Director of Security Engineering & Advisory

COMPANY OVERVIEW TENEX is an AI-native, automation-first, built-for-scale Managed Detection and Response (MDR) provider. We are a force multiplier for defenders, helping organizations enhance their cybersecurity posture through advanced threat detection, rapid response, and continuous protection. Our team is composed of industry experts with deep experience in cybersecurity, automation and AI-driven solutions. Backed by leading investors, we are rapidly growing and seeking top talent to join our mission of revolutionizing the AI-Native MDR landscape. We’re a fast growing startup backed by industry experts and top tier investors led by Crosspoint Capital Partners and also backed by Shield Capital, DTCP (formerly Deutsche Telekom Capital Partners), Deepwork Capital, and the Florida Opportunity Fund. Seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). As an early employee, you’ll play a meaningful role in defining and building our culture. Get in on the ground floor. We’re a small but well-funded team that just raised a substantial round – joining now comes with limited risk and unlimited upside. Culture is one of the most important things at TENEX.AI http://TENEX.AI—explore our culture deck at culture.tenex.ai http://culture.tenex.ai to witness how we embody it, prioritizing the irreplaceable collaboration and community of in-person work. ABOUT THE ROLE As Director of Security Engineering & Advisory, you will lead TENEX's dual-function security team — engineers who deploy and manage specialized security tooling AND deliver advisory services. You will build the advisory practice, develop the team, and serve as an executive-level presence with customers navigating complex security challenges. JOB RESPONSIBILITIES - Lead and scale the SE&A team across Cloud, Endpoint, Network, Identity, and AI Security domains - Own the dual-function mandate: every SE&A engineer deploys and manages specialized security tooling AND delivers advisory services - Build and mature the advisory practice — tabletops, maturity assessments, compliance readiness, board briefings, and security roadmaps - Partner with Sales on customer expansion opportunities driven by advisory engagements - Serve as an executive-level escalation point for customer security concerns and advisory deliverables - Define standards, methodologies, and quality frameworks for both the engineering and advisory functions - Continuously evaluate emerging security technology domains and advise on where TENEX should build or expand SE&A capability — informing decisions on whether to enter areas such as Endpoint, Identity, OT/ICS, or others - Hire, develop, and retain engineers across all security domains - Report to VP of Forward Deployed Engineering on team health, coverage, and customer outcomes REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS TECHNICAL & INDUSTRY EXPERTISE - 8+ years in cybersecurity with 4+ years in a leadership role - Broad knowledge across cloud, endpoint, network, identity, and AI security domains - Experience building dual-function teams that deliver both technical engineering and advisory services - Proven ability to develop and scale a security advisory practice - Strong executive-level communication and business development skills - Experience evaluating security technologies and informing market expansion decisions - Familiarity with compliance frameworks including SOC 2, NIST, ISO 27001, and CMMC SOFT SKILLS - Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills with a bias toward action - Excellent customer-facing communication and collaboration abilities - Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-performance startup environment - Passion for cybersecurity, automation, and continuous improvement EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience) - Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, GIAC certifications, Google Cloud Professional, Microsoft SC-200/AZ-500, or AWS Certified Solu