Cybersecurity Offensive Specialist

About HALA

HALA is a pioneering fintech organization operating in the MENAP region, dedicated to transforming financial services and pioneering the future of banking for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By leveraging cutting-edge financial and technological solutions, HALA empowers SMEs to establish, manage, and expand their businesses with unparalleled efficiency. Through its subsidiaries, including HALA Payments and HALA Logistics, the company provides merchants with innovative tools to digitize payments, streamline sales operations, and enhance overall business performance. Founded in 2017 and licensed by the Saudi Arabian Central Bank, HALA continues to expand its footprint across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, driving digital transformation in the financial sector.

Role Overview

The Cybersecurity Offensive Specialist plays a pivotal role in safeguarding HALA’s digital infrastructure by conducting sophisticated offensive security assessments. This position involves simulating real-world cyberattacks to proactively identify and exploit vulnerabilities across systems, networks, and applications. The specialist is responsible for meticulously documenting findings, communicating attack pathways, and providing actionable recommendations to both technical and executive stakeholders. Collaboration with defensive security teams is essential to validate and enhance detection and response capabilities, ensuring the organization remains resilient against advanced threats. This role requires a strategic mindset, technical expertise, and the ability to translate complex security risks into clear, impactful insights for stakeholders at all levels.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct Offensive Security Assessments: Perform red teaming, adversary simulations, and penetration testing in alignment with SAMA CSF and NCA ECC requirements to evaluate HALA’s security posture against sophisticated threats.
• Execute Controlled Attack Exercises: Perform targeted assessments on applications, cloud environments, APIs, and payment/merchant platforms to validate the real-world exploitability of vulnerabilities and assess potential business impact.
• Advanced Penetration Testing & Code Reviews: Identify deeply rooted vulnerabilities through penetration testing and source code reviews, and collaborate with defense and SOC teams to validate detection mechanisms and improve response strategies.
• Maintain Offensive Tooling & Lab Environments: Develop and maintain specialized offensive security tools and lab environments while strictly adhering to rules of engagement to ensure safe, non-disruptive testing.
• Deliver Actionable Remediation Guidance: Provide clear, detailed remediation recommendations to product and engineering teams, and support the tracking and closure of critical security findings to mitigate risks effectively.
• Ensure Compliance & Audit Readiness: Maintain comprehensive documentation of assessment activities, evidence, and reporting to align with SAMA CSF and NCA ECC control objectives, supporting audit requirements and regulatory expectations.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience: 3-5 years in offensive security, penetration testing, or a related field.
• Certifications: Required – At least one recognized offensive security certification such as OSCP, CRTO, or eCPPT (or equivalent). Preferred – Additional certifications such as OSEP, OSWE, GXPN, GWAPT, GPEN, CRTP, or CRTE to demonstrate advanced expertise in red teaming and adversary simulation.

What We Offer

At HALA, we foster an inclusive and diverse culture that values innovation, flexibility, and collaboration. Our work environment supports remote, in-office, and hybrid setups, allowing you to tailor your work style to your needs. We provide highly competitive compensation packages, including the potential for equity, to recognize and reward your contributions. Personal and professional growth is a priority, with regular training opportunities and an annual learning stipend to help you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.

Join a dynamic team of over 30 nationalities working across seven countries, where you’ll gain invaluable experience in a high-growth fintech environment. We empower you with autonomy, mentorship, and challenging goals, fostering an environment where exceptional results thrive. Your expertise will be trusted, and your ideas will be valued as we collectively drive innovation and excellence in the financial technology sector.