heating, cooking, manufacturing and transport needs.

The gas network is the cornerstone of Ireland’s energy system, securely supplying more than 30% of Ireland’s total energy and over 40% of the country’s electricity generation.

Gas Networks Ireland is aiming to deliver a repurposed, resized and fully decarbonised gas network by 2045. Its “Pathway to a Net Zero Carbon Network” envisions transforming the existing gas network into two separate systems carrying 100% renewable gas, one dedicated to biomethane and the other to green hydrogen, with the potential to carry approximately 30% biomethane and 70% green hydrogen, as well as offering significant long term energy export opportunities.

Gas Networks is an organisation with a very strong legacy and a culture founded on pride in our purpose, to keep Irelands energy moving, and commitment to our vision, to be at the heart of Irelands energy future. Our organisational values demonstrate what is important across the organisation including building on our experience across our organisation to build towards our sustainable future, doing what's right for each other and for the people and communities that we serve and finally energised for the change of our future towards a renewable energy landscape. Throughout your career in Gas Networks Ireland, you will be part of an organisation that has a strong commitment to supporting and developing our workforce today and into the future. You will also have an opportunity to get involved in our ambitious iBelong programme ensuring a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for us all to thrive. Finally, our Time to Talk Mental Health programme and our wellbeing initiatives ensure we provide support across many areas as you work in our organisation.

The Role:

The IT function within Gas Networks Ireland is integral in providing operational, and customer focused services across the organisation. These services include Solution Delivery, Service Management, Service Operations, Performance, and Financial Management —covering not only traditional IT, but also Operational Technology (OT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS), delivered through a combination of in-house resources, and external service providers.

We’re looking for an experienced Cyber Security Manager to lead a talented internal team and a suite of managed security services that collectively protect our digital ecosystem. Reporting to the Security and Operations Technology Manager, you’ll own the strategic and operational delivery of cybersecurity across monitoring, response, risk management, compliance, cyber resilience, and control implementation.

What you’ll be leading:

• A Security Operations Centre (SOC) that monitors, detects, and responds to threats in real-time.
• A Cyber Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) ready to act fast when it matters most
•  A Risk and Vulnerability Management Team conducting comprehensive security and vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and community-wide threat analysis.
• A Security Operations Team responsible for implementing and managing enterprise-wide security controls—including firewalls, proxies, and modern threat detection tools such as Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), AI- and Machine Learning-based analytics, and User and Entity Behaviour analytics , all aimed at reinforcing cyber resilience by proactively defending against and mitigating cyber threats.
•  Management of third-party and managed security services, ensuring seamless integration with internal operations, performance oversight, and alignment with the organization’s overall security strategy.
•  Leadership in the development and continuous improvement of security processes and technologies—driving innovation through automation, adapting defences in response to emerging threats, ensuring security practices are in line with industry standards and regulations (e.g., NISD, GDPR, ISO 27001, NIST, Cyber Fundamentals Framework, ISA 62443) and fostering a culture of continuous learning and proactive security awareness across all teams.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage multiple cybersecurity teams, including the Security Operations Centre (SOC), Cyber Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT), Risk and Vulnerability Management Team, and Security Operations Team.
• Provide guidance, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to team members.
• Ensure 24/7 security monitoring and rapid response capability and maintaining team readiness.
• Oversee and coordinate the response to cybersecurity incidents, ensuring effective containment, investigation, and remediation.
• Direct post-incident analysis and lessons learned to continuously improve security posture and incident handling procedures.
• Develop and maintain incident response plans and playbooks to streamline actions during security breaches.
• Manage the implementation and ongoing operation of security monitoring tools (SIEM, EDR, IDS/IPS, etc.) to detect potential threats and vulnerabilities.
• Continuously analyse security events, logs, and alerts to identify malicious activity and emerging threats.
• Integrate AI and Machine Learning-based tools to enhance detection capabilities and improve threat analysis.
• Oversee the Risk and Vulnerability Management Team to identify, assess, and mitigate vulnerabilities across the organization’s digital assets.
• Ensure regular penetration testing, security assessments, and community-wide threat intelligence analysis to proactively address vulnerabilities.
• Conduct risk assessments to determine the likelihood and impact of potential threats, ensuring mitigation strategies are prioritized.
• Lead the Security Operations Team in the implementation and ongoing management of security controls—including firewalls, proxies, and advanced detection tools such as Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), AI- and Machine Learning-based analytics, and User and Entity Behaviour Analytics all aimed at reinforcing cyber resilience by proactively defending against and mitigating cyber threats.
• Develop and implement strategies that ensure the organization’s cyber resilience, focusing on the ability to recover quickly from disruptions while maintaining critical operations.
• Collaborate with business units to integrate cyber resilience into organizational planning, including disaster recovery and business continuity strategies.
• Conduct regular tests and simulations of incident recovery plans to ensure the organization’s ability to bounce back after an attack or breach.
• Ensure all security practices align with industry standards and regulatory requirements (e.g., NISD, GDPR, ISO 27001, NIST, Cyber Fundamentals Framework, , ISA 62443, etc.).
• Oversee and manage security compliance audits, ensuring adherence to required regulations and internal policies.
• Develop and enforce security policies and procedures that support compliance management and regulatory obligations.
• Communicate security risks, incidents, and strategies effectively to senior leadership and relevant stakeholders.
• Build relationships with external partners, vendors, and threat intelligence communities to stay informed about emerging threats and trends.
• Drive continuous improvement in cybersecurity processes, leveraging lessons learned from incidents and changes in the threat landscape.
• Evaluate and adopt new security technologies, ensuring that the organization remains at the cutting edge of cybersecurity capabilities.
• Lead efforts to automate and streamline security operations to improve efficiency, reduce response times, and minimize human error.
• Develop and present regular reports on the organization’s cybersecurity posture, including incidents, vulnerabilities, risk assessments, and key performance metrics.
• Track and report on key security metrics to provide transparency on progress and improvements.
• Provide actionable insights and recommendations for executive leadership to make informed decisions on cybersecurity investments and priorities.
• This is a leadership-focused role, but you will also be expected to engage hands-on with technical tasks as needed. Whether it’s responding to critical incidents, configuring security tools, or troubleshooting issues, there will be times when your technical skills will be called upon to ensure the security operations run smoothly and effectively.
• This role will at times require out-of-hours working to ensure continuous cybersecurity coverage across time zones and during incidents.
• This role may require participation in the on-call rota, ensuring rapid response and management of security events during non-business hours.
• Perform other duties as required from time to time.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Degree or equivalent in Information Systems or IT discipline with 10 years IT experience with a minimum of 5 years IT security experience.
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing cross-functional teams in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• In-depth knowledge of cybersecurity technologies, including firewalls, SIEMs, EDR, network security, and AI/ML-based threat detection tools.
• Knowledge of industry standards and regulatory requirements (e.g., NISD, GDPR, NIST, ISO 27001, Cyber Fundamentals Framework, ISA 62443).
• Strong understanding and experience with securing cloud environments (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), including architecture, security controls, and best practices for cloud-based security operations.
• Expertise in incident response, vulnerability management, and cyber resilience planning.
• Proven ability to assess, mitigate, and manage cybersecurity risks and complex issues at an enterprise level.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to present complex technical information to non-technical audiences.

Applications, including current Curriculum Vitae, should be emailed to the following address stating the job title and reference number in the subject line of your email: recruit@gasnetworks.ie

The closing date for receipt of applications for this vacancy is the 30^th April 2025.

Please note that applications submitted after this closing date will not be accepted.

Gas Networks Ireland is an equal opportunities employer

We are committed to providing a diverse and inclusive place of work and have a robust strategy and framework called ibelong to enable this. We are an equal opportunity employer and through our recruitment process we welcome and encourage applications from interested and suitably qualified individuals regardless of gender, age, racial or ethnic origin, membership of the traveller community, religion or beliefs, family or civil status, sexual orientation/gender identity or disability.

GNI will only hold your data for as long as necessary.  By providing a CV to GNI you are agreeing for GNI to process this information about you. If you have any question about how GNI processes your data please see our Privacy Notice.   If you have further questions, you can contact us at  DataProtection@gasnetworks.i