Head of Security Operations at Canonical

Role overview

Canonical develops Ubuntu and open-source software used in enterprise and technology markets. This role focuses on global security operations for an open-source technology company.

Responsibilities

• Lead or deliver technical work for global security operations for an open-source technology company.
• Set standards, architecture or operating practices for reliable systems and teams.
• Collaborate with globally distributed engineering, security, data and customer groups.
• Improve automation, documentation, observability and service quality.

Qualifications

• The SecOps team's mission is not only to secure Canonical, but also to contribute to the security of the wider open source ecosystem. They might share knowledge through public presentations and industry events, and share threat intelligence with the wider community or represent Canonical in sector-specific governance bodies.
• An exceptional academic track record from both high school and university
• Undergraduate degree in Computer Science or STEM, or a compelling narrative about your alternative path
• Drive and a track record of going above-and-beyond expectations
• Deep personal motivation to be at the forefront of technology security
• Leadership and management ability
• Excellent business English writing and presentation skills
• Confidence to report security performance metrics with accountability for accuracy and completeness

Technology in this role

• Linux: Listed by the employer as part of the role’s technical requirements.
• CAN: Candidates should have deep, hands-on expertise with a range of open source and proprietary security tooling and practices, which they can integrate into a holistic next generation security solution across the breadth of Canonical's .

Role-specific candidate guide

Preparation notes based on the employer’s stated responsibilities and qualifications.

Understanding the scope. This Head of Security Operations position at Canonical is best assessed through the work described in the employer’s posting, rather than the title alone. The available role overview says: “Canonical develops Ubuntu and open-source software used in enterprise and technology markets. This role focuses on global security operations for an open-source technology company.” Read that statement together with the responsibilities below to understand the likely balance between delivery, coordination and technical decision-making. The role belongs to the security area, but that label is only a guide to the work; the employer’s own requirements remain decisive. Before applying, check the original listing for reporting lines, product or team assignment, employment terms and any details that may have changed since this copy was checked. Where this page says a fact is not specified, treat it as an open question rather than an implied promise.

What the responsibilities signal. The posting specifically names “Lead or deliver technical work for global security operations for an open-source technology company.”; “Set standards, architecture or operating practices for reliable systems and teams.”; “Collaborate with globally distributed engineering, security, data and customer groups.”. For each duty, identify a project where you performed comparable work and be ready to describe the context, your own contribution, constraints, decisions, and measurable result. Explain how you moved from the initial need to implementation, review, release or operational follow-through, where those stages apply. If the work involved other teams or users, distinguish your decisions from the group’s contribution. Avoid presenting a technology keyword as proof by itself: connect it to the problem you solved, the scale or complexity involved, and what changed after your work. The source may contain additional duties; review it directly before preparing your application.

How to read the requirements. The listed qualifications include “The SecOps team's mission is not only to secure Canonical, but also to contribute to the security of the wider open source ecosystem. They might share knowledge through public…”; “An exceptional academic track record from both high school and university”; “Undergraduate degree in Computer Science or STEM, or a compelling narrative about your alternative path”. Mark each requirement as demonstrated, adjacent experience or a genuine gap, then use a concise example for the first two categories. A strong example explains what you personally owned, how you made trade-offs, how you validated the result and what you learned. If the posting specifies years of experience, language ability, certifications, location or eligibility, address those facts plainly in your CV or application rather than relying on the employer to infer them. Do not claim a qualification from exposure alone. For a requirement you do not meet, describe relevant transferable experience accurately and ask the recruiter whether it is mandatory.

Technology and working evidence. The technology terms associated with this listing are Linux. Treat this as a set of posting-derived signals, not a guarantee that every tool is used daily or that the list is complete. For each term relevant to your experience, prepare one concrete example: the system or workflow, the part you owned, the alternatives considered, and how you tested reliability, security, performance or usability as appropriate. If you have not used a named tool, explain the closest related system you have worked with and how you would ramp up; do not relabel that experience as direct production use. If the source describes technologies beyond this list, prioritize its exact wording.

Evidence to put in the.

Benefits

• Home-based arrangement and region stated in the official posting.
• Opportunity to work on Ubuntu and open-source technology used worldwide.

About Canonical

Canonical publishes Ubuntu and open-source software for enterprise and technology markets.

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