Senior Mainframe RACF Security Administrator

Software International; Toronto; Remote; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Senior Mainframe RACF Security Administrator to lead security initiatives for a major bank project. This role offers the chance to leverage extensive mainframe expertise, ensuring compliance with security protocols while collaborating with diverse teams. You will play a pivotal role in maintaining system integrity, managing vendor relationships, and influencing organizational goals. With opportunities for both permanent and contract arrangements, this position promises professional growth in a dynamic environment. If you have a passion for technology and a track record in mainframe security, this role is your next big step.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in Mainframe technology and RACF security administration.
• Deep expertise in z/OS security and system programming functions.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical direction and subject matter expertise for stable environments.
• Collaborate with management and advise on risk mitigation and solutions.

Skills

Mainframe technology

RACF security administration

z/OS security

System programming

Communication skills

Relationship management

Tools

IBM tools

Vanguard Security tools

Job description

Software International (SI) supplies technical talent to a variety of clients ranging from Fortune 100/500/1000 companies to small and mid-sized organizations in Canada/US.

We have a Permanent or 12 month renewable contract as a Senior Mainframe RACF Security Administrator with our large consulting client, working on a long term project for one of Canada's largest banks. This could be an indefinite contract or a permanent role.

Role: Senior Mainframe RACF Security Administrator

Type: Permanent or Long Term Contract

Duration: 12 months to start + possible multiple extensions or a permanent role

Salary or Rate: approximately $180,000 - $230,000 + bonus as permanent employee or $100 - $130/hr + C2C - depending on overall experience

Location: Remote, Toronto, ON, Canada

As a Sr. Mainframe Consultant, RACF Security Administrator, you are responsible for providing technical direction and subject matter expertise to ensure stable, reliable environments for complex sharing initiatives in compliance with established controls, standards, policies, and procedures. You will collaborate with and advise senior management, utilizing your solid understanding of business dynamics to analyze and protect test environment integrity and mitigate risks, present alternative solutions, and recommend solutions using available resources for complex initiatives with key dependencies. You will provide technical leadership, interpret complex information, and coordinate client, provider, and vendor relationships to meet and manage service expectations, aligned to best practices. In addition, you will help to develop the team to maximize individual contributions and professional growth, while functioning effectively with your colleagues.

How you'll succeed

• Technical Expertise: You will leverage your solid technology expertise to review and analyze current client software and requirements to determine the most effective solution to include in business proposals; install, upgrade and customize ISV software tools in a multi-system z/OS mainframe environment, and help to ensure software and hardware remains current to avoid End of Support costs.
• Effective Communication: You will work to accomplish organizational goals that are consistent in supporting both IT and Business objectives, communicate effectively and patiently across technology teams to influence teams to adopt solutions to keep critical systems secure and operationally resilient. You will provide and document problem analysis, resolution, and prevention, designing procedures and best practice techniques, using IBM and ISV online tools for opening and managing problem report tracking and resolution. You will actively participate in periodic disaster recovery exercises, maintaining disaster recovery readiness of systems, and monitoring status of systems to proactively prevent issues from occurring.
• Relationship Management: You will collaborate with internal business partners in Application Development, Infrastructure, IT Operations, and IT Production Support to accomplish organizational goals that are consistent in supporting both IT and Business objectives. You will work directly with Hardware and Software vendors on solutions, build your network, and deepen existing relationships. You will leverage your verbal, written, and presentation communication skills to build strong partnerships, while influencing participants to mutually beneficial outcomes.

Who you are

• You can demonstrate a minimum of 10-years' experience in Mainframe technology operating systems or system programming experience and you are a security administrator and the focal point for planning security in the installation. In addition, you also have:
• An understanding of System z architecture and deep expertise on mainframe configuration and performance of RACF and related IBM, and Vanguard Security tools.
• Experience with z/OS security and z/OS systems programming functions.
• Understanding of RACF security protocols.
• Experience administering RACF security.
• Experience creating RACF Groups and Profiles for specific access by position.
• Demonstrated experience with the concept of "least privilege" when granting access.
• Understanding of the RACF structures that provide access to mainframe application transactions.
• Experience setting up Dataset Profiles as required.
• Worked with DBA to integrate RACF and DB2 access controls.
• Participated in Security audits and have demonstrated experience with security self-assessments.