Project Manager

IT Technical Project Manager - Network Security & Cyber Defense

Location: Atlanta, GA (Hybrid)

Position Summary

Seeking an experienced IT Technical Project Manager to lead and deliver complex projects across Firewall & Network Security, Cyber Incident Response, and Threat Intelligence. This role requires a strong blend of technical cybersecurity knowledge and proven project management execution in enterprise environments. The ideal candidate will drive cross-functional initiatives that protect enterprise infrastructure, ensure regulatory compliance, and strengthen security posture across all four domains.

Project Planning & Execution

• Lead end-to-end project delivery for firewall deployments, network security enhancements, incident response improvements, and threat intelligence platform initiatives
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, schedules, budgets, resource allocations, and risk registers
• Manage multiple concurrent projects with competing priorities and interdependencies
• Drive projects through full lifecycle: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure
• Establish and track KPIs, milestones, and deliverables; provide regular executive-level status reporting
• Serve as the primary point of contact between technical security teams, IT infrastructure, business units, and leadership
• Facilitate governance meetings, steering committees, and change advisory boards

Firewall & Network Security

• Coordinate firewall rule change management, migration, and modernization projects (Palo Alto, Cisco, Fortinet, or equivalent)
• Manage network segmentation, zero trust architecture, and micro-segmentation initiatives
• Oversee projects involving IDS/IPS, WAF, DDoS mitigation, VPN, and SD-WAN security
• Drive network access control (NAC) and perimeter security upgrade programs

Cyber Incident Response

• Manage projects that enhance incident response capabilities, playbooks, and processes
• Coordinate tabletop exercises, red/blue team engagements, and incident simulation programs
• Drive implementation of SOAR platforms
• Partner with SOC leadership to prioritize and deliver detection and response tool improvements

Threat Intelligence

• Lead projects to operationalize threat intelligence feeds, platforms (MISP, ThreatConnect, Anomali, or equivalent), and integration with SIEM
• Coordinate threat hunting program development and automation initiatives
• Manage vendor relationships for threat intelligence services and data sharing partnerships
• Drive projects that translate threat intelligence into actionable defensive measures

Stakeholder Management & Communication

• Serve as primary liaison between technical security teams, IT infrastructure, business units, and executive leadership
• Manage third-party vendors, contractors, and service providers
• Produce clear, concise executive dashboards, risk assessments, and decision-support materials
• Facilitate governance meetings, steering committees, and change advisory boards

Required Qualifications

Experience

• 7+ years of IT project management experience, with at least 4 years focused on cybersecurity or network security projects
• Demonstrated experience managing firewall migration, network security infrastructure, or security operations projects in large enterprise environments
• Track record of delivering projects on time, within budget, and at expected quality in a Fortune 500 or equivalent-complexity organization
• Experience managing project budgets of $500K+ and cross-functional teams of 10+ members

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or related field
• Master's degree preferred but not required

Required Technical Knowledge
| Domain | Required Knowledge | | --- | --- | | Firewall Technologies | Palo Alto, Cisco ASA/Firepower, Fortinet, Check Point | | Network Security | DMZ, segmentation, zero trust, SD-WAN, NAC | | Incident Response | NIST CSF, SANS IR, MITRE Telecommunication&CK frameworks | | Threat Intelligence | TI lifecycle, IOCs, MISP, ThreatConnect, Anomali | | SIEM / SOAR | Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, Phantom, Cortex XSOAR | | Compliance | PCI-DSS, SOX, NIST 800-53, FAA/TSA cybersecurity directives | | Project Management | Agile, Waterfall, hybrid; ServiceNow, Jira, MS Project, Smartsheet |

Certifications & Preferred Qualifications

• PMP - Project Management Professional
• CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional
• CISM - Certified Information Security Manager
• CompTIA Security+
• GIAC (GSEC, GCIH, or GCTI)
• CCNP Security

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with cloud security projects (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Knowledge of PKI, certificate lifecycle management, and identity security
• Experience leading security tool evaluations, RFPs, and vendor selection
• ITIL Foundation or higher; SAFe Agilist or Scrum Master certification

Core Competencies

• Technical Depth - Ability to engage at a technical level with engineers while translating for executive audiences
• Execution Focus - Drives projects to completion with urgency and accountability
• Communication - Clear, concise communicator who can distill complex technical topics for diverse stakeholders
• Adaptability - Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities and emerging threats
• Collaboration - Builds strong relationships across security, IT, and business teams
• Problem Solving - Proactively identifies risks and removes blockers before they impact delivery