ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

WiscNet is Wisconsin’s trusted research and education network, committed to our member community and its success. By honoring this commitment, we have grown our membership organization and maintained our reputation one of the most valued and secure network providers serving Wisconsin for over 30 years. Join WiscNet to discover a culture that is rooted in innovation and thrives on collaboration. Imagine loving what you do, where you do it, and contributing to a mission and vision that provides unprecedented service and value to Wisconsin.

This job is onsite in Madison, Wisconsin.

JOB SUMMARY

WiscNet presents an extraordinary opportunity for a dynamic Chief Information Security Officer to join our team. In this leadership role, you will be a driving force in shaping and executing our information security strategy, aligning activities with our mission and vision. Collaborating with security leaders among our membership, you will lead the development of solutions which utilize member and WiscNet resources alike to address the unique needs of the entire WiscNet community.

This posting is intended to fill the leadership role for Information Security within WiscNet. Your responsibilities include growing and mentoring a high-performing team of information security professionals as well as directly providing guidance and support to member organizations. Additional duties include fostering collaboration and professional growth, overseeing project work, managing budgets, and implementing WiscNet’s overall enterprise-wide information security program. You will provide leadership towards the goals of improving current solutions and expanding into new managed cyber and network security service offerings with and for WiscNet’s 500+ member organizations.

The position includes multiple programmatic and technical aspects of information security, including but not limited to vulnerability management, endpoint protection, application security, firewalls, web content filtering, security architecture reviews, Identity Access Management (IAM), MFA/2FA, server and systems hardening, and other related systems and/or services. Administrative and leadership aspects of service delivery will include vendor negotiation, contracting, costing, and pricing of services.

The successful candidate(s) will bring a senior level of experience, supervision, support, and knowledge of specific information security (IS) methodologies. You will play a pivotal role in setting the vision for security practices within WiscNet as delivered to the membership, operating at a leadership level, and diving deep into technical systems and problems where needed.

This position reports to WiscNet’s Chief Executive Officer and will work closely with all internal WiscNet teams to ensure success of member initiatives.This job is onsite in Madison, Wisconsin.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Vision

Lead the development and execution of WiscNet's information security strategy
Align security activities with WiscNet's mission, vision, strategy, and values
Stay informed about emerging threats and security trends

Team Management and Development

Manage and mentor a team of information security professionals
Define priorities and roles for the team
Foster a collaborative work environment
Promote a security-conscious culture through training and workshops

Operational Oversight

Oversee operational responsibilities of WiscNet's security services
Manage incidents, requests, provisioning, and maintenance of security systems
Participate in on-call rotation and after-hours changes/escalations as needed

Member Engagement and Support

Engage with WiscNet membership through workshops, conferences, and events
Perform virtual CISO services for members as needed
Collaborate with security leaders among the WiscNet membership and other state entities

Policy and Compliance Management

Develop, update, and maintain WiscNet's security policies, procedures, and standards
Ensure compliance with industry best practices and regulatory requirements
Conduct security risk assessments and implement mitigation strategies

Service Development and Innovation

Lead the development, improvement, and expansion of WiscNet's managed security service offerings
Evaluate and recommend security tools, technologies, and solutions
Provide technical leadership in IT service development

Project Management and Implementation

Direct project work, including hardware and software acquisition
Ensure successful implementation, completion, and documentation of projects

Related Skills and Competencies

Team Orientation:
Focus on building and maintaining positive and supportive relationshps with WiscNet members, Board of Directors, staff, community, and beyond
Balances team and individual responsibilities.
Exhibits objectivity and openness to others’ views.
Gives and welcomes feedback.
Puts success of team above self.
Serves as both a leader and supervisor, helping set strategy and implementing through direction, alignment, and direct report action.
Fosters a positive and productive team environment, with intentional efforts to support not just the work, but the people doing it
Problem Solving:
Demonstrates sound analytic and diagnostic skills dealing with issues that are loosely defined and/or where information is available but must be further manipulated.
Once decisions are made, follow and direct action to implement intended results.
Breaks a problem down to manageable pieces and implements effective, timely solutions. Openly and directly confront issues until resolved.
Planning and Project Management:
Works with, or serves as, the project lead in identifying those project tasks that are most important, establishes clear priorities and understands the larger picture.
Executes project tasks and creates documentation as required.
Collaboration:
Works closely with WiscNet members, government and other state leaders, vendors, service providers, and other research and education networking organizations across the country to develop strategies and solutions.
Shares experiences, information and guidance to any of these organizations whenever possible and listen openly to what they offer in return.
Collaborates with other WiscNet teams to develop strategies that reflect both the quality of our sevices and the varying needs of our membership

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree with 6+ years experience, Associate's with 8+ years, or 10+ years in IT/Security
Strong analytical, interpersonal, organizational, communication, and time management abilities
Knowledge of IT Security frameworks, regulatory compliance, and technical background in IT/InfoSec
Experience in communicating technical information to non-technical audiences
Ability to balance technical expertise with strategic thinking, including a willingness to stay open-minded and adapt, pursue unconventional ideas, and think creatively and cooperatively
Commitment to working collectively toward organizational goals, cross-collaborating internally and externally
Commitment to a service-oriented mission and non-profit values
Commitment to work onsite at WiscNet World Headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin

Preferred

Leadership: 3+ years managing IT/InfoSec teams
Certifications: CISSP, CISM, or equivalent; additional technical certifications (e.g., Cisco, Fortinet)
Practical Experience: Managing enterprise security platforms, understanding of key security concepts, IP routing protocols
Role-Specific: Previous CISO or similar leadership position
Industry Knowledge: Advanced understanding of emerging threats and trends
Business Acumen: Experience in contract negotiations and pricing

Compensation

Salary starting at $130,000/year based on qualifications.

Benefits

Excellent health insurance
Group Life insurance
Long-term disability
Flexible Spending Plan employer contribution
401K employer contribution
Paid vacation, personal time, holidays, and sick leave
Work-from-home flexibility

Hiring Timeline

Position will be open until filled. Applications review will start August 26, 2024.

WiscNet jobs

Chief Information Security Officer