Director, Cybersecurity

Job Description

Job Description

WHO WE ARE

The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide safe, reliable electricity for nearly 250 million Americans, and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Collectively, the electric power industry supports nearly 7 million jobs in communities across the United States and drives economic growth and prosperity. EEI also includes hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members.

EEI employees are required to work in office Monday-Thursday, and have the option to work remotely on Fridays.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTOR, CYBERSECURITY:

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, Security and Resilience, the Director serves as a member of EEI’s Industry Operations division and is responsible for leading a broad range of activities central to the cybersecurity and resilience of the electric power system. The Director, Cybersecurity provides strategic leadership on cybersecurity policy, cyber risk management, and the evolving cyber threat and regulatory landscape.

The Director, Cybersecurity, is a skilled individual contributor who supports member priorities through robust analysis, research, and policy engagement, and works collaboratively with other team members across the division. The role requires a strong understanding of cybersecurity policy, risk management, and threats, including the implications of emerging technologies for the security and resilience of electric utility operations. It also requires working knowledge of the electric sector’s cybersecurity framework, including the NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Reliability Standards and FERC oversight, federal incident reporting and information-sharing requirements, and the sector’s public-private partnership model with DOE, CISA, and the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council. The Director should be comfortable engaging with cybersecurity leaders and operational technology experts at member companies and translating complex technical and operational issues into actionable policy and industry recommendations.

Other important responsibilities of the Director, Cybersecurity:

• Monitor and analyze cybersecurity policy, government initiatives, and threat trends affecting electric utilities, and help develop member positions and collective industry responses on priority issues. Threats of particular concern include state-sponsored actors pre-positioning in operational technology and critical infrastructure networks, ransomware and extortion, compromise of vendors and managed service providers, exploitation of remote access and software update pathways, and the use of artificial intelligence to scale attacks.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on cybersecurity policy and resilience, leading member-driven workstreams and supporting EEI’s Security and Resilience Executive Advisory Committee and Security Working Group.
• Monitor and assess federal and state cybersecurity-related policy, regulations, and standards affecting the electric sector, including:
  • FERC directives and NERC CIP Reliability Standards related to cybersecurity;
  • Cyber incident reporting requirements (e.g., CIRCIA, NERC, and DOE reporting obligations);
  • Information sharing laws and liability protections, including the reauthorization of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015;
  • Federal actions addressing supply chain and grid equipment security; and
  • Federal and state requirements related to emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence , cloud services, and post-quantum cryptography.
• Assess emerging cybersecurity risks and technology trends, including developments in artificial intelligence, operational technology, cloud and digital infrastructure, distributed energy and inverter-based resources, and technology supply chains, and translate their implications for electric sector security and resilience. Examine risks from hardware and firmware integrity, undocumented remote-access or communication components in grid equipment, and dependence on vendors tied to foreign adversaries.
• Represent EEI members in engagements with DOE, CISA, FERC, NERC, the E-ISAC, the FBI, NSA, TSA, and other organizations to advance sector cybersecurity priorities.
• Identify emerging cybersecurity challenges and opportunities affecting the electric sector and help shape EEI's cybersecurity strategy, priorities, and member engagement activities. Support the development of industry positions on key cybersecurity issues affecting electric utilities, including operational technology security, cyber incident response and recovery, coordination of government and industry response during major incidents, and supply chain risk. Contribute to industry comment letters, rulemaking responses, and testimony.
• Contribute to the development of member positions on key cybersecurity issues, working in close collaboration with EEI’s Government Relations, Communications, and Legal and Policy teams.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with member cybersecurity leaders, federal agencies, sector coordinating bodies, including the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council and the sector’s cyber mutual assistance and incident coordination programs, and other key stakeholders to support EEI’s member priorities.
• Develop executive-ready briefings, white papers, and decision memoranda that explain new cyber requirements and threats to senior leaders, and support rapid-response analysis when a significant government action or incident occurs.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work collaboratively across the Security and Resilience team and the broader Industry Operations division to provide cybersecurity expertise to policy, regulatory, advocacy, and member engagement efforts. Coordinate with colleagues who cover supply chain resilience, physical security, and grid reliability so that EEI’s cyber positions are consistent across those issues.
• Support positive working relationships across the three Industry Operations pillars and with other EEI divisions, particularly Government Relations, Communications, and Legal and Policy teams, to align research and policy positions with advocacy and messaging. Work with Legal and Policy on regulatory filings and on the legal aspects of incident reporting and information sharing.
• In coordination with the Managing Director, contribute to divisional planning efforts, workstream prioritization, and the preparation of materials for senior leadership and member stakeholders.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 10-12 years of relevant experience in cybersecurity policy, critical infrastructure security, energy policy, government, or a related field, with demonstrated expertise in cybersecurity and resilience issues.
• Strong understanding of the cybersecurity policy and risk landscape affecting critical infrastructure, including evolving cyber threats, regulatory developments, and public-private cybersecurity initiatives. Working knowledge of the NERC CIP Reliability Standards, FERC’s role in electric sector cybersecurity, and federal incident reporting and information-sharing frameworks is expected.
• Ability to understand cybersecurity concepts, including operational technology and industrial control systems, and communicate their strategic, policy, and operational implications without requiring deep technical expertise.
• Demonstrated ability to engage credibly with cybersecurity executives and technical subject matter experts while translating technical issues into strategic and policy considerations.
• Demonstrated expertise in federal and other regulatory processes affecting the electric utility industry, including rulemaking, comment, and standards development processes.
• Exceptional judgment, integrity, and discretion in managing sensitive and high-impact matters.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to translate complex cybersecurity issues for executives, policymakers, regulators, and other nontechnical audiences.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams, influence without direct authority, and coordinate complex multi-stakeholder workstreams.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, including rapid response to new federal actions and security incidents.
• Willingness to travel up to 10–15% for EEI member events, meetings, and conferences.

COMPENSATION

The salary range for this role is $130,000 – $175,000. Starting annual salary will be determined on individual qualifications. EEI also offers an annual performance incentive which is prorated for mid-year start dates. This incentive is typically up to 10% of the base salary. We offer a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, 401k, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness incentives and programs, transportation subsidy, and professional development opportunities.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants should apply online through EEI’s career site. EEI uses Clear Company as our applicant tracking system. An application is considered when all required fields are completed.

PHYSICAL AND SENSORY DEMANDS

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. EEI is committed to providing a productive and safe environment. To achieve that goal, we conduct background and reference check investigations for all final applicants being considered for employment. Equal Opportunity Employment M/D/F/V.