IT Project Lead Infrastructure

Our client is an established financial services organization with an international environment and a strong focus on security, technology modernization and the protection of business-critical applications.

We are looking for an experienced IT Project Lead to manage two strategic initiatives aimed at modernizing the organization’s web application security landscape.

The first initiative involves evaluating and implementing a cloud-based Web Application and API Protection (WAAP) solution to replace the existing on-premises Web Application Firewall infrastructure, which currently protects approximately 60 applications.

In parallel, you will lead a proof of concept to assess the migration of the existing appliance-based WAF platform to a Kubernetes-based deployment model.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading both initiatives from planning and evaluation through implementation and delivery
• Coordinating technical teams, business stakeholders, vendors and service providers
• Managing interdependencies across multiple workstreams
• Supporting the evaluation and selection of the future web application security platform
• Overseeing proof-of-concept activities and documenting the results
• Managing project scope, budget, timelines, risks and issues
• Preparing management reports, decision papers and steering committee materials
• Building stakeholder consensus and driving timely strategic decisions
• Ensuring clear governance, accountability and communication throughout the projects

• Proven experience leading complex IT infrastructure, cloud and/or cybersecurity projects within enterprise environments
• Strong project management expertise covering planning, execution and delivery
• Experience managing technology evaluations, proof-of-concept activities and implementation projects
• Good understanding of web application security technologies, including WAF, API security and cloud-based security solutions
• Familiarity with container platforms and Kubernetes-based architectures
• Experience coordinating cross-functional teams and multiple technical workstreams
• Strong vendor and service provider management experience
• Ability to prepare senior management reports, decision papers and steering committee materials
• Strong risk, issue, budget and timeline management capabilities
• Professional project management certification such as PMP, PRINCE2 Practitioner or IPMA Level C/B, or equivalent professional experience
• Strong leadership, organizational and stakeholder-management skills
• Structured, analytical and detail-oriented working style
• Ability to work independently and proactively in a dynamic environment
• Resilient, dependable and results-oriented approach with a strong sense of ownership
• Business-fluent German and English, both written and spoken (C1/C2)

Nice to have

• Cybersecurity certification such as CISSP, CISM, CCSP or equivalent
• Relevant cloud platform certification
• Previous experience modernizing enterprise WAF or WAAP environments
• Experience migrating appliance-based security platforms to containerized or Kubernetes-based architectures