Principal Advisor, National Security & Resilience

The Southern Company; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Company seeks a Principal Advisor, National Security & Resilience to connect federal partners with company experts and translate intelligence into practical actions for cyber, geopolitical, and systemic risks to utility operations. The role collaborates across energy, communications, and financial services to address enterprise risks.

The position requires 8–12 years in federal intelligence or cyber operations, a bachelor’s in a security field, and TS/SCI eligibility.

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of federal intelligence or cyber operations experience; a master’s degree does not reduce this requirement.
• Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, intelligence, computing, engineering, technology, cyber policy, or a related security field, or equivalent experience.
• Willing and able to obtain a DoD Top Secret clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) eligibility.
• Knowledge of agency missions, capabilities, intelligence collection, and risk analysis.
• Experience handling classified and unclassified intelligence; knowledge of DoD and DHS information sharing and operational security.
• Knowledge of IFC/SCADA and energy systems, electric and gas sector threats, supply chain risk, foreign influence operations, and risks where OT and IT connect.
• Familiarity with NERC CIP, DOE C2M2, and NIST RMF/CSF; knowledge of incident triage, attribution, and escalation under NERC CIP and DOE guidance.
• Ability to use threat modeling, operational risk mapping, and geopolitical analysis to explain intelligence implications for utility operations.

Responsibilities

• Federal relationships: Maintain federal partnerships, represent company positions, and coordinate information sharing.
• Intelligence and advice: Explain classified and unclassified intelligence in business terms with recommended actions.
• Policy coordination: Advise leaders on threats and policy impacts; coordinate priorities with CISO and security staff.
• Cross-sector work: Coordinate with utilities, government, energy, comms, and financial services partners.
• Operational support: Help risk owners identify and mitigate enterprise risks across the company.
• Project delivery: Plan initiatives, identify gaps, address barriers, track commitments across teams.
• Partnership improvements: Establish contracts to enable high-level risk discussions with Title 10/50 customers.

Skills

Federal intel / cyber ops

TS/SCI eligibility

DoD/DHS info sharing

NERC CIP / DOE C2M2 / NIST RMF

Threat modeling / geopolitical分析

Cross-agency collaboration / influence

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, intelligence, computing, engineering, technology, cyber policy, or related security field

Graduate degree in cybersecurity, national security, energy systems, risk management, or related field

Job description

Principal Advisor, National Security & Resilience

Internal job category: Principal Cybersecurity Analyst
Location: Atlanta, Georgia or Birmingham, Alabama
Travel: Up to 50%

Job Summary

The National Security Liaison connects Southern Company with federal partners operating under Titles 10, 18, 19, 32, and 50. The role shares information and turns classified and unclassified intelligence into practical guidance on cyber, geopolitical, and systemic risks to utility operations, reliability, and national security. The role also coordinates activities across energy, communications, and financial services. It works with security, policy, government affairs, business teams, and peer utilities to address shared enterprise risks.

Required Qualifications

• 8–12 years of federal intelligence or cyber operations experience; a master’s degree does not reduce this requirement.
• Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, intelligence, computing, engineering, technology, cyber policy, or a related security field, or equivalent experience.
• Willing and able to obtain a DoD Top Secret clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) eligibility.
• Knowledge of agency missions, capabilities, intelligence collection, and risk analysis.
• Experience handling classified and unclassified intelligence; knowledge of DoD and DHS information sharing and operational security.
• Knowledge of IFC/SCADA and energy systems, electric and gas sector threats, supply chain risk, foreign influence operations, and risks where operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) connect.
• Familiarity with NERC CIP, DOE C2M2, and NIST RMF/CSF; knowledge of incident triage, attribution, and escalation under NERC CIP and DOE guidance.
• Ability to use threat modeling, operational risk mapping, and geopolitical analysis to explain what intelligence means for utility operations, grid reliability, and national defense.
• Experience briefing leaders, leading risk reviews, and working across agencies with military and civilian staff, executives, and contractors; ability to lead through influence.
• Strong judgment, analysis, problem‑solving, attention to detail, and written and verbal communication.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments and meet deadlines with general supervision.

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate degree in cybersecurity, national security, energy systems, risk management, or a related field.
• U.S. Intelligence Community experience and an established federal partner network.
• Knowledge of federal agency legal authorities, electric and gas regulations and policy, and global cyber threats to energy and financial services.

Job Responsibilities

• Federal relationships: Maintain federal partnerships, represent company positions, and coordinate regular information sharing on threats and incidents.
• Intelligence and advice: Connect federal partners with company experts. Explain classified and unclassified intelligence, technical findings, and law enforcement information in terms of business risks and recommended actions.
• Policy coordination: Advise leaders on threats and policy impacts. Coordinate priorities with the CISO staff, national security staff, government affairs, and business teams.
• Cross‑sector work: Coordinate activities with utilities, government, energy, communications, and financial services partners to address shared risks.
• Operational support: Help business teams and risk owners across the company identify and action enterprise risks. Identify ways to reduce operational risk or transfer it to state, federal, or other parties.
• Project delivery: Plan initiatives with leadership, identify gaps and unresolved risks, address technical and policy barriers, and track commitments and results across company and government teams.
• Partnership improvements: Identify and establish a contractual vehicle to enable high‑level risk, threat, and operational discussions, like arrangements in other sectors with Title 10/50 customers. Improve partnership processes, technology, and operations.

Behavioral Attributes

• Model Southern Company’s values of Safety First, Intentional Inclusion, Act with Integrity, and Superior Performance.
• Take responsibility for assignments and follow through on commitments.
• Know and follow company policies and practices.
• Communicate clearly and adapt the level of detail to the audience.