Principal, Technical Program Manager, Cyber Defense

TransUnion•Chicago, IL

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

Cyber Defense protects TransUnion by strengthening the organization’s ability to detect, respond to, and learn from cyber threats and operational events. The team connects incidents, detections, exercises, metrics, and strategic initiatives so operational activity translates into measurable improvements in Cyber Defense maturity. The Principal, Technical Program Manager, Cyber Defense reports to the SVP, Global Cyber Defense and serves as a force multiplier for the organization’s leadership team. This is a hybrid position involving regular performance of job responsibilities virtually and in person at an assigned TransUnion office location for a minimum of two days a week. The role establishes learning as a core operational activity, owns post-incident learning, defines operational metrics, enables the Detection Council, leads critical programs, delivers executive communications, communicates organizational outcomes, strengthens leadership operating rhythms, and supports the SVP with prioritization and execution across competing demands.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in Technical Program Management (TPM), Security Operations, or Engineering Program Management, with demonstrated ownership of complex cross-functional programs and measurable outcomes.
Experience working in or alongside Detection and Response, Security Operations, Reliability, or comparable technical teams, with the ability to operate across technical depth and executive-level priorities.
Proven ability to build and sustain operating systems, including leadership cadences, metrics, feedback loops, decision forums, action tracking, and closed-loop organizational learning.
Strong executive communication, facilitation, and narrative-development skills, including the ability to translate technical risk and operational work into clear decisions, priorities, and business-relevant updates.
Demonstrated high ownership and judgment, a systems-thinking mindset, execution bias, a low-ego approach, and ability to influence outcomes without direct authority.
Ability to define and manage operational metrics covering detection effectiveness, detection coverage, response quality, response speed, and learning throughput.
Experience designing and operating post-incident review processes, remediation tracking, feedback loops, and verification mechanisms that convert lessons learned into measurable improvement.
Advanced technical program management capabilities, including program planning, dependency management, risk tracking, issue resolution, escalation, and cross-functional execution.
Ability to create decision-ready executive materials, operating reviews, agendas, action logs, and concise program status narratives.
Technical fluency sufficient to engage effectively with Cyber Defense, Detection and Response, Security Operations Center (SOC), Detection Engineering, and Reliability stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience in Cyber Defense, a Security Operations Center (SOC), Detection Engineering, or Detection and Response.
Prior experience in business operations, executive program management, or a leadership-adjacent role supporting a senior technical or security executive.
Demonstrated experience building systemic learning practices that connect incidents, detections, exercises, and remediation work.
Experience operating leadership councils or decision forums requiring strong preparation, prioritization, accountability, and follow-through.
Experience communicating organizational wins, maturity improvements, and operational impact to executive and cross-functional audiences.

Responsibilities

Establish an end-to-end Cyber Defense learning system that connects incidents, detections, and exercises and produces prioritized, assigned, and verified improvements.
Establish and operate the post-incident review framework and cadence; facilitate blameless reviews focused on systemic improvement, track remediation actions to closure, and identify recurring or systemic risks.
Develop and evolve measures of detection effectiveness and coverage, response quality and speed, and learning throughput so leadership can assess maturity, identify gaps, and make informed decisions.
Operate the Detection Council as a decision-oriented forum, owning agendas, materials, decision records, prioritization, accountability, and follow-through.
Drive cross-functional Cyber Defense initiatives from planning through execution, including risk management, dependency tracking, proactive issue resolution, and timely escalation.
Translate technical work, operational risk, progress, and required decisions into clear, concise, executive-relevant narratives and updates.
Capture and communicate meaningful outcomes, improvements, and lessons learned to build a visible narrative of Cyber Defense maturity and impact.
Improve meeting hygiene and operating cadence through clear agendas, defined decisions, assigned actions, and consistent follow-through.
Support the SVP, Global Cyber Defense with prioritization, preparation, decision forums, and execution across competing organizational demands, exercising ownership, judgment, and discretion.

Benefits

Day-one eligibility for medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus supplemental plan options.
Spousal, domestic partner, and other eligible dependent coverage on select plans.
Tax-advantaged HSA and FSA accounts.
Company-paid basic life and AD&D insurance, optional voluntary life and AD&D for employees and their families, and short- and long-term disability.
Optional legal plan, pet insurance, and travel accident coverage.
Adoption assistance, fertility planning coverage, and caregiver support.
Dependent Care FSA, with possibility of an employer match, and a complimentary Care@Work membership.
Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave with eligibility for a gradual return.
401(k) with employer match and Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP).
Financial wellness resources and career coaching.
Optional long-term care insurance.
Tuition reimbursement.
Flexible time off for exempt employees or paid time off for nonexempt employees.
Up to 12 paid holidays per year.
Commuter benefits and employee discounts.
Charitable gift matching and paid volunteer time off, plus corporate volunteer events.
24/7 access to professional therapy, coaching, emotional well-being programs, guided meditation, and resources supporting physical, mental, social, and financial wellness.
Regular full-time non-sales positions may be eligible to participate in the annual bonus plan; certain positions may also be eligible for long-term incentives and other payments.