This article is part of an IT Career News series called Your Next Move. These articles take an inside look at the roles related to CompTIA certifications. Each article will include the role's responsibilities, qualifications, related job titles, and salary range. As you consider your next IT career move, check back with CompTIA to learn more about your job prospects and how to get there.
Once upon a time, a security operations center (SOC) was only necessary for large enterprise organizations. But as today’s threat landscape continues to evolve, companies of all sizes are building SOCs—and they need qualified people to manage them. If you have a background in cybersecurity and a passion for leading a team, then SOC manager may be a good next move for you.
What is a SOC manager?
A SOC manager leads the security operations team and reports to the chief information security officer (CISO). They supervise the team, provide technical guidance, and manage activities in the following ways:
- Oversees hiring, training, and evaluating SOC staff
- Creates processes
- Assesses incident reports
- Develops and implements crisis communication plans
- Creates compliance reports
- Supports audits
- Measures SOC performance metrics
- Reports on security operations to executive management
The SOC is the hub of an organization’s IT infrastructure. Every event logged within the organization is monitored by the SOC. For each of these events, the SOC must decide how to act. Therefore, the SOC manager should have a strong knowledge of incident management, problem management, and best practices for change management.
The SOC manager leads a team that usually includes cybersecurity analysts, cybersecurity engineers, and/or security architects.
How to become a SOC manager
The SOC manager is a senior-level management role that requires 8 to 10 years of experience. Most companies hiring a SOC manager are looking for someone with a bachelor’s degree in a computer-related field, with some requiring a master’s degree or equivalent experience.
Employers will also be looking for a candidate who has proven knowledge of monitoring, detection, incident response and automation to support security operations.
Equally important to the technical skills, a successful SOC manager must also be able to effectively lead a team of employees. Proven professional skills like excellent communication, ability to handle high-pressure situations, and good analytical and problem-solving skills are essential.
CompTIA SecurityX (formerly CASP+) covers these technical and professional skills—and more. CompTIA SecurityX is the pinnacle of cybersecurity certifications and is intended for IT pros who wish to remain immersed in hands-on enterprise security, incident response, and architecture.
CompTIA SecurityX proves SOC manager candidates have the skills required to:
- Architect, engineer, integrate, and implement secure solutions across complex environments to support a resilient enterprise
- Use monitoring, detection, incident response, and automation to proactively support ongoing security operations in an enterprise environment
- Apply security practices to cloud, on-premises, endpoint, and mobile infrastructure while considering cryptographic technologies and techniques
- Consider the impact of governance, risk, and compliance requirements throughout the enterprise
CompTIA SecurityX complies with ISO 17204 standards and is approved by the U.S. DoD to meet directive 8140/8570.01-M requirements. The next version of CASP+ will be rebranded as SecurityX (CAS-005) and will be available December 17, 2024. Updates will qualify the advanced skills required of security architects and senior security engineers to effectively design, implement, and manage cybersecurity solutions on complex enterprise networks. A minimum of 10 years of general hands-on IT experience, with at least five years of broad hands-on security experience, is recommended for those pursuing CompTIA SecurityX certification.
In addition to the certification, CompTIA will release a full suite of training products to help you learn and practice penetration testing and vulnerability management skills and prepare for your certification exam.
- CertMaster Learn: Learn at your pace with interactive lessons and videos
- CertMaster Labs: Get hands-on practice using real software applications
- CertMaster Practice: Test your knowledge and find out if you’re ready for the exam
- The Official CompTIA Study Guide: Learn and review exam objectives with our comprehensive textbook
Job titles related to SOC manager
- SOC analyst
- Cybersecurity analyst
- Threat intelligence analyst
- Vulnerability analyst
- Cybersecurity engineer
- Network security engineer
- Security architect
+ Means more
At CompTIA, + means IT careers. That means you can consider us your partner on your journey to becoming certified, finding, interviewing for and winning that new job role.
- We help you save money. Getting a CompTIA certification is an investment in your career but getting a discount can help. There are several ways you can save money on your CompTIA purchases.
- We help you decide how to take your exam. Scheduling your exam is the easy part. CompTIA exams are offered at testing centers around the world and through online testing, which is available 24/7, so you can test in person or at home. Learn more about your testing options.
- We help you land your next job. CompTIA certifications hold tremendous value in the IT industry and are highly sought-after by recruiters. They signify a proven competence and expertise in various tech disciplines, making individuals who earn these certifications stand out in the job market.
Will your next move be SOC manager? If so, download the exam objectives for CompTIA SecurityX to learn more.