New federal CISO needs experience, technical know-how
A job listing for the promised new federal chief information security officer is now online, providing more details about the position that President Barack Obama created Tuesday as part of his national action plan to bolster cybersecurity.
The new CISO, who will report to federal CIO Tony Scott, will work in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and agency CISOs on all federal cybersecurity activities, the notice states. He or she will oversee cybersecurity practices and implementation across the government, relying on ‘widely accepted’ standards and frameworks, and using emerging technology from the private sector, to ‘assess risk, identify vulnerabilities, prioritize threats, secure investment, and measure and communicate progress.’
The hire will chair the Information Security and Identity Management Committee of the CIO Council and coordinate a program with the Office of Personnel Management, DOD, DHS, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology that aims to recruit and train a cybersecurity workforce for the federal government.
“In reality, the CISO role is a policy-coordinating role across the federal government,” Scott said Monday during a media call addressing the action plan.
The hire needs to demonstrate technical expertise in a variety of fields, including: ‘Understanding complex, interconnected, modern web and other current technology platforms/system architectures, software development practices, and cybersecurity solutions; securing enterprise IT architectures, networks, systems, data, and applications, to include mobile and customer facing applications; and leading responses to large-scale cyber incidents.’
The position will be designated as senior executive service, with the need for a top-secret/sensitive compartmented information clearance. The salary will range from $123,175 to $185,100 per year.
The job listing is open until Feb. 26. Interested applicants can apply on USAJobs.gov.
