SVP Identity & Access Management

State Employees' Credit Union•Raleigh, NC

About The Position

The Head of Identity and Access Management (IAM) provides enterprise-wide strategic leadership for the strategy, governance, architecture, and delivery of SECU’s IAM program. The role oversees identity lifecycle management, access provisioning, identity governance, authentication, privileged access, non-human identities, AI agents, monitoring, and compliance. The leader establishes a modern, scalable, automated, and risk-based IAM roadmap aligned with business objectives, technology transformation, cybersecurity strategy, regulatory requirements, and information security standards. The role also leverages AI, machine learning, advanced analytics, and intelligent automation to strengthen identity security, improve operational efficiency, enhance access decision-making, and proactively detect and mitigate identity-related risks. The position leads IAM security, risk, compliance, identity governance, architecture and technology transformation, organizational development, operations and resilience, emerging identity capabilities, and financial, vendor, and portfolio management. It builds and develops a high-performing IAM organization; oversees IAM platforms and services; establishes operational support and service-management practices; and manages budgets, staffing, resources, vendors, and multi-year investment strategies. Remote working and remote options are available. The work environment may also include intermittent proximity to other employees in an office setting and some background noise. The role requires substantial sitting, using hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard and telephone, comprehending verbal and written instructions and phone calls, and lifting up to 5 pounds. SECU reserves the right to fill the role at a higher or lower level based on business need.

Requirements

12 years of progressive experience in IAM, cybersecurity, information security, or related technology disciplines, including enterprise IAM strategy and transformation.
At least 8 years of experience leading and developing high-performing teams, including managers and senior technical leaders.
8 years of direct experience, plus an additional 2 years in a management role.
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Information Security, or a related field.
Deep knowledge of IAM disciplines, including IGA, PAM, SSO, MFA, authentication, identity lifecycle management, access certifications, and non-human identities, including AI agents.
Experience with enterprise IAM platforms such as SailPoint, CyberArk, Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, or Ping Identity; cloud and directory services; identity federation and protocols; zero-trust architecture; least privilege; and applying AI/ML, automation, analytics, and emerging technologies to identity security.
Demonstrated expertise in enterprise security architecture, IAM policies, governance frameworks, regulatory compliance, audit, risk assessment, and control management; financial services or similarly regulated-environment experience is preferred.
Strong analytical, strategic planning, decision-making, negotiation, and organizational skills.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to comprehend and carry out verbal and written instructions and comprehend phone calls.
Ability to use hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard and telephone keypad, lift a telephone receiver, and lift 5 pounds; the job requires substantial sitting.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Business Administration, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, or a related field.
Experience leading IAM transformation initiatives within a financial institution, banking, insurance, healthcare, or another highly regulated organization.
Experience implementing or operating modern IGA, PAM, CIEM, identity analytics, and cloud identity security capabilities.
Experience implementing AI-enabled cybersecurity, identity analytics, intelligent automation, behavioral analytics, or identity threat detection capabilities.
Experience establishing governance and security controls for AI agents, autonomous systems, machine identities, and other non-human identities.
Experience with Microsoft Entra ID, SailPoint, CyberArk, Okta, Ping Identity, or comparable enterprise identity platforms.
Experience implementing zero-trust architectures and identity-centric security strategies.
Experience developing enterprise IAM metrics, KRIs, KPIs, executive dashboards, and risk reporting.
Strong knowledge of NIST, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, COBIT, FFIEC, SOX, GLBA, the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, and/or other applicable information security, AI governance, and financial services frameworks and regulations.
Experience leading regulatory examinations, internal or external audits, and remediation of IAM-related findings.
CISSP, CISM, CCSP, SABSA, SANS/GIAC, AI/ML, cloud security, or other relevant cybersecurity, IAM, or technology certifications.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic oversight of identity governance, access certifications, privileged access, service accounts, non-human identities, and identity lifecycle management.
Ensure compliance with applicable regulations and frameworks, including NIST, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, and COBIT; lead IAM risk assessments, control testing, and remediation.
Define enterprise IAM architecture, standards, and technology roadmaps, and lead modernization through automation, integration, and standardization.
Oversee IAM platforms and services, including IGA, PAM, IDP, MFA, and SSO, and partner with technology teams to embed reusable identity and access controls across enterprise, cloud, application, and AI environments.
Build and lead a high-performance organization; establish roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations; recruit, develop, mentor, and retain talent; support succession planning and career growth; and foster accountability, collaboration, innovation, customer service, and continuous improvement.
Establish operational support models, service-level expectations, documentation, incident and change management practices, disaster recovery, and business continuity capabilities.
Monitor service performance, availability, reliability, and customer experience while driving continuous improvement.
Develop IAM strategies for AI, intelligent automation, and emerging identity technologies to improve security, efficiency, risk detection, and user experience.
Establish governance and controls for AI agents, autonomous systems, machine identities, bots, and APIs, covering ownership, access, monitoring, human oversight, privacy, and accountability.
Develop and manage IAM budgets, staffing plans, resource allocation, and multi-year investment strategies.
Oversee vendor relationships, contracts, technology evaluations, and strategic partnerships; prioritize initiatives based on risk, compliance, business value, and available resources.
Lead complex enterprise programs, manage budgets and vendors, develop multi-year roadmaps, and influence executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
Translate complex technical, AI, security, and risk requirements into scalable solutions and influence executives, regulators, auditors, and business and technology stakeholders.