Senior Manager - Incident Response

Company Description

Freshworks makes it fast and easy for businesses to delight their customers and employees. We do this by taking a fresh approach to building and delivering software that is affordable, quick to implement, and designed for the end user. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Freshworks has a global team operating from 13 global locations to serve more than 65,000 companies -- from startups to public companies – that rely on Freshworks software-as-a-service to enable a better customer experience (CRM, CX) and employee experience (ITSM). 

Freshworks’ cloud-based software suite includes Freshdesk (omni-channel customer support), Freshsales (sales automation), Freshmarketer (marketing automation), Freshservice (IT service desk), Freshchat (AI-powered bots), supported by Neo, our underlying platform of shared services.

Freshworks is featured in global national press including CNBC, Forbes, Fortune, Bloomberg and has been a BuiltIn Best Place to work in San Francisco and Denver for the last 3 years. Our customer ratings have earned Freshworks products TrustRadius Top Rated Software ratings and G2 Best of Awards for Best Feature Set, Best Value for the Price and Best Relationship. 

Job Description

The Senior Manager of Cyber Defense will lead and manage the operational and people functions within the organization's cybersecurity program, focusing on Incident Response Management, Security Operations, End-User Security, and Threat Intelligence. This role is vital in ensuring a robust security posture, fostering collaboration across teams, and aligning security strategies with business objectives in a SaaS-based, modern organization

Qualifications

Key Responsibilities

1. Incident Response Management

   • Develop, implement, and lead the organization’s Incident Response (IR) strategy.

   • Oversee the identification, containment, eradication, and recovery of cybersecurity incidents.

   • Conduct post-incident reviews, root cause analyses, and continuous improvement initiatives.

2. Security Operations Management

   • Manage the Security Operations Center (SOC) to ensure proactive threat detection, monitoring, and response.

   • Implement and manage tools for Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Extended Detection and Response (XDR).

   • Drive metrics-based reporting to evaluate operational effectiveness and highlight areas for improvement.

3. Threat Intelligence and Threat Management

   • Establish and maintain a Threat Intelligence program to gather, analyze, and share actionable intelligence on emerging threats.

   • Leverage threat feeds, external partnerships, and open-source intelligence (OSINT) for proactive defense strategies.

   • Implement and manage Threat Hunting programs to identify potential risks and mitigate them before exploitation.

   • Collaborate with third-party vendors, government agencies, and industry forums to exchange threat intelligence.

   • Build threat models and prioritize threat mitigation strategies based on business impact and risk.

4. End-User Security

   • Drive initiatives to promote security awareness and implement secure practices for employees.

   • Deploy and manage endpoint security solutions, including EDR, DLP, and BYOD policies.

   • Oversee vulnerability management programs to identify, prioritize, and remediate security gaps in systems and applications.

   • Manage and enforce secure practices for Golden Image Management, ensuring consistent and hardened configurations for user endpoints.

   • Partner with HR and IT to address insider threats and employee-related security concerns.

5. Leadership and Team Management

   • Lead and mentor a team of cybersecurity professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous learning.

   • Manage team performance, resource allocation, and professional development plans.

   • Ensure alignment with compliance frameworks (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIST CSF).

6. Strategic Initiatives

   • Work closely with the CISO and executive leadership to align cyber defense initiatives with business objectives.

   • Evaluate and integrate new security technologies to stay ahead of evolving threats.

   • Drive metrics and reporting for cyber defense operations to measure effectiveness and ensure transparency.

• Education and Experience:

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or related field.

  • Minimum of 8-10 years of experience in cybersecurity, including at least 3-5 years in a leadership role.

• Technical Expertise:

  • Strong knowledge of cloud security frameworks (AWS, GCP).

  • Experience with modern security tools: SIEM (Palo Alto CORTEX XIAM, Splunk, Sentinel), XDR (CrowdStrike, SentinelOne), and endpoint security (Qualys, Crowdstrike) solutions.

  • Proficient in scripting and automation tools for security operations (Python, PowerShell).

• Certifications:

  • Industry certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CISA, CEH, or equivalent.

  • Cloud-specific certifications such as AWS Security Specialty, Azure Security Engineer Associate.

  • Certifications in Threat Intelligence and Management, such as CTIA or GCTI.

• Soft Skills:

  • Proven ability to lead, motivate, and manage cross-functional teams.

  • Strong problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making abilities.

  • Excellent communication and presentation skills for technical and non-technical audiences.

Additional Information

• Experience working in SaaS-based modern organizations with exposure to securing microservices, containers, and serverless architectures.

• Knowledge of Zero Trust Architecture principles and frameworks.

• Familiarity with compliance requirements such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS in SaaS environments.

• Demonstrated success in managing a diverse, multi-generational workforce.

• Experience with AI/ML-driven security solutions and orchestration tools (e.g., SOAR platforms).

• Fast-paced, collaborative, and innovation-driven culture.

• Focus on work-life balance with flexible working arrangements.

• Opportunity to shape and influence the organization's security posture.

At Freshworks, we are creating a global workplace that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion and ethnicity. We are committed to providing equal opportunity for all and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer work environment that advances the goals of our employees, communities and the business.