Manager, Cybersecurity Operations

The Company

PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy. 

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third-party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers.

We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards.  Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade. 

Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day.  We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do – and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.

Job Summary:

This role within our Cybersecurity Defense Center is responsible for guiding day-to-day SOC functions, orchestrating multidimensional cyber defense strategies, and steering the organization’s incident response process from initial detection through remediation. This role emphasizes deep operational expertise and hands-on involvement during critical incidents, ensuring best-in-class cybersecurity operations and continuous improvement across the organization.

Job Description:

Essential Responsibilities:

• Leverage specialized security expertise to identify and resolve complex cyber threat management challenges, recommending best practices and determining new approaches that have an impact on broader security operations, while aligning security strategies with business priorities.
• Partner across teams and key stakeholders to drive security initiatives, leading and solutioning complex projects and programs to strengthen overall security posture.
• Apply advanced analytical skills and sound judgment to solve security challenges, considering diverse perspectives and innovative solutions. Stay current with industry trends and emerging technologies, understanding their security implications to the company’s context.
• Directly contribute to improvements within the security domain and occasionally beyond, ensuring decisions lead to meaningful enhancements in security practices and organizational resilience.
• Leverage relationships across teams, both within and outside of security, to influence initiatives and integrate feedback into cyber threat management.
• Develop and articulate clear plans and priorities for the team, guiding them to achieve security objectives while fostering a collaborative and high-performance environment.
• Lead by example, providing mentorship and support to ensure the team successfully executes on initiatives and goals.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience and a Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.

Preferred Qualification:

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and oversee the full incident response lifecycle, coordinating technical investigations and ensuring swift containment and remediation.

• Provide in-depth, hands-on technical guidance across various security disciplines (threat detection, analysis, forensics, remediation strategies) to junior analysts and cross-functional teams.

• Collaborate with infrastructure, application, and risk management teams to facilitate timely escalation, communication, and resolution of security events.

• Develop, refine, and maintain SOC playbooks, standard operating procedures, and protocols to continuously improve incident response capabilities.

• Champion proactive threat hunting and tuning of security tools (e.g., SIEM, EDR, user behavior analytics) to detect novel threats before they escalate.

• Engage with external entities (third-party vendors, consulting partners, industry intelligence groups) to enhance overall cybersecurity posture and adopt emerging best practices.

• Drive post-incident reviews, ensuring thorough documentation of lessons learned and identifying strategic improvements to bolster the organization’s resilience.

• Cultivate and mentor a high-performing SOC team, fostering an environment of collaboration, continuous learning, and operational excellence.

YOUR DAY TO DAY

• Oversee the Detection and Initial Triage of Potential Incidents

• Assign and/or Serve as Incident Commander for Declared Incidents

• Coordinate Technical Teams for Rapid Containment and Eradication

• Drive Continuous Updates in the SOAR Ticketing System

• Facilitate Collaboration with Legal, Compliance, and Regulatory Stakeholders

• Validate and Communicate Impact Levels During Incident Progression

• Orchestrate Post-Incident Root Cause Analysis and Postmortems

• Oversee Recovery Efforts in Coordination with Impacted Teams

• Ensure SOC Playbooks and Procedures Remain Current

• Mentor and Guide Junior Analysts on Incident Response Best Practices

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Demonstrated experience in a SOC or similar high-tempo security environment, with deep involvement in incident handling, digital forensics, and/or threat hunting.

• Solid hands-on knowledge of SIEM, EDR, threat intelligence platforms, and forensic tools, along with the ability to interpret complex data sets and logs during incident investigations.

• Familiarity with industry standards (e.g., NIST, MITRE ATT&CK) and best practices for incident response, with the flexibility to pivot across multiple cybersecurity disciplines.

• Exceptional communication skills, capable of effectively relaying complex security scenarios to executive stakeholders and non-technical audiences.

• Track record of leading technical teams or initiatives under pressure, ensuring high-quality deliverables during critical incidents.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related fieldor equivalent practical experience. Certifications such as GCIH, CISSP, or GCFA are advantageous.

• Adept at building strategies that proactively enhance detection, mitigation, and response capabilities over time.

JOINING OUR TEAM

As a Manager, Cybersecurity Operations in our Cybersecurity Defense Center, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and directing our global security posture. This position offers a unique opportunity for seasoned SOC professionals looking to expand their leadership acumen while remaining deeply involved in technical incident response. If you are committed to safeguarding critical assets, mentoring a high-performing SOC team, and driving continual improvements in cybersecurity operations, we invite you to apply and become a catalyst for innovation and resilience in our security program.

Subsidiary:

PayPal

Travel Percent:

0

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PayPal is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices.

Actual Compensation is based on various factors including but not limited to work location, and relevant skills and experience.

The total compensation for this practice may include an annual performance bonus (or other incentive compensation, as applicable), equity, and medical, dental, vision, and other benefits. For more information, visit https://www.paypalbenefits.com.

The US national annual pay range for this role is $137,500 to $236,500

For the majority of employees, PayPal's balanced hybrid work model offers 3 days in the office for effective in-person collaboration and 2 days at your choice of either the PayPal office or your home workspace, ensuring that you equally have the benefits and conveniences of both locations.

Our Benefits:

At PayPal, we’re committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. And we can’t do this without our most important asset—you. That’s why we offer benefits to help you thrive in every stage of life. We champion your financial, physical, and mental health by offering valuable benefits and resources to help you care for the whole you.

We have great benefits including a flexible work environment, employee shares options, health and life insurance and more. To learn more about our benefits please visit https://www.paypalbenefits.com.

Who We Are:

Click Here to learn more about our culture and community.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion 

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.  If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at talentaccommodations@paypal.com.

Belonging at PayPal: 

Our employees are central to advancing our mission, and we strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work with a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging at PayPal means creating a workplace with a sense of acceptance and security where all employees feel included and valued. We are proud to have a diverse workforce reflective of the merchants, consumers, and communities that we serve, and we continue to take tangible actions to cultivate inclusivity and belonging at PayPal.

Any general requests for consideration of your skills, please Join our Talent Community.

We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates. Please don’t hesitate to apply.