Director of Cybersecurity Defense – U.S. Federal Programs (US Federal)

Workday•Reston, VA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Cybersecurity Defense Director for Workday Government is responsible for developing and leading the Cyber Defense implementation strategy, and continuous improvement of cybersecurity for our U.S. Federal Government customers and programs. This role will oversee a team of security professionals, drive compliance with applicable federal regulations and frameworks, and partner closely with internal and external stakeholders to protect systems, data, and mission-critical services. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in mature Security Operation Centers, U.S. Federal cybersecurity requirements (e.g., FISMA, FedRAMP, NIST, DoD, DHS/CISA directives), a strong technical foundation, and a proven track record of building and leading high-performing security teams in complex, multi-stakeholder environments. This role will support one or more direct or indirect contracts with the U.S. Federal Government which, due to federal government security requirements, mandates that all Workday personnel working on the contracts be United States citizens (naturalized or native).

Requirements

10+ years of progressive experience in cybersecurity, with at least 5 years leading security teams or programs.
Demonstrated experience managing cybersecurity for U.S. Federal Government programs, agencies, or contractors.
In-depth knowledge of key federal cybersecurity frameworks and regulations, including:
NIST RMF and NIST SP 800-53
NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)
FISMA, FedRAMP, IL (if applicable to your environment)
Relevant OMB, DHS/CISA, and agency-specific guidance
Proven experience leading security authorization/ATO processes and continuous monitoring activities for Federal systems.
Strong understanding of modern enterprise and cloud security, including Zero Trust, identity-centric security, network segmentation, endpoint security, and secure software development.
Demonstrated success in incident management, including coordination with internal stakeholders and, where applicable, federal authorities.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, Engineering, or related field; or equivalent work experience.
Advanced degree (Master’s) in Cybersecurity, Information Assurance, or related discipline.
Relevant security certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CISA, CCSP, GIAC (e.g., GSEC, GCIA, GCIH), or equivalent.
Experience with major cloud service providers (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and associated federal offerings (e.g., GovCloud, IL environments).
Experience working with or within agencies such as DoD, DHS, DOJ, Treasury, or Intelligence Community.
Background in secure system architecture, security engineering, or threat intelligence focused on nation-state and advanced threats.
Experience supporting proposal development, customer briefings, and formal audits/assessments.
Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to inspire and develop a high-performing team.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to convey complex risk and security topics succinctly.
Strategic and analytical thinker with a bias for action and the ability to prioritize in a dynamic environment.
Collaborative, customer-focused mindset with the ability to build trust and credibility with Federal stakeholders.
High integrity, sound judgment, and a strong sense of accountability and mission orientation.

Responsibilities

Define and execute the cybersecurity defense strategy for U.S. Federal programs aligned with organizational objectives, risk appetite, and regulatory requirements.
Establish and lead cybersecurity defense for Federal work, including policies, standards, and procedures that meet or exceed federal expectations.
Provide regular reporting on risk posture, incidents, and compliance status to executive leadership and Federal stakeholders.
Support the implementation and ongoing operation of federal cybersecurity frameworks including NIST RMF, NIST SP 800-53, NIST CSF, and ISO/industry best practices as applicable.
Oversee and maintain compliance with FISMA, FedRAMP (if relevant), DoD IL4+, and other applicable federal regulations, directives, and agency-specific requirements.
Support the security authorization/accreditation activities relevant to Cyber Defense operations (e.g., ATO processes), including control selection, implementation, continuous monitoring, and Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) management.
Manage third-party risk for vendors and partners supporting Federal programs, ensuring they meet required security standards.
Oversee day-to-day cybersecurity operations for Federal environments, including monitoring, detection, incident response, and threat hunting.
Develop and maintain incident response plans and playbooks in alignment with federal requirements, ensuring timely reporting and coordination with applicable agencies.
Coordinate cross-functional response to security incidents impacting Federal systems, from triage and containment through eradication, recovery, and lessons learned.
Partner with enterprise SOC, IR, and threat intelligence teams to ensure Federal-specific threats and requirements are fully addressed.
Provide architectural input and direction for secure design, implementation, and operation of systems that support Federal customers (on-premises, cloud, and hybrid).
Champion Zero Trust principles and modern security architectures tailored to Federal requirements and guidance (e.g., OMB, CISA).
Guide security technologies such as IAM, PAM, EDR/XDR, SIEM, encryption, data loss prevention, vulnerability management, and configuration management.
Ensure security is integrated into system development lifecycles (DevSecOps) and CI/CD pipelines supporting Federal programs.
Build, lead, and mentor a multidisciplinary cybersecurity team (e.g., security engineers, analysts, architects, compliance specialists) supporting Federal customers.
Set clear goals, performance expectations, and development plans to foster a culture of high performance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Promote collaboration with engineering, operations, legal, compliance, and program management teams.
Drive a security-aware culture across all teams working on Federal programs through communication and engagement.
Represent cybersecurity in engagements with Federal customers, auditors, inspectors general, and regulatory bodies.
Support business development and capture activities by contributing to proposals, RFP responses, and customer presentations related to security capabilities.
Communicate complex security and risk topics in clear, business-relevant language to technical and non-technical audiences.