Head of Workforce Authentication Services

Jobtailor; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 240,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor seeks a seasoned technology leader to direct authentication engineering and operations in a passwordless program based in Boston. You will own architecture, strategy, and regulatory alignment for Tier-0 services.

You will lead a global team, oversee audits, and drive multi-year plans, partnering with IAM oversight and CIAM leaders to ensure robust security and performance.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in technology, engineering, or security roles.
• 8+ years leading large-scale authentication engineering and operations.
• Deep hands-on depth across AD, Entra ID, Kerberos, LDAP, SAML, OIDC, FIDO2/WebAuthn, MFA.
• Proven regulator-facing and audit-facing accountability.
• Ability to defend control designs to multiple regulatory bodies.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic direction, engineering, operations and compliance posture of authentication platforms.
• Consolidate capabilities into a unified engineering and operations function.
• Own end-to-end execution for passwordless authentication initiatives.
• Develop a multi-year workforce authentication strategy and architecture.
• Partner with IAM, IGA, and oversight leaders to align with security goals.
• Drive vendor assessments and proofs of concept for passwordless tech.
• Ensure availability, DR, resilience, and capacity for Tier-0 services.
• Lead global team and evolve operating model; manage incidents and audit readiness.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Direction

Talent Strategy

Multidisciplinary Delivery

Accountable Ownership

Authentication Engineering Leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Cyber Security

Tools

CIAM

Privileged Access Management

Infrastructure Access

IAM Oversight

Workforce Authentication Platforms

Job description

• Lead the strategic direction, engineering, operations, and compliance posture of all workforce authentication platforms
• Consolidate capabilities across two towers into one accountable engineering and operations function
• Serve as engineering leader and owner for the Workforce Passwordless program
• Own end-to-end technical execution and elimination of password-dependent authentication protocols
• Develop and execute a unified Workforce Authentication strategy
• Define multi-year target authentication architecture aligned with technology and security strategies
• Partner with CIAM, Privileged & Infrastructure Access, IGA, and IAM Oversight leaders
• Lead technical design and rollout of technologies enabling passwordless authentication
• Drive vendor and product assessments and comparative proofs of concept
• Own authentication compliance with IAM standards and applicable regulatory frameworks
• Support Second Line, Third Line, and external auditor assurance activities
• Own evidence, RCSA control mapping, control testing readiness, and KRI/KPI reporting
• Lead remediation of audit, regulatory, and penetration-test findings
• Ensure availability, performance, resilience, DR, recovery testing, and capacity management for Tier-0 services
• Command major incidents involving authentication outages
• Manage operational interfaces with End User Computing, Platform Engineering, Production Management, Network, and regional IT heads
• Lead a globally distributed team and evolve the operating model
• Drive talent strategy, succession, engineering excellence, multidisciplinary delivery, and accountable ownership

Requirements

• 15+ years in technology, engineering, or security roles
• At least 8 years leading large-scale authentication engineering and operations functions, ideally in a regulated financial services environment
• Deep hands-on technical depth across Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID, Kerberos, LDAP, SAML, OIDC, FIDO2/WebAuthn, MFA, and federation platforms
• Proven regulator-facing and audit-facing accountability
• Ability to defend control design and enhancement plans to PRA, FCA, DORA, MAS, HKMA, APRA, and internal/external audit
• Experience operating Tier-0 critical services with strict availability, DR, and resilience SLAs
• Bachelor's Degree in Cyber Security or related technical discipline

Core Competencies

Demonstrates extensive expertise in leading authentication engineering and operations, with a focus on passwordless solutions and compliance with regulatory standards. Proven ability to manage critical services and drive strategic initiatives in a regulated financial services environment.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Authentication Engineering Leadership
• Passwordless Authentication Technologies
• Regulatory Compliance Expertise
• Active Directory and Identity Management
• Operational Excellence in Tier-0 Services

Hard Skills

• Active Directory
• Microsoft Entra ID
• Kerberos
• LDAP
• SAML
• OIDC
• FIDO2/WebAuthn
• MFA
• Authentication Architecture
• Control Design and Enhancement

Soft Skills

• Leadership
• Strategic Direction
• Talent Strategy
• Multidisciplinary Delivery
• Accountable Ownership

Certifications & Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Cyber Security

Industry Keywords

• Regulated Financial Services
• Audit Accountability
• Control Testing
• KRI/KPI Reporting
• Disaster Recovery

Tools & Technologies

• Workforce Authentication Platforms
• CIAM
• Privileged Access Management
• Infrastructure Access
• IAM Oversight