M&A Cloud Security Associate Director

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Cloud Security Expert to lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of cloud security controls across multi-cloud environments. This role will be for a 6/12 month contract.

This role will focus on Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP), and Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) using tools such as Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Wiz, or CrowdStrike.

The ideal candidate will have hands-on expertise in cloud security architecture, threat detection, and compliance enforcement, combined with strong knowledge of identity, network, and workload security in Azure, AWS, and GCP environments.

Key Responsibilities

Cloud Security Architecture & Governance

Define and maintain multi-cloud security architectures aligned with organizational security strategy and compliance requirements.
Develop and enforce cloud security policies, standards, and guardrails for Azure, AWS, and GCP.
Conduct threat modeling and risk assessments for new cloud services and workloads.

Security Posture Management & Tooling

Deploy, configure, and optimize Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Wiz, or CrowdStrike for CSPM, CWPP, and CNAPP capabilities.
Integrate security findings into SIEM/SOAR workflows and drive remediation with engineering teams.
Implement cloud-native security services such as Azure Policy, AWS Security Hub, and GCP Security Command Center.

DevSecOps & Automation

Embed security into CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, or Jenkins.
Implement policy-as-code and IaC security scanning for Terraform, Bicep, and CloudFormation templates.
Automate security controls and compliance checks using Python, PowerShell, or equivalent scripting languages.

Identity, Access & Network Security

Design and enforce least privilege IAM policies, role-based access control, and conditional access across cloud platforms.
Implement network segmentation, private endpoints, and firewall policies to secure workloads.

Monitoring, Detection & Incident Response

Configure and monitor Defender for Cloud, Wiz, or CrowdStrike dashboards for anomaly detection and threat alerts.
Lead cloud security incident investigations, root cause analysis, and remediation efforts.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or related field (or equivalent experience).
5+ years of experience in cloud security, with strong expertise in Azure and exposure to AWS/GCP.
Hands-on experience with Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Wiz, or CrowdStrike for CSPM, CWPP, and CNAPP.
Strong knowledge of IAM, encryption, network security, and container security in cloud environments.
Experience with DevSecOps practices, including IaC security and pipeline integration.
Familiarity with compliance frameworks (CIS, NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2).
Scripting proficiency in Python or PowerShell.

Preferred Qualifications

Certifications: Azure Security Engineer Associate, CCSP, or CISSP.
Experience with Zero Trust Architecture and micro-segmentation.
Knowledge of Kubernetes security (AKS, EKS, GKE) and container runtime protections.
Additional certifications such as Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Azure Administrator Associate, or Azure DevOps Engineer Expert are highly desirable.

Tools & Technologies

Cloud Platforms: Azure, AWS, GCP
Security Tools: Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Wiz, CrowdStrike, SIEM/SOAR platforms
IaC & Automation: Terraform, Bicep, CloudFormation, OPA/Conftest

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We are Grant Thornton

Grant Thornton Ireland is rapidly approaching 3,000 people, in 9 offices across Ireland, Isle of Man, Gibraltar and Bermuda. With a presence in over 149 countries around the world and a global network of 73,000 people, we bring our clients the local knowledge, national expertise and global presence to help them succeed – wherever they’re located.

At GT, we work as trusted advisors, bringing local knowledge and national expertise, with a global presence, to help businesses succeed – wherever they are located. We make business more personal by investing in building relationships and empowering our clients to make the right decisions for their organisation now and for the future. Whether that is working with the public sector to build thriving communities, with regulators and financial institutions to build trust, or with a diverse range of businesses to help them achieve their goals, Grant Thornton Ireland work hard to support clients to act on the issues that matter.

At GT Ireland we don’t just predict your future, we build it.

A Career at GT

Looking for a more fulfilling role in professional services? One where fresh thinking, collaboration and diversity are valued? At Grant Thornton we do things differently.

What does this mean for you?

A career in a more inclusive working environment, a more collaborative work culture, a more supported, flexible working role, more possibilities to grow and more opportunities to help shape the future for your clients. We respect and value your experience. And we want you to bring your authentic self to work and be at your best. It is how it should be.

Grow with us

At Grant Thornton, we care about our people and work hard to make you feel valued. If you are looking to deepen and develop your skills, knowledge, and experience throughout your career, then that is what you will get, and more.

Our Benefits

Please follow this link for information on our generous benefits package.

Equity, diversity and inclusion
At Grant Thornton, we provide equitable opportunities for all our colleagues. We are a responsible, sustainable business where equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) is at the forefront of our workplace culture agenda, and today, we continue to build and develop on our existing ED&I structure and strategy to meet our workplace culture needs. People are at the heart of our business and teams built with varied individuals present diverse viewpoints, which need to be heard and valued.

We are all at our best when we are able to be ourselves and we view integrity and authenticity as integral values to bring to our day-to-day work-life at the firm. We are excited to see the personality and perspectives you will bring to our team because we know we will all benefit from them. Diversity of thought, background and experience enables better decision-making, improves the quality of our delivery, and helps us to meet the needs of our clients. Our firm is built on people and their ideas, so we want to hear all the new perspectives and fresh thinking you have to offer. You form the bedrock of our firm’s best-practice principles and we will champion you as leaders from day one.

Reward and benefits
Our reward and benefits are designed to create an environment where our people can flourish. We are committed to building a culture where our people have access to the necessary benefits to help promote a healthy lifestyle and thrive.

Recognition
We want to create a culture of recognition and celebrating success, by saying thank you to people who surpass our expectations and recognising the right values and behaviours. Our Shout Out recognition scheme is our way of highlighting and promoting achievements. Whether you simply want to say thank you, celebrate a special occasion or give an award for doing something exceptional, you can do all of this and more through the scheme.

M&A Cloud Security Associate Director

Job Description