Job Description & Details
This is a senior-level information security leadership role centered on driving governance, risk management, and compliance for a state-level agency in Texas. If you enjoy shaping enterprise-wide security posture rather than just writing rules, this gig puts you right in the driver's seat of critical infrastructure protection.
What You'll Actually Be Doing
You will spend your days acting as the principal security advisor, bridging the gap between tech teams, executive leadership, and regulatory bodies. Expect to juggle risk assessments, draft bulletproof compliance strategies aligned with TAC 202 and NIST frameworks, and lead cross-functional teams through security audits. The real challenge here is balancing rigid state and federal mandates with the fast-paced, shifting priorities of a public sector agency.
The Core Tech Stack
You absolutely need a deep background in security frameworks like NIST and CIS Controls, alongside specific state and federal governance standards such as Texas Administrative Code 202, TX-RAMP, and FedRAMP. On the technical infrastructure side, familiarity with Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, and Entra ID is crucial since you will be dealing heavily with cloud environments, third-party risk management, and disaster recovery initiatives.
Interview Expectations
Expect the hiring panel to hit you with complex scenario-based questions regarding a severe third-party cloud data breach under strict state reporting timelines. They want to see how you communicate risk to non-technical stakeholders without causing panic. Another likely angle will be probing your direct experience navigating TAC 202 compliance audits, where they are secretly testing your ability to translate bureaucratic mandates into actionable security controls.
Application Advice
Skip the generic cybersecurity resume and tailor your bullet points to explicitly highlight your leadership in risk management and compliance programs. Make sure keywords like NIST, TAC 202, FedRAMP, and Azure are front and center to effortlessly clear the ATS screening phase. Emphasize any past experience presenting security strategies directly to executive leadership or state agencies.