Senior Director, IT Security

Kipp Houston Public Schools • Austin, TX

50d

About The Position

KIPP Texas seeks a visionary and strategic Senior Director, IT Security, reporting to the Deputy Chief of Information Technology. This pivotal role involves establishing and leading the organization's comprehensive Information Technology Security function, architecting and implementing a robust security framework, and driving a continuous, proactive approach to safeguarding KIPP Texas against evolving internal and external cybersecurity threats. The Senior Director will collaborate closely with IT leadership to shape and execute the IT security vision and strategy, ensuring the design, implementation, and ongoing operation of a resilient and forward-thinking security architecture that protects our students, staff, and data.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a closely related field, OR a minimum of 8+ years of progressively responsible experience in IT leadership, including significant experience within an educational environment.
• Demonstrated experience (5+ years preferred) in a leadership role managing and developing high-performing information technology security teams within a complex organization, ideally within K-12 education.
• Proven success leading and implementing large-scale technology transformation initiatives and major IT projects within an educational context, with a focus on enhancing security posture.
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification required.
• Proven ability to effectively communicate with, influence, and manage diverse stakeholders across the educational ecosystem (including senior leadership, school principals, teachers, staff, and potentially parents), building consensus and aligning security initiatives with organizational and academic objectives.
• Extensive experience and a strong understanding of technical cybersecurity domains including, but not limited to, network security, endpoint protection, data loss prevention (DLP), identity and access management (IAM), security operations (SecOps), incident response, and vulnerability management.
• Demonstrated expertise in securing cloud environments and applications, particularly within platforms commonly used in education (e.g., Google Workspace for Education, Microsoft 365 for Education, AWS, Azure). This includes understanding cloud security best practices, compliance, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Deep knowledge of cybersecurity risk management frameworks and a proven ability to apply them within a public school district context. Strong understanding of relevant educational data privacy regulations (e.g., FERPA, COPPA) and compliance requirements.
• Proven ability to lead and coordinate effective incident response efforts, develop clear communication strategies during security incidents, and manage cybersecurity crises with minimal disruption to educational operations.
• Ability to develop and lead comprehensive security awareness and training programs tailored for diverse educational audiences (students, faculty, staff), fostering a strong security culture across the organization.
• Experience in developing, implementing, and enforcing IT security policies, procedures, and guidelines that align with industry best practices and specific educational regulations.
• A strong team-oriented and collaborative mindset with a demonstrated commitment to knowledge sharing and a service-oriented approach to safeguarding the educational mission of the agency.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Business Administration or a related field preferred.
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification is a plus.
• Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) certification is a plus.
• Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) certification or demonstrated experience with IT Service Management (ITSM) best practices in an educational setting is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Leads the strategic development and execution of IT security programs, ensuring the effective protection, integrity, and availability of all educational technologies to further KIPP Texas'; mission and foster student success.
• Continuously tracks emerging cybersecurity landscapes and technological advancements in K-12 education, and strategically adapts by developing and implementing proactive security solutions.
• Ensures IT security systems and tools are functional and scalable to effectively secure and enable KIPP Texas' continued growth.
• Develops well-articulated business cases for investments in hardware, software, and cloud capabilities.
• Fosters a culture of continuous security improvement, actively identifying and implementing innovative ways to strengthen KIPP Texas' cybersecurity posture and enhance secure user practices.
• Actively promotes a strong IT security culture through ongoing awareness initiatives, while ensuring rigorous adherence to all internal and external audit requirements.
• Collaborates strategically with the Deputy Chief of Information Technology to ensure business and technological synergies are leveraged effectively across all IT functions to best serve the needs of KIPP Texas.
• Oversees the management of IT security services including continuous monitoring, threat response and investigations, security awareness, security audits and security systems updates and maintenance.
• Oversees the strategic management of KIPP Texas' IT security framework and leads daily security operations, threat intelligence, and incident response.
• Develops and implements clear IT security standards, incorporating relevant metrics (educational SLAs/KPIs), comprehensive documentation, and effective user communication and training strategies.
• Implements service improvements based on incident analysis and root cause, focused on preventing recurrence and enhancing user experience.
• Conducts regular stakeholder meetings for continuous service improvement, aiming to empower teaching and learning within a safe and secure environment.
• Holds responsibility for strategic financial planning, prudent expense management, and effective staff management within the IT service delivery functional area, aligning resource allocation with the educational priorities of KIPP Texas.
• Analyzes business needs, evaluates and recommends technical solutions, overseas sourcing decisions and scalable vendor management process to align IT Security with business needs.
• Analyzes the evolving technology needs of KIPP Texas and evaluates and recommends technical solutions that directly support IT Security needs.
• Establishes and manages clear procedures to ensure effective support coordination and seamless escalation between IT functions and resources across IT teams, minimizing disruption to educational activities.
• Provides tailored training for new employees on security awareness and best practices for working with KIPP Texas technology, information and data.
• Develop and implement workforce plans optimizing current and future IT security effectiveness for KIPP Texas' educational priorities.
• Manage SMART goals and performance reviews for IT support staff, directly supporting student achievement and operational efficiency.
• Provide leadership, targeted training, and ongoing development opportunities to cultivate a team with specialized skills in supporting technology for teaching, learning, and administration.
• Contributes to organization-level goals for talent development and growth.
• Work within KIPP Texas policies and adhere to relevant educational data privacy and technology use regulations and policies.

Benefits

• As a full-time KIPP Texas employee you are eligible to participate in all KIPP Texas' benefit plans. KIPP Texas offers a robust variety of benefits choices with competitive rates, including medical, dental, and vision options, life insurance, and disability plans.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Industry: Educational Services