Data Security Operations Lead

Black & Veatch; Cary (NC); On-site; Full time

Job description

Job Title: Data Security Operations Lead

Location: Cary, NC, US; Overland Park, KS, US

Opportunity Type: Staff

Full Time

Responsibilities

• Oversee the continuous identification and mapping of all data assets across diverse environments, including cloud (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), databases, and on-premises systems.
• Utilize available tools to discover data stores and maintain a real‑time inventory of sensitive data, ensuring no blind spots in the data landscape.
• Collaborate with IT and business units to understand data flows and ensure comprehensive visibility into where critical data resides.
• Maintain and support a robust Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) framework to continuously assess and improve the organization’s data security posture.
• Identify and prioritize risks, such as misconfigurations, excessive permissions, or plaintext data storage, and provide actionable remediation recommendations.
• Monitor data stores for vulnerabilities and ensure proactive measures to reduce the attack surface across all environments.
• Develop and enforce Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies to prevent unauthorized access, exfiltration, or misuse of sensitive data.
• Implement and manage real‑time monitoring and controls to detect and block sensitive data from leaving secure environments and minimize false positives.
• Identify compromised instances, insider risk, or misconfigurations, providing context‑rich insights for rapid incident response.
• Lead the development of a proactive Data Detection & Response (DDR) strategy to detect and respond to data security incidents in real‑time.
• Coordinate with incident response teams to mitigate risk and ensure operational resilience.
• Ensure the data security program aligns with industry regulations (e.g.: GDPR, CCPA, GLBA) and internal privacy policies.
• Provide actionable insights to stakeholders to maintain regulatory compliance without disrupting business operations.
• Implement controls to ensure sensitive data is only accessible to authorized AI systems, reducing risk associated with AI‑driven data sprawl.
• Align data security initiatives with business objectives through coordination and cooperation.
• Communicate effectively with leadership, providing clear, data‑driven insights into the organization’s security posture and improvement strategies.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, ensuring the program adapts to evolving risks and technological advancements.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Cybersecurity, Information systems or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years in Cybersecurity with at least 3 years in a leadership role focused on data security or DSPM.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing data security programs.
• Hands‑on experience with data discovery, classification, DLP, and access governance tools.
• All applicants must be able to complete pre‑employment onboarding requirements (criminal/civil background check, drug screen, and motor vehicle records search) in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Cybersecurity, Information systems or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, CIPP or similar privacy certifications.
• 7+ years in Cybersecurity with at least 3 years in a leadership role focused on data security or DSPM.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing data security programs.
• Hands‑on experience with data discovery, classification, DLP, and access governance tools.
• Experience in modern data security frameworks, including DSPM, DLP, and DDR.
• Strong communication skills with both technical and executive audiences.
• Ability to translate technical risks into business impacts for executive stakeholders.
• Excellent project management, time management, and organizational skills.

Certifications

Must hold at least one certification such as CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, CIPP or a similar privacy certification.

Equal Employment Opportunity

BVH, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliated companies comply with all Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations. Black & Veatch does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, veteran status, pregnancy status or other status protected by law.