Chief Information Security Leader — Higher Education

Maryland Connect; Patuxent Riding (MD); On-site; USD 140,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Bowie State University seeks a Director of Information Security to lead university-wide cybersecurity efforts. The role reports to the CIO and oversees the ISO and Information Assurance Specialists, driving risk management, regulatory compliance and security architecture across on-prem and cloud environments.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in cybersecurity leadership, CISSP, and a proven track record in complex, hybrid environments within higher education or large organizations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive cybersecurity leadership experience.
• CISSP certification required.
• Experience with modernization efforts including cloud-native security tools.
• Expertise in compliance frameworks (NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2).
• Strong knowledge of GDPR, CCPA and data protection laws.

Responsibilities

• Advise, develop and maintain a university-wide information security program aligned with regulatory standards.
• Oversee the ISO and Information Assurance Specialists and security operations.
• Advise on secure cloud infrastructure and zero-trust architecture.
• Manage incident response planning and post-incident reporting.
• Coordinate audits with state agencies, OLA and external partners.
• Develop, deliver and promote cybersecurity awareness initiatives.
• Collaborate with academic, research and admin units on secure data use.
• Manage cybersecurity vendor relationships and investments.
• Support CIO with grant applications and accreditation efforts.

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field

Advanced degree in Cybersecurity or related field

CISSP certification

Job description

Bowie State University seeks a Director of Information Security to lead university-wide cybersecurity efforts. The role reports to the CIO and oversees the ISO and Information Assurance Specialists, driving risk management, regulatory compliance and security architecture across on-prem and cloud environments.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in cybersecurity leadership, CISSP, and a proven track record in complex, hybrid environments within higher education or large organizations.