United States, North Carolina, Information Security Specialist jobs

Responsibilities

• The successful candidate will work with GPS engagement teams, supporting functions, and EY’s Client Technology and Global Information Security organizations to develop and maintain a security and compliance program across all environments, platforms and applications used or desired for use by GPS. Responsibilities include:
• Strategy, Governance and Risk Management
• Development and execution of a multi‑year cybersecurity strategy and investment roadmap aligned to business objectives and federal contract requirements.
• Development, management and maintenance of the GPS IT security risk management policy and/or procedural documentation mapped to NIST SP 800-37 (RMF), NIST SP 800‑53, NIST SP 800‑171, NIST SP 800‑161 (C‑SCRM), and NIST SP 800‑218 (SSDF)
• Ownership of the enterprise risk assessment (ERA), business impact analysis (BIA), and security metrics; present posture and material risk to the COO on a recurring cadence.

Defense Industrial Base Compliance (Classified & Unclassified)

• Manage GPS compliance with DFARS 252.204-7012, 252.204-7020, and 252.204-7021. This includes:
  • Leading DFARS/CMMC readiness and ongoing compliance.
  • Serving as the Affirming Official (AO) and maintaining an accurate SPRS self‑assessment score with defensible Plans of Action and Milestones (POAMs).
  • Achieving and maintaining CMMC certification at level 2.
  • Overseeing management and maintenance of POAMs.
• Ensure systems operated for the government are designed properly and assessed against the appropriate requirements such as FedRAMP, Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide, IRS 1075, and MARS-E.
• Ensure safeguarding and incident reporting obligations for CUI (e.g., DFARS 252.204‑7012 72‑hour reporting) are met; coordinate with DC3/DIBNet and affected customers when necessary.
• Oversee NISPOM compliance for classified systems; partner with FSO to achieve and maintain Authorizations to Operate (ATOs).
• Ensure proper handling of export‑controlled data (ITAR/EAR).
• Prepare for and lead Program through contractually required assessments and customer audits; keep evidence, policies, configurations, and logs audit‑ready.
• Respond to government inspections or audits in coordination with EY Information Security and Risk Management.

Secure Cloud, Identity & Enterprise Platforms

• Own security architecture and controls for Azure Government (Azure Gov) and Microsoft 365 GCC High tenants, including Conditional Access, PIM/PAM, encryption, logging/retention, and data governance for CUI.
• Implement Zero Trust principles across identity, endpoints, networks, and workloads; drive continuous verification and least‑privilege.
• Deploy and operate EDR/XDR, SIEM/SOAR, DLP, CASB/SSE/SASE, MDM, key management/HSM, and vulnerability/configuration management at scale.
• Oversee user authorization process and ongoing attestation of user authorization and access.
• Assist to resolve GPS practitioners’ access or other issues with Enclave environments.
• Ongoing development, coordination and sustainment of Information Security Continuous Monitoring (ISCM) Program across all applications within the environment.

DevSecOps & Secure SDLC

• Establish a software security program aligned to NIST SSDF (SP 800‑218) and EO 14028 expectations; integrate security into SDLC across GitHub and Azure DevOps.
• Govern AppSec tooling and policy: SAST (e.g., Checkmarx), DAST (e.g., Qualys/AppScan), SCA/OSS (e.g., Mend), IaC/container/K8s scanning, and Wiz/Wiz Code; enforce build‑time gates and remediation SLAs.
• Require SBOM generation, artifact signing/provenance (e.g., SLSA targets), and secrets management across all repositories and pipelines.

Detection, Response & Resilience

• Develop, manage and maintain GPS incident response program.
• Lead SOC and CSIRT functions: 24×7 monitoring, threat intelligence, purple/red‑team exercises, and executive tabletop drills.
• Maintain and test the Incident Response Plan and Cyber Crisis Playbook, including regulatory/customer communications and forensics preservation.

Effective Business Integration

• Ensure development of fit-for-purpose solutions that support the business activities.
• Manage integration of Firm applications into the GPS Enclave environment.
• Understand and facilitate communication of EY’s IT disaster recovery and business continuity plans to GPS clients, potential clients and engagement teams (including engagement team responsibilities).
• Augment existing Client Security Assurance reviews of data protection requirements contained in RFPs/RFQs to adequately respond, and assist in development of GPS client security and data protection (confidentiality) plans.
• Monitor regulatory or other developments in INFOSEC principles, regulatory requirements and leading practices.

Leadership, Team and Budget

• Role model a leadership style that brings infrastructure, application and cybersecurity professionals together to collaborate constructively on the design, implementation and operation of controls.
• Build and mentor a high‑performing organization spanning Policy/GRC, AppSec/DevSecOps, Security Engineering/Architecture, SOC/IR, and Third‑Party & Supply‑Chain Risk.
• Own the cybersecurity budget and vendor portfolio; rationalize tools and services for value, performance, and compliance.
• Participate in purchasing and enhancement of third-party tools for GPS.
• Augment and potentially streamline existing Vendor Supplier Risk Assurance Program during evaluation of subcontractor compliance with applicable cybersecurity and data protection clauses.
• Drive a security‑first culture: ongoing training, phishing simulations, secure coding education, and leadership engagement including data protection and awareness and role-based training programs.
• Coordinate and respond to annual (or more frequent) independent risk assessments and cyber security reviews.

Qualifications:

• 12+ years of progressive cybersecurity leadership, including 5+ years at the enterprise or business‑unit executive level.
• 5+ years FISMA related experience
• Bachelor’s degree in IT-related field or bachelor’s degree in non-IT related field with a total of 10 years of information security experience
• Master’s degree preferred
• Ability to obtain and maintain Top Secret clearance
• US citizenship required
• Must have government sector experience
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of:

• • FAR 52.204-21 Basic Safeguarding of Covered Contractor Information Systems
  • DFARS 252.204-7012, Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting
  • NIST SP 800-171, Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Systems and Organizations
  • NIST SP 800-53, Security and Privacy Controls for Federal Information Systems and Organizations
  • GSAM 552.239-70, Information Technology Security Plan and Security Authorization, 552.239-71, Security Requirements for Unclassified Information Technology Resources and similar clauses in agency FAR supplements
  • FISMA
• Specialized knowledge and experience with the implementation of the NIST Special Publication (SP) 800 family of publications, particularly those associated with the Risk Management Framework
• Proven experience in the Defense Industrial Base with DFARS/CMMC and NIST SP 800‑171 implementation and audits (including POA&M and SPRS management).
• Experience with FEDRAMP compliance authorization and monitoring
• Deep expertise securing Azure Government and Microsoft 365 GCC High environments
• Experience working with other Government cloud communities, including AWS
• Experience working with classified environments, achieving/maintaining ATOs, overseeing classified systems under NISPOM and DoD RMF, and working understanding of SCIF operations
• Knowledge and experience with vulnerability scanning execution, assessment, and analysis
• Knowledge and experience of networks, including LAN and WAN
• Knowledge and experience with application security, database security, and network security
• Experience with evaluating system, network, or infrastructure security controls against requirements such as FISMA, FIPS, and NIST guidelines
• Hands‑on leadership of DevSecOps and software security programs covering GitHub/Azure DevOps/Jenkins with SAST/DAST/SCA, IaC/container security, SBOMs, and supply‑chain controls.
• Demonstrated analytical, problem-solving, organizational, interpersonal and communication skills required.
• The ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including client-facing, legal, finance and contracting teams, executives, engineers, customers and assessors on a wide variety of tasks, as needed.
• Ability to foster professionalism and demonstrate integrity and confidentiality in all actions.
• Ability to demonstrate flexibility when required, sense urgency, organize and prioritize work, and achieve against tight deadlines.
• The ability to interpret and communicate regulatory requirements related to cybersecurity and data protection.
• Possession of excellent written/verbal communications skills.
• Possession of excellent analytical skills, including strict attention to detail.
• Ability to assess and weigh current and evolving security threats in an operational environment
• Possession of Information Systems Security Professional certification (CISSP)
• Certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CCISO, CCSP, CRISC, CISA, PMP, and relevant GIAC credentials preferred

The position reports to the Global Industry Strategy & Execution Lead. This is a permanent role.

Your key responsibilities

• Connect and collaborate: Be ‘the glue’ driving close connectivity and collaboration across the Sector, Super Region (SR), and Service Line (SL) teams and ensure alignment with global and SR enablement teams. Cultivate community engagement with the GCSPs that supports a view of client demand and buy in of prioritized accounts to drive growth of the Sector.
• Drive growth of Strategic and Premier Accounts: Work closely with GCSPs of the strategically important accounts in driving solutions and campaigns to fuel growth, while converting opportunities to wins for replication by strengthening relationships and working closely with SL and Region Account / Pursuit teams.
• Facilitate and drive execution: Support the shaping of the vision and ambition for the Sector in collaboration with the Global Sector Leader (GSL), SR Sector Leaders and SL representatives and drive end to end execution; Support the activities of the Sector Board ensuring disciplined and impactful board management. Understand and monitor macro-trends for the Sector and orchestrate the strategic planning cycle to drive growth, support prioritization and timely deployment of solutions, accounts and capital.
• Go-to-Market & ‘Big Bet’ Activation: Support GtM and operations teams to ensure effective delivery of the GtM strategy and execute Sector big bets and alliance initiatives. Involved in supporting capital allocation ensuring investments are prioritized against the Sector strategy to drive growth.
• Brand & Market Reputation: Jointly support with BMC and Insights, the right market reputation for the Sector including sector analyst relations and foster relationships with external parties to support EY’s strategic positioning within the Sector.

Skills and attributes for success

Ideally, you’ll have the ability to:

• work through high levels of stakeholder complexity, ambiguity, conflict and with abstract concepts
• identify innovative alternatives, digging into issues to surface core pain points
• Create and drive a project plan, and direct action with tact and diplomacy
• drive a program of work from start to finish
• easily shift between abstract strategic discussions and operational detail
• build trusted relationships and collaborate across dimensions of matrix

What we look for

• Bachelor’s/University degree or equivalent qualification required
• 10+ years current experience with EY or Global Professional Services firm track record
• As the job involves responding to clients' needs and varying time zones, flexibility to work extended hours