IT Security Administrator

IT Security Administrator

The mission of the South Carolina Department of Education is to serve students, support teachers, empower parents, and engage in the community so that every student graduate is prepared to reach their full potential.

Job Purpose

The South Carolina Department of Education is seeking an IT Security Administrator to join the security operations team and work closely with the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). The position will lead the daily operational defense of our agency infrastructure, and design, develop and manage security solutions to reduce IT risks to the agency's business processes and ensure compliance with information security policies, standards, and guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Security Operations: Lead the agency's security operations, establish operational standards and playbooks, manage triage, investigation, containment, eradication, recovery activities, and coordinate escalation and notification with the CISO, agency leadership, affected districts, and state-level partners in accordance with the agency's incident response plan and statewide reporting requirements.
• Defend and Monitor Agency Systems: Administer, tune, and continuously monitor enterprise security platforms including Microsoft Defender, SIEM, Intune, email and web filtering, identity protection, and vulnerability management to maintain visibility into threats targeting agency infrastructure, users, and data. Conduct proactive threat hunting informed by K-12 and public-sector threat intelligence.
• Administer Identity and Access Controls: Manage identity and access across Microsoft Entra ID and hybrid on-premises directories, including conditional access, multifactor authentication, privileged access, role assignment, guest and district-partner access, and recurring access reviews. Enforce least-privilege principles and investigate identity-based threats such as credential compromise, token theft, and anomalous sign-in activity.
• Subject Matter Expert: Serve as a subject matter expert associated with highly technical security content, processes, and procedures. Consults with users and management to effectively measure and accurately report on information security risks, through audit and assessment of security controls, processes, and routines.

Minimum and Additional Requirements

A bachelor's degree in information technology systems, computer science, or a related field and experience in the information technology field to include experience in a security-focused role. Relevant experience may be substituted for the bachelor's degree on a year-for-year basis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience working with security tools and incident response, including the day-to-day administration, tuning, and operational use of enterprise security platforms and the investigation and resolution of security events. Relevant experience may be substituted for the bachelor's degree on a year-for-year basis.
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience leading a security operations team.
• Hands-on experience administering Intune, Microsoft Defender (including Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Office, and/or Defender for Cloud), covering policy configuration, alert triage, threat hunting, and remediation.
• Hands-on experience administering Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory), including conditional access policies, multifactor authentication, identity protection, role-based access control, and directory synchronization.

Acceptable certifications include, but are not limited to: CompTIA Security+, CySA+, GIAC (GSEC, GCIH, GCIA), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate (SC-200), or Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate (SC-300), ISACA Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), ISACA Certified Information System Manager (CISM).

Additional Comments

As a part of a generous compensation package, we offer comprehensive benefits that include generous paid time off, preeminent health care benefits, professional development opportunities, pension, a 401(k), and a hybrid work schedule with opportunity for remote work.

The South Carolina Department of Education offers an exceptional benefits package that includes:

• Health, Dental, Vision, Long Term Disability, and Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and Children.
• 15 days annual (vacation) leave per year.
• 15 days sick leave per year.
• 13 paid holidays.
• State Retirement Plan and Deferred Compensation Programs.

ONLY THOSE APPLICANTS CHOSEN FOR AN INTERVIEW WILL BE NOTIFIED BY LETTER THAT THE POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED.