Director of Information Security

Mission:

As the Cyber Security Director, you will lead and manage a highly skilled security team, ensuring the protection of enterprise information systems, networks, communications, and other technologies that support IDEA Public Schools’ operations and data security. Your role involves providing technical supervision and guidance, delegating work assignments, reviewing work products, evaluating staff performance, setting goals, and mentoring team members. You will oversee and approve the design and implementation of complex security enhancements across systems, networks, and cloud platforms. Collaborating with the security team and other departments, you will identify risks, address security design gaps, monitor regulatory compliance, and recommend changes to enhance the organization’s overall security posture.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the security team, ensuring effective performance and development of all team members.
• Provide technical supervision and guidance to the security team, ensuring high standards of work quality and security practices.
• Delegate work assignments and review work products to ensure alignment with organizational goals and security standards.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations, set goals, and provide mentorship to support professional growth and development of team members.
• Oversee the design and implementation of complex security enhancements across systems, networks, and cloud platforms.

Location:

This is a full-time remote position based in Texas with preference given to candidates who live in Austin, El Paso, Houston, Permian Basin (Midland/Odessa), Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, and Tarrant County (Fort Worth), or who are willing to relocate.

Travel Expectations:

• This role requires 20% travel to campuses across multiple regions.

What You’ll Do – Accountabilities

Essential Duties:

• Design, Implement and enforce network policies, standards, and configurations to ensure 100% BoY (beginning of year) deliverables by FDoS (first day of school) for all 149 campuses.
• Monitor network performance, troubleshoot problems, and outages to maintain 99.5% uptime for the year.
• Ensure 100% of network connected systems and resources are at a Security Maturity Level of at least "3 – Defined" in accordance with the Texas Cyber Security Framework and retain certification for ISO 27001 controls and clauses.
• 85% Employee Retention for entire IT team if staff count is less than 6.
• Cultivate internal talent to have resources readily available as business needs change by ensuring at least 2 IT cyber security-based community-driven educational opportunities or 1 cyber security-based industry certification completed by end of Q3 by each employee.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with other departments to identify risks, address security design gaps, and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Develop and enforce security policies and procedures to maintain a robust security posture.
• Monitor and report on the effectiveness of security measures, making recommendations for improvements as needed.
• Additional Duties as assigned.

Knowledge and Skills – Competencies

Make Sound Decisions:

This leader makes decisions that have a broad organizational impact. They consider the ethical, strategic, and operational aspects of decisions, ensuring they align with the organization’s mission and values. They also set policies on decision-making processes and standards to ensure consistency and alignment across the organization.

Manage Work and Teams:

This leader is responsible for coordination between teams, aligning team objectives with organizational strategy, and ensuring resource allocation is optimized across teams. They also mentor other team leaders to enhance their management skills.

Grow Self and Others:

This leader is involved in planning and implementing development strategies across multiple teams or departments. They ensure alignment between individual growth and organizational goals, and they develop programs that address the needs of diverse groups within the organization.

Build Trust and Psychological Safety:

This leader is responsible for ensuring team members feel safe to express their ideas and concerns. They proactively address conflicts and facilitate open communication, setting the standard for trust and safety within the team.

Communicate Deliberately:

This leader is responsible for communicating complex ideas and strategies across multiple teams or departments. They develop and deliver messages that align with organizational goals, ensuring that their communication strategies enhance team alignment and strategic execution.

Additional Skills:

• Superior troubleshooting, mediation, problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to work under varying degrees of pressure with flexible hours supporting night or weekend work as needed.
• Can effectively communicate with peers as well as leadership roles all aspects of your role and projects.
• Ability to mentor and coach team members.
• Proven forward planning and strategic thinking skills.
• Skilled at working with and instructing vendors and/or end users on troubleshooting tasks and/or projects.
• Professional experience in an IT role supporting multiple platforms and applications.

Required experience:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum 6 years of experience in an enterprise-level organization, K-12, or higher education within a Cyber Security team and at least 2 years within an IT leadership or lead role.

Preferred experience:

• Ability to obtain or have obtained a senior security certification (IE: CISSP, CISM) within the last 5 years.
• Knowledge of Network Switches, Routers, VPN, and firewall technologies.
• Knowledge of risk assessment tools, technologies, and methods.
• Experience using anti-virus software, intrusion detection, and content filtering.
• Experience designing secure networks, systems, and application architectures.
• Experience with basic protocols and tools such as syslog, snmp, and netflow.
• Experience planning, researching, and developing security policies, standards, and procedures.

Physical Requirements:

• Working on a computer and typing for long periods of time.
• Ability to lift 30-50 lbs. and the use of ladders and tools necessary at times for IT equipment installations and replacements.
• Valid driver’s license from state of residence and ability to travel within the United States of America using all modes of travel.

What We Offer:

Compensation & Benefits:

Salaries for people entering this role typically fall between $108,100 and $128,600, commensurate with relevant experience and qualifications and in alignment with internal equity. This role is also eligible for performance pay based on organizational performance and goal attainment. Additionally, we offer medical, dental, and vision plans, disability, life insurance, parenting benefits, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, referral bonuses, professional development, and a 403(b) plan. You can find more information about our benefits at https://ideapublicschools.org/careers/benefits/.

* IDEA may offer a relocation stipend to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.

Application process:

Submit your application online through Jobvite. Please note that applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Learn more about IDEA

At IDEA the Staff Experience Team uses our Core Values to promote human connection and a culture of integrity, respect, and belonging for all Team and Family members. Learn more about our Commitment to Core Values here.