Senior SOC Analyst

Senior SOC Analyst Manchester (Hybrid | 3 days per week in the office) Internal Level: Specialist Join Focus Group's growing Cyber Security team as a Senior SOC Analyst, where you'll play a pivotal role in protecting customers against evolving cyber threats. This position combines advanced technical investigation skills with operational leadership, giving you the opportunity to shape security operations, enhance service delivery, and support the development of the wider SOC team. You'll be responsible for leading security monitoring and incident response activities, driving continuous improvement across services, and acting as a trusted escalation point for both customers and colleagues. The Role As a Senior SOC Analyst, you'll take ownership of complex security investigations while supporting the day-to-day running of our Security Operations Centre. Working closely with Cyber Security leadership, you'll help strengthen our detection capabilities, improve operational processes, and ensure an exceptional service experience for customers. Key Responsibilities Oversee daily SOC activities, ensuring incidents are effectively prioritised, investigated, and escalated where requiredServe as the senior escalation point for high-priority security events and cyber incidentsInvestigate advanced threats across endpoint, network, cloud, and identity environmentsConduct proactive threat hunting exercises to identify previously undetected risksRefine detection rules and monitoring content to improve visibility and reduce false positivesCoach and support SOC Analysts, providing guidance, technical mentorship, and knowledge sharingMaintain high standards of ticket management, documentation, and SLA performanceAssist with the implementation and onboarding of new customers into managed security servicesWork collaboratively with internal teams to advance SOC processes, tooling, and operational maturityAnalyse security logs and telemetry to identify indicators of compromise and suspicious behaviourCreate and maintain operational runbooks, investigation procedures, and technical documentationProduce concise, customer-friendly incident reports and recommendationsParticipate in customer calls relating to incident response, service reviews, and security discussionsIdentify opportunities for automation and efficiency improvements across SOC operationsKeep abreast of emerging threats, attack techniques, and industry best practices About You You'll be an experienced cyber security professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys solving complex security challenges. You'll have a strong technical foundation, excellent communication skills, and a passion for developing others. Essential Skills & Experience 4+ years of experience within a SOC, MDR, or MSSP environmentStrong experience investigating and responding to cyber security incidentsHands-on knowledge of SIEM platforms such as Microsoft Sentinel, Splunk, Elastic, or similar technologiesExperience working with EDR/XDR tools including Microsoft Defender, SentinelOne, Bitdefender, or equivalent solutionsIn-depth understanding of threat detection principles, adversary behaviours, and the MITRE ATT&CK frameworkStrong analytical skills with the ability to investigate and correlate activity across multiple data sourcesConfidence managing critical incidents and making informed decisions under pressureAbility to communicate technical findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiencesPrevious experience supporting, mentoring, or supervising junior analystsStrong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities effectivelyA continuous improvement mindset and passion for cyber security Desirable Experience Industry certifications such as SC-200, Security+, GCIH, GCIA, BTL1, or equivalentExperience working within a managed security services environmentKnowledge of the Microsoft Security ecosystem, including Defender XDR and Microsoft SentinelUnderstanding of cloud security concepts and modern identity protection controlsExperience with KQL or other SIEM query languagesScripting or automation skills using PowerShell, Python, or similarExposure to SOAR platforms and threat intelligence solutionsFamiliarity with security and compliance frameworks such as ISO 27001, NIST, and Cyber Essentials Why Join Focus Group? This is an excellent opportunity to take the next step in your cyber security career within a growing and ambitious organisation. You'll work alongside experienced security professionals, influence the direction of our SOC, and play a key role in protecting customers from an ever-changing threat landscape. Career Progression Opportunities SOC ManagerSecurity Operations LeadDetection Engineering LeadIncident Response ManagerThreat Intelligence LeadCyber Security ConsultantHead of Security OperationsIND1