Lead, Enhanced Authentication Services – VPN Technologies

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary business and technology owner for enterprise authentication services.
• Define and execute product roadmaps that align with security strategy, regulatory requirements, and business objectives.
• Ensure the delivery of highly available, resilient, and scalable authentication platforms.
• Own and oversee the following authentication and access technologies:
  Zero Trust Network Access (ZTA) solutions, Enterprise VPN platforms, Federated identity and SSO systems, Multi‑factor authentication (MFA) platforms, Customer authentication solutions, Network access control (NAC) and policy enforcement systems.
• Drive improvements in reliability, performance, and service availability. Implement automation strategies to reduce operational overhead and improve efficiency.
• Lead incident reduction initiatives and ensure proactive problem management. Establish and maintain SLAs, KPIs, and operational metrics.
• Manage staffing models and optimize resource allocation through automation and efficiency improvements. Drive cost reduction initiatives while maintaining service quality and compliance. Oversee budget planning, forecasting, and vendor management.
• Ensure adherence to enterprise security standards and regulatory requirements (e.g., PCI compliance). Partner with risk, audit, and compliance teams to address findings and strengthen controls. Maintain strong governance over identity and access management practices.
• Lead, mentor, and develop high‑performing technical teams. Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement. Build strong cross‑functional relationships across infrastructure, security, and application teams.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience.
• At least 8 years experience with management approaches, tools, and techniques for gaining the cooperation and support of others.
• At least 5 years experience with utilizing, configuring, and installing software for connecting distributed‑software and services across heterogeneous platforms.
• At least 10 years experience within a total Information Technology (IT) environment.
• Preferred qualifications:
  
  experience in large, regulated enterprise environments (financial services preferred).
• Knowledge of audit frameworks and regulatory compliance (e.g., PCI DSS).
• Certifications such as CISSP, CCNE, or related security/network credentials are a plus.
• Expertise in authentication technologies such as MFA, SSO, federated identity, VPN, and Zero Trust architectures;
  Network security and access control systems.
• Strong background in IT operations and service delivery.
• Automation and process optimization.
• Vendor and product management.
• Demonstrated success in driving cost savings and operational efficiencies, improving system availability, and reducing incident volumes.