Assistant Director, Ohio Persistent Cyber Improvement, Center for Cyber Strategy and Policy

Current UC employees must apply internally via  SuccessFactors  

Next Lives at the University of Cincinnati

Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati ranks among the nation’s best urban public research universities. Home to more than 53,600 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, and over 360,000 living alumni, UC, a Carnegie 1 institution, combines research prowess with a physical setting The New York Times has called “the most ambitious campus design program in the country." UC's momentum has never been stronger as the anchor of the Cincinnati Innovation District, the oldest cooperative education (co-op) program in the country with students earning $94 million annually through paid experiences, an academic health system, and as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The university contributes $10.6 billion in economic impact to the city and $22.7 billion to the state of Ohio. At UC, next is all of us. Learn more at  uc.edu . 

UC is a mission-driven organization where we are committed to student success and positively transforming the community through scholarship and service. We thrive on innovation, making an impact, and fostering an environment where staff and faculty are key contributors to UC’s success.

About the Ohio Cyber Range Institute and Ohio Persistent Cyber Improvement Project

The Ohio Cyber Range Institute (OCRI), housed at the University of Cincinnati, is a partnership among state agencies and academic institutions led by UC, the Ohio Adjutant General and Cyber Ohio. OCRI’s mission is to advance cybersecurity education, workforce, and economic development. OCRI administers the Ohio Cyber Range as a state-wide tool that supports programming for K-20 courses and events; full-spectrum training opportunities, including incident response teams; industry workforce and economic development; cyber security research; as well as government agency support among other programs.

The Ohio Persistent Cyber Improvement project (O-PCI) is an OCRI-led project funded by the state of Ohio through a Department of Homeland Security Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency State and Local Cyber Improvement Grant. O-PCI is a training and exercise platform and curriculum delivered across the state of Ohio for Local Governments to improve their cyber defenses and resiliency.

Job Overview

The Assistant Director will lead the O-PCI Education Team responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining curriculum and training materials for local government employees across Ohio. This position will drive the growth of O-PCI to an operational scale capable of supporting all local government entities statewide, ensuring high-quality, accessible cyber training. The Assistant Director will report to the Associate Director, Ohio Persistent Cyber Improvement.

Key Skills and Competencies 

• Strong leadership and team management skills in an academic, government, or nonprofit environment.
• Ability to manage complex projects and meet deadlines across multiple stakeholders.
• Understanding of cybersecurity concepts, threats, and best practices, especially in public-sector or local government contexts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences.

Essential Functions

• Assist the O-PCI Education Team in the development, implementation and administration of goals to achieve strategic objectives.
• Serve as project manager for O-PCI Education Team deliverables, ensuring timelines, quality standards, and grant requirements are met.
• Support the management of a range of projects/tasks associated with O-PCI operations and/or local government relations that have significant impact within the O-PCI program.
• Supervise Education Team staff (exempt and non-exempt), including hiring, onboarding, workload management, performance evaluations, professional development, and disciplinary actions as needed
• Establish and manage processes to monitor cybersecurity training effectiveness, collect participant feedback, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Collaborate closely with O-PCI Administrative and Exercise Teams to coordinate curriculum content, training delivery, and statewide program implementation.
• May function for the Associate Director in his/her absence, as required.
• Perform related duties as assigned to support the goals and sustainability of the O-PCI program. This job description can be changed at any time.

Required Education

Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology or related field.

Required Experience

• Seven (7) years of relevant work experience and/or other specialized training can be used in lieu of education requirement.

Additional Qualifications Considered

• Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Education, or related field
• Master’s Degree
• Experience in local, state, or federal government work environments.
• Cybersecurity related or project management related industry recognized certificates
• Experience developing or managing training programs, curriculum, or instructional materials, particularly for adult learners

Application Information Process

Please include Cover Letter when submitting application.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

• Office environment/no specific unusual physical or environmental demands.

Compensation and Benefits

UC offers an exceptional benefits package designed to support your well-being, financial security, and work-life balance. Eligibility may vary by position and FTE status. Highlights include:

Salary/Hourly Pay Rate Information: $75,000 - $83,000

Comprehensive Tuition Remission

UC provides tuition remission for you and your eligible dependents, covering tuition costs for nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by the university.

Robust Retirement Plans

As a UC employee, you won’t contribute to Social Security (except Medicare). Instead, you’ll choose between state pension plans (OPERS, STRS) or an Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP), with UC contributing 14–18% of your salary based on position.

Real Work-Life Balance

UC prioritizes work-life balance with a generous time-off policy, including:

Vacation and sick time

11 paid holidays and additional end-of-year paid time off (Winter Season Days)

6 weeks of paid parental leave for new parents

Additional Benefits Include:

• Competitive salary range of $75,000-$83,000 based on education and experience 
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription)
• Flexible spending accounts & wellness programs
• Professional development & mentorship opportunities

To learn more about why UC is a great place to work, please visit our  .

UC is an E-Verify employer. If hired into this position, you will be required to provide satisfactory proof of employment eligibility by providing acceptable, original forms of identification for employment verification via the Federal I-9 employment verification process. Click for a list of acceptable documents.

Important : To apply you must create a profile and submit a complete job application through the . We are unable to consider “easy apply” applications submitted via other websites. For questions about the UC recruiting process or to request accommodations with the application, please contact UC HR at  View email address on apply.j-vers.com .

Equal Opportunity Employer. Building a workplace where all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, including Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans.

REQ: 102226