Junior Cybersecurity Operational Support Analyst (12 Months Contract)

SUMMARY:
As a junior SOC Analyst you will play a critical role in monitoring, analyzing, and responding to cybersecurity threats to safeguard the Bank’s mission, infrastructure, and donor-funded operations.

POSITION INFO:

KEY RESPONSABILITIES

Monitoring & Detection

• Continuously monitor security alerts and events from diverse sources (e.g., Firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPNs, M365, proxies, endpoints, etc) using a SIEM such as Microsoft Sentinel.
• Correlate logs and network activity to detect potential security incidents and policy violations.

Incident Response & Investigation

• Classify and triage alerts based on severity and impact, conducting root cause analysis and containment where applicable.
• Escalate complex incidents to higher tiers with well-documented evidence and context.
• Collaborate on incident response and remediation with IT infrastructure and application teams.

Threat Hunting & Intelligence

• Use threat intelligence feeds and contextual data to proactively hunt for threats and IOCs.
• Analyze trends in cyber threats, especially those relevant to financial institutions and donor funded ecosystems.

Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain detailed case records for all incidents.
• Contribute to the creation of daily handover notes, incident summaries, and quarterly threat reports.

Governance & Compliance Support

• Support cybersecurity compliance with AfDB standards and frameworks (NIST, ISO 27001, etc.).
• Assist during security assessments, audits, and SOC 2 self-assessments.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Technical Skills

• Network Security: Understanding of TCP/IP, firewalls, IDS/IPS, and VPNs.
• Operating Systems: Proficiency in Windows, Linux, and macOS security practices.
• Security Tools: Hands-on experience with SIEM (Microsoft Sentinel preferred), endpoint protection, vulnerability scanners, and log analysis platforms.
• Cloud Security: Familiarity with Microsoft 365 Defender Suite, Azure Log Analytics, and KQL (Kusto Query Language).

Analytical & Problem-Solving

• Critical thinking to assess alerts, identify false positives, and connect the dots between events.
• Investigative mindset with attention to detail in threat correlation and detection.
• Experience with MITRE ATT&CK, threat modeling, and behavior-based detection.

Soft Skills

• Strong communication skills for reporting and collaboration across diverse teams.
• Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple incidents, and meet tight deadlines.
• Passion for learning and staying current on emerging threats and tools.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Education & Certifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in IT, Computer science, Cybersecurity or related discipline with minimum of 2 years proven experience in SOC or cybersecurity operations
• OR
• Bachelor’s degree in IT, Computer science or related discipline with minimum of 4 years proven experience in in SOC or cybersecurity operations
• Industry-recognized cybersecurity certifications are strongly encouraged, including but not limited to: Microsoft SC-200, CompTIA CySA+ , CEH
• Familiarity with frameworks such as NIST 800-53, MITRE ATT&CK, ISO 27001, and SOC 2 is an asset.

Experience

• 2–4 years in SOC or cybersecurity operations, ideally in an enterprise or financial services environment.
• Understanding of Cybersecurity Operational models and technologies (cloud, automation, orchestration, analytics, and risk-based approaches).
• Demonstrable capability and experience in planning, implementing and operationalizing security technology projects.
• Understanding of cybersecurity, IT risk management, best practices, and standards such as NIST and MITRE ATT&ACK framework.
• Experience with Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR/XDR), automation (SOAR) and SIEM tools.
• Experience working with Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft 365 Defender, or similar platforms.

Preferred Competencies

• Experience with insider threat detection and user behavior analytics.
• Familiarity with Identity & Access Management (IAM), Zero Trust Architecture.
• Experience improving security monitoring and response effectiveness.
• Knowledge of international data protection and financial cybersecurity regulations.