Company Description
MaxAB is re-engineering Africa's informal retail sector through a B2B e-commerce and fintech super app. Since launching in 2018, we've connected over 150,000 traditional retailers with suppliers, delivering 2.5+ million orders across Egypt and Morocco. Our fintech business now generates more revenue than e-commerce, with over $180 million in sales last year. Following our merger with Wasoko, we're expanding across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Position Overview
We are seeking a skilled Cyber Security Engineer to join our security team and help safeguard our fintech infrastructure, applications, and data. You will play a critical role in identifying vulnerabilities, implementing security controls, and ensuring compliance with financial industry regulations. This position requires both technical expertise and the ability to work cross-functionally with engineering, product, and compliance teams.
Key Responsibilities
Security Architecture & Implementation
- Design, implement, and maintain security controls across cloud infrastructure, applications, and networks
- Develop and enforce security standards, policies, and procedures aligned with fintech industry best practices
- Architect secure solutions for payment processing, API integrations, and data storage systems
- Implement and manage security tools including SIEM, IDS/IPS, WAF, DLP, and endpoint protection
Threat Detection & Response
- Monitor security alerts and respond to security incidents in a timely manner
- Conduct threat hunting activities to proactively identify potential security risks
- Lead incident response efforts, including forensic analysis and root cause investigation
- Develop and maintain incident response playbooks and disaster recovery procedures
Vulnerability Management
- Perform regular security assessments, penetration testing, and vulnerability scans
- Conduct code reviews and security assessments of applications and infrastructure
- Work with development teams to remediate identified vulnerabilities
- Manage bug bounty programs and coordinate with external security researchers
Compliance & Risk Management
- Ensure compliance with relevant regulations (PCI-DSS, GDPR, local data protection laws)
- Support internal and external security audits
- Conduct security risk assessments for new products, features, and third-party integrations
- Maintain security documentation and evidence for compliance requirements
Security Awareness & Collaboration
- Provide security guidance and training to engineering and operations teams
- Participate in design reviews and provide security recommendations
- Build security champions program across engineering teams
- Stay current with emerging threats, vulnerabilities, and security technologies
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or related field
- 3-5 years of experience in cybersecurity, with preference for fintech or financial services experience
- Strong understanding of security frameworks (OWASP, NIST, ISO 27001)
- Hands-on experience with cloud security (AWS, GCP, or Azure)
- Proficiency in security tools and technologies (SIEM, IDS/IPS, WAF, vulnerability scanners)
- Experience with secure coding practices and application security testing
- Knowledge of network security, cryptography, and authentication mechanisms
- Understanding of PCI-DSS and other financial industry compliance requirements
- Scripting skills in Python, Bash, or similar languages for automation
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
Preferred Qualifications
- Professional security certifications (CISSP, CEH, OSCP, GIAC, or similar)
- Experience with DevSecOps and security automation in CI/CD pipelines
- Knowledge of container security (Docker, Kubernetes)
- Experience with payment systems and financial transaction security
- Familiarity with fraud detection and prevention mechanisms
- Experience with security orchestration and automation (SOAR)
- Prior experience in a fast-paced startup environment
