Network Perimeter Security Operations Director

Responsibilities:

• The ideal candidate brings deep technical knowledge in network technologies, operational experience, cybersecurity, a strategic approach to overall network performance and security improvements, with a history of successful leadership in process optimization at the enterprise level.
• Service oriented mindset, strong organizational capabilities for running multiple highly technical projects and support activities across a large and complex environment.
• Lead the development and execution of strategic initiatives for infrastructure and perimeter security improvements.
• Work with executive leadership to align security process improvements with organizational goals and regulatory requirements.
• Provide expert guidance to internal teams and stakeholders on best practices for securing network and perimeter infrastructure.
• Conduct comprehensive assessments of current security processes related to infrastructure and perimeter defense, identifying areas of risk, inefficiency, and improvement.
• Develop and implement process improvements that streamline security operations and enhance the overall security posture of the organization.
• Establish clear KPIs to measure the effectiveness of security processes and improvements, providing periodic reports to senior leadership.
• Work closely with IT leadership, project managers, and other business units to support cross-functional initiatives and enterprise-wide projects.
• Communicate effectively with senior management and stakeholders to provide updates on network status, challenges, and initiatives.
• Participate in strategic planning and decision-making processes to align network infrastructure with the company’s evolving needs.
• Develop and implement a strategic roadmap for network growth and enhancement, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends, evaluating their potential impact on the organization’s network architecture.
• Lead the implementation of innovative networking solutions to improve performance, reduce costs, and enhance the user experience.
• Oversee the design and implementation of security architecture related to network infrastructure, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, VPNs, and other perimeter security measures.
• Ensure all infrastructure security solutions meet industry standards, compliance requirements, and best practices.
• Process creation experience aligning workflow with a support focus to improve the network experience for ABM team members.
• Ensure the stable operation of the corporate enterprise network including planning, developing, installing, configuring, maintaining, supporting, and optimizing all network hardware & software.
• Supervise day-to-day operations of their team making sure everyone is contributing appropriately, distributing the workload evenly while ensuring motivation and performance levels are maintained.
• Lead by setting a good example (role model) - behavior consistent with words. Create an environment oriented to trust, open communication, creative thinking, and cohesive team effort.
• Provide leadership and mentorship to members of the team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Ensure team alignment with project goals, facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing across teams.
• Encourage creativity, responsible risk-taking, & constant improvement amongst the team. Recognize & celebrate team & team member accomplishments & exceptional performance.  Intervene when necessary to aid the group in resolving issues.
• Strong Client Service focus, ability to communicate with both a technical and non-technical audience.
• Communicate clear instructions to team members & hold them accountable to goals & objectives.
• Provide regular status reports on tasks accomplished, current issues and progress toward goals. 
• Communicate to business clients, technical teams and management in a consistent manner making complex technical issues and solutions clear, simple, and understandable.
• Leads a team that provides level 3 support for client issues that cannot be resolved by other support tiers.
• Manage vendor relationships and evaluate the performance of third-party vendors and service providers.
• Provide capacity, performance, uptime, and security reporting as requested. Implement industry best practices in terms of availability planning, security, scalability, and change management.
• Ensure team member growth by actively communicating career progression and training plans as well as monthly status meetings with each team member.

Technical Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Information Systems or related technical discipline and/or related field experience
• 10 years’ experience as a leader in Information Technology 
• 7 + years of experience in Network Engineering
• 5 + years of experience in Security Operations
• 3 + years of experience with Cloud computing (Azure, AWS, or GCP)
• Experience with cloud-based security platforms (ZTNA)
• Experience with ServiceNow or another industry standard ticketing and change control system.
• Technology leader in the security space with solid foundation of network security, including IDS/IPS, firewalls, and DDoS mitigation techniques.
• History of Excellent Client Service Skills (communications & relationship management)
• Experience running multiple large technical projects simultaneously.
• Communicates well both verbally and non-verbally.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Ability to work effectively and with minimal direct supervision.
• Ability to translate business requirements to technical deliverables.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience as a team lead, managing people, as well as technology.
• Experience in the implementation & support of network & firewall technologies, specifically: CISCO, FortiGate, Checkpoint, Juniper, and/or Palo Alto, Virtual Firewall appliances
• Certifications (CCNP, CCDP, CWNA, CWNP, CCIE, CISM, CISSP CISA) or equivalent experience
• Knowledge in one or more: NIST 800-144, CIS, CSA-CCM, ISO (27040, 27017, 27001).
• Project Management, PMP and/or ITIL experience
• Enterprise Network Monitoring software experience (SolarWinds Orion)
• Strong knowledge of VoIP technologies, video conferencing systems, and collaboration tools (e.g., Cisco, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Ring Central).
• ITIL Foundation certification desired
• Must have the ability to provide documentation verifying legal work status.
• Ability to read and speak the English language proficiently to communicate with others, understand and interpret safety instructions, and to respond to inquiries.
• Ability to understand and comply with ABM guidelines and expectations, to include Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest guidelines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required.
• Ability to communicate program standards and requirements.
• Excellent analytical and quantitative skills and experience