ICT GRC - Firewall Governance Manager (fluent German required)
About the opportunity
We’re looking for an experienced Firewall Maintainer to join our second line ICT GRC team. In this role, you’ll act as the control owner and subject matter expert for network security governance across the bank’s firewall environment.
While the first line teams manage day-to-day operations and configurations, you’ll ensure that firewall management practices meet internal policies, regulatory expectations (DORA, BAIT, MaRisk), and industry standards. You’ll review, challenge, and guide the first line’s technical controls, perform independent assurance activities, and drive continuous improvement of firewall and network-related security controls across the bank’s infrastructure.
This role sits at the intersection of technical expertise and governance, ensuring that our perimeter security remains both compliant and resilient in a fast-changing regulatory and cyber threat landscape.
In this role, you will:
- Define, maintain, and enhance governance controls for firewall management in line with internal policies, DORA, and BaFin requirements.
- Conduct second line reviews of firewall configurations, rule changes, and network segmentation to ensure compliance and risk reduction.
- Challenge and assess the effectiveness of first line firewall controls, including rule review, change management, and logging or monitoring processes.
- Oversee and document key control testing activities for network perimeter and segmentation defenses as part of the ICT control framework.
- Support internal and external audits, as well as regulatory reviews, by providing evidence and technical context for firewall-related controls.
- Maintain visibility over firewall-related risks in the ICT Risk Register, ensuring mitigation actions are clearly defined, tracked, and reported.
- Collaborate closely with Security Engineering and Network Operations teams on architecture changes, rule optimizations, and incident response actions involving network layers.
- Monitor compliance with DORA, BAIT, ISO 27001, and NIST standards related to network and perimeter security.
- Provide governance input and technical advisory during firewall technology lifecycle reviews, vendor assessments, and control revalidations.
- Contribute to ICT GRC dashboards, reports, and control testing summaries shared with the CISO Office and Non-Financial Risk Committee.
What you need to be successful:
Background:
- 4+ years of experience in network security, firewall administration, or security operations, preferably in financial services.
- Strong understanding of enterprise firewall technologies (e.g., Palo Alto, Check Point, Fortinet, Cloudflare) and network security concepts (routing, NAT, VPN, IDS/IPS).
- Proven experience with firewall rule audits, configuration baselines, and security hardening practices.
- Familiarity with ICT control frameworks and second line assurance models.
- Working knowledge of EU and German financial sector regulations, including DORA, BAIT, and MaRisk.
- Understanding of ISO 27001, NIST CSF, or COBIT frameworks.
- Analytical and communication skills to translate technical findings into governance and risk context.
- Fluency in English and German required
- Firewall certification(s) (eg. SANS SEC503)
Skills:
- Combine strong technical knowledge with a governance and assurance mindset.
- Are proactive, detail-oriented, and comfortable challenging established practices.
- Can bridge the gap between technical teams and risk or compliance stakeholders.
- Want to influence how network and perimeter security is governed in a digital-first bank.
What’s in it for you:
- Accelerate your career growth by joining one of Europe’s most talked about disruptors 🚀.
- Employee benefits that range from a competitive personal development budget, work from home budget, discounts to fitness & wellness memberships, language apps and public transportation.
- As an N26 employee you will have access to a Premium subscription on your personal N26 bank account. As well as subscriptions for friends and family members.
- Additional day of annual leave for each year of service.
- A high degree of autonomy and access to cutting edge technologies - all while working with a friendly team of peers of diverse nationalities, life experiences and family statuses.
- A relocation package with visa support for those who need it.
Who we are
N26 has reimagined banking for today’s digital world. Technology and design empower everything we do and it’s how we are building the global banking platform the world loves to use.
We've eliminated physical branches, paperwork, and hidden fees for an elegant digital experience and supreme savings. Giving people the power to live and bank their way is what gets us out of bed in the morning and inspires the work that we do.
We are headquartered in Berlin with offices in multiple cities across Europe, including Vienna and Barcelona, and a 1,500-strong team of more than 80 nationalities.
Sounds good? Apply now for this position.
Equal Opportunities:
We recognize that our strength lies in our people and the varied perspectives they bring to our workforce. We strive to build talented and diverse teams to drive our business success and empower our people to reach their full potential.
We genuinely welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, neurodiversities, and ages. We're committed to creating an inclusive workspace where everyone feels valued and respected, free from harassment and discrimination. If there's anything you need to make the application process work for you, please let us know by reaching out to candidate.exp@n26.com.
Visit our website to learn more about Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at N26.
