VP, Senior Incident Response Lead

Company: Synchrony Financial
Location: Stamford
Posted on: March 17, 2026

Job Description:

Job ID: 2600568 Job Description: Role Summary/Purpose The VP, Senior Incident Response Lead is part of the Synchrony Joint Security Operations Center (JSOC) leadership team. This position is responsible for identifying and leading the implementation of key initiatives that aim to enhance and mature the Synchrony detection, and incident response capabilities. Through collaboration with JSOC leaders, Cyber Intelligence, and other cross-functional teams, this individual will ensure Incident Response strategy and capabilities remain consistent with industry best practices, and act as a technical subject matter expert during complex intrusions. The ideal candidate will be an inquisitive and curious critical thinker demonstrating significant domain expertise across three or more security domains including threat intelligence, threat hunting, incident response, digital forensics, cloud security, security engineering, security operations, endpoint security or offensive security. Essential Responsibilities Spearhead key technical and strategic Incident Response initiatives with specific focus on Cloud Incident Response capabilities. Benchmark and implement industry best practices for incident response and cybersecurity operations, such as MITRE ATT&CK and NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF). Provide technical leadership and expertise to enable proactive detection of potential security threats and recommendations for improvements in overall security posture. Proactively identify, research, and dissect emerging attack techniques to develop custom detection, containment, and remediation plans to support the JSOC. Act as the technical SME for complex and priority targeted detection and response projects aimed at rapidly improving controls related to priority threats. Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams across intel, detection, engineering and technology to iteratively improve security controls and detection capabilities. Provide counsel to management regarding vendors and technologies, and interact with suppliers to ensure appropriateness of security tools and their configuration. Mentor, and upskill less-experienced team members across cyber operations through coaching collaboration and leadership. Interface with industry peers to acquire and share Incident Response best-practices in the sector. Qualifications/Requirements Minimum seven years of cyber security experience with at least five years focused on Threat Hunting, Incident Response, or Detection Engineering. Expert level abilities to collect and analyze forensic artifacts across multiple major operating systems (Windows, Linux, Mac). In-depth attack surface knowledge of one or more major cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP). Proficiency in using python or other similar scripting language to interact with APIs or manipulate large datasets for analysis. Bachelor's degree in computer science or a related discipline, or equivalent work experience in information systems or intelligence required, advanced degree preferred. One or more relevant security certifications (GCIH, GCIA, GCFE, GCFA, SANS, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, AWS Certified Security Specialty, or comparable). Desired Characteristics: Experience and familiarity with analytic standards and tradecraft Experience in the financial services sector Strong oral and written communications skills Strong analytical & critical thinking capabilities Expertise to clearly define complex issues despite incomplete or ambiguous information Eligibility Requirements You must be 18 years or older You must have a high school diploma or equivalent You must be willing to take a drug test, submit to a background investigation and submit fingerprints as part of the onboarding process You must be able to satisfy the requirements of Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. New hires (Level 4-7) must have 9 months of continuous service with the company before they are eligible to post on other roles. Once this new hire time in position requirement is met, the associate will have a minimum 6 months’ time in position before they can post for future non-exempt roles. Employees, level 8 or greater, must have at least 18 months’ time in position before they can post. All internal employees must consistently meet performance expectations and have approval from your manager to post (or the approval of your manager and HR if you don’t meet the time in position or performance expectations). Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required. We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas, now or in the future, for this job opening. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. Our Commitment When you join us, you’ll be part of an inclusive culture where your individual skills, experience, and voice are not only heard – but valued. Together, we’re building a future where we can all belong, connect, and turn ideals into action. More than 50% of our workforce is engaged in our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), where community and passion intersect to offer a safe space to learn and grow. This starts when you choose to apply for a role at Synchrony. We ensure all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. We’re proud to have an award-winning culture for all. Grade/Level 13 The salary range for this position is 155,000.00 – 260,000.00 USD Annual and is eligible for an annual bonus based on individual and company performance. Actual compensation offered within the posted salary range will be based upon work experience, skill level or knowledge. Salaries are adjusted according to market in CA, NY Metro and Seattle. Reasonable Accommodation Notice Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment. If you need special accommodations, please call our Career Support Line so that we can discuss your specific situation. We can be reached at 1-866-301-5627. Representatives are available from 8am – 5pm Monday to Friday, Central Standard Time Job Family Group: Information Technology

Keywords: Synchrony Financial, Stamford , VP, Senior Incident Response Lead, IT / Software / Systems , Stamford, Connecticut