Are you passionate about protecting digital environments and staying one step ahead of cyber threats? Do you thrive in a role where your expertise directly safeguards an institution’s mission and people? SUNY Niagara invites you to apply for the position of Assistant Director for Information Technology Security a critical role in ensuring the safety, integrity, and resilience of our college’s information systems.
As a key member of the Office of Information Technology (OIT), the Assistant Director serves as SUNY Niagara’s lead security architect and strategist, responsible for designing, implementing, and managing robust security measures that protect our infrastructure and data. From network and firewall protection to Office 365 and VPN security, your work will directly impact every member of our campus community.
What You’ll Do
- Lead the development and execution of comprehensive IT security strategies to protect the College’s systems, data, and users.
- Design, implement, and maintain security and network infrastructures in alignment with industry best practices, SUNY standards, and regulatory compliance mandates.
- Serve as a senior-level administrator for centralized systems and networks, deploying advanced technologies to monitor, analyze, and respond to incidents in real time.
- Collaborate with the CIO and campus leadership on long-term IT security planning, architecture, and risk management.
- Work closely with SUNY-wide programs and external vendors to ensure the College’s participation in statewide cybersecurity initiatives and the deployment of secure, modern solutions.
- Communicate proactively with the College community to promote a culture of security awareness and compliance.
What We’re Looking For
- A strong understanding of IT security, including system hardening, intrusion detection, network architecture, and vulnerability management.
- Proven ability to independently research, deploy, and administer advanced hardware and software for comprehensive security assessments.
- Judgment and technical skill to assess the severity of threats and act decisively to mitigate them.
- Detailed Knowledge of best practices for security design
- Up-to-date knowledge of compliance mandates required by the College, and ability to factor them into network/security design
- Experience with system and network administration tools, monitoring solutions, and security auditing practices.
SUNY Niagara provides phenomenal benefits to our employees. Please visit https://www.niagaracc.suny.edu/hr/benefits to view our benefits offerings. SUNY Niagara’s exceptional work environment fosters growth and personal fulfillment. As an employee, you can expect:
Work-Life Balance: When employees can balance their work and personal lives, they are happier, more productive, and better positioned to support our students. At SUNY Niagara, generous paid time off, holiday, and leave policies make this possible. Our college closes for winter break from late December through early January and a week in mid-March for spring recess. In the summer, employees observe a four-day workweek, allowing them to enjoy all that Western New York offers.
Professional Growth: SUNY Niagara cares about employees’ professional advancement and development. You will have access to ongoing training, programs, and workshops. We support career growth and encourage employees to pursue further education.
Welcoming Culture: SUNY Niagara values the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice as they create a sense of belonging for our students and employees. We foster a collaborative culture that respects and appreciates different perspectives, ideas, and backgrounds which contribute to the richness of our institution. We believe that our diverse, inclusive community enriches the experiences of students and employees alike.
Meaningful Work: At SUNY Niagara, your work will directly impact the lives of our students and the region we serve. Our college is for all who are passionate about teaching and focused on supporting students. Our small class sizes facilitate engagement. You will shape students’ futures, prepare them for successful careers, and empower them to contribute to society. Your dedication and expertise will propel students to achieve their educational goals.
Become part of an institution that values employees, positively impacts students’ lives, and invests in its community.
Typical Work Activities:
- Performs risk assessment, audits, and security monitoring functions for networks and systems.
- Administers related systems to perform intrusion detection/prevention, packet monitoring, file/database integrity assessments, vulnerability assessments, and incident tracking.
- Monitors security systems, analyze security logs, and respond promptly to security incidents, conducting thorough investigations and implementing remediation measures.
- Prepare and present regular reports on the College’s security posture to College leadership, including metrics on vulnerabilities, incidents, and compliance status.
- Works with management, legal counsel, and law enforcement to respond to security incidents and requests for data/right-to-know.
- Reviews changes to firewall/network/and other infrastructure and approves or denies them.
- Design and architect security infrastructure, including firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, VPNs, NAC, monitoring, compliance, EDR, and other security technologies.
- Develop and implement security strategies, compliance strategies, policies, and procedures to protect the organization’s network infrastructure, systems, and data from internal and external threats.
- Assist in the development and execution of incident response plans, ensuring that the College is prepared to handle cybersecurity incidents effectively.
- Evaluate and select security products and technologies and provide guidance on their integration into the existing network infrastructure, working with vendors to design solution, obtain quotes as needed, and develop RFP/Bid documents to purchase solutions.
- Documents solutions and communicates effectively with supervisor.
- Administers IT security and network practices for the College – auditing existing systems, firewalls, Microsoft Office 365, and networks, working within OIT and committees to develop, document, and maintain security policies and procedures.
- Performs senior-level system and network administration for large-scale infrastructure systems.
- Develops and maintains advanced, senior-level knowledge of technologies and methods utilized by OIT.
- Serves as the primary OIT consultant for IT security implementations of new technical projects.
- Participate in conferences, meetings, and groups in higher education (such as EDUCAUSE) and SUNY-wide programs (such as ITEC, CPD, and OAS) and SUNY conferences (such as Wizards, CIT, and STC).
- Serve on College committees as assigned representing the Office of Information Technology Services.
- Provide training/mentorship for lower-level OIT employees when necessary.
- Develop and deliver cybersecurity training programs to educate staff and faculty on security best practices and threat awareness.
- Assist other OIT areas with providing technical services to the College community.
- Performs other duties as assigned by the Chief Information Officer.
Required Qualfications:
- Bachelor’s degree;
- Two (2) years of IT experience using a variety of systems and tools with a demonstrated increase in levels of responsibility,
- Technical work experience in a multiple server/network infrastructure environment,
- Experience managing the implementation of information technology systems;