Project Manager

Job Description


DirectDefense is seeking a Project Manager to join our growing Project Management Office (PMO), where you'll partner across the organization to deliver complex cybersecurity projects from initiation through completion. The Project Manager is responsible for coordinating and managing a portfolio of client-facing managed security engagements and operational initiatives. Acting as the primary point of coordination for customers, this role ensures service transitions, onboarding activities, security improvement projects, and recurring operational work are planned, communicated, and executed successfully. The Project Manager works closely with the Security Operations Center (SOC), Managed Security Services teams, Business Operations, Sales, Engineering, and other internal stakeholders to coordinate activities, remove obstacles, and ensure customer commitments are met. This role maintains project plans, facilitates communication across technical and business teams, manages risks and dependencies, and provides customers with clear visibility into progress, milestones, and deliverables. Engagements may include new customer onboarding, managed detection and response (MDR) implementations, technology integrations, service expansions, security program initiatives, incident response readiness activities, platform migrations, and other operational or consulting engagements supporting DirectDefense's managed security services. Success in this role requires balancing multiple concurrent customers and initiatives while adapting to changing priorities in a fast-paced, operationally focused cybersecurity environment. The ideal candidate is highly organized, customer-focused, and comfortable coordinating cross-functional teams to deliver exceptional service while maintaining strong communication, accountability, and execution.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage a portfolio of concurrent customer engagements, including onboarding, service transitions, operational initiatives, and security improvement projects.
• Serve as the primary coordination point for assigned customers, ensuring clear communication, timely execution, and consistent customer experience.
• Maintain alignment between customer expectations, contractual commitments, and operational delivery.
• Develop and maintain project plans, implementation schedules, and operational milestones for customer engagements.
• Coordinate activities across the Security Operations Center (SOC), Managed Security Services, Engineering, Business Operations, and other internal teams.
• Monitor Salesforce closed-won notifications and opportunity reporting to identify new MSSP, MDR, and IR engagements; validate required opportunity details and follow up with Sales/AEs when information is incomplete.
• Create, maintain, and close MSSP/IR projects in Mission Control, including project setup, action item updates, hour entry/reconciliation, project status updates, and validation that closed-won opportunities have corresponding projects
• Monitor progress against milestones, identify dependencies, and proactively resolve scheduling or resource conflicts.
• Ensure customer onboarding, service implementations, and operational initiatives to transition smoothly into ongoing managed services.
• Identify delivery risks, operational dependencies, resource constraints, and customer-impacting issues early.
• Monitor IR retainer usage and remaining hours, reconcile real-time operational tracking with Mission Control time entry, and proactively flag low-balance or additional-hour needs to MSSP leadership.
• Coordinate successful completion of customer implementations and transitions into steady-state managed services.
• Identify opportunities to improve delivery processes, customer experience, and operational efficiency.
• Partner closely with SOC leadership, Security Engineers, Sales, Professional Services, and Business Operations to deliver exceptional customer outcomes.
• Support internal planning, resource coordination, and prioritization across multiple concurrent customer initiatives.
• Lead kickoff meetings, implementation planning sessions, status meetings, and milestone reviews.
• Provide regular updates on project status, risks, timelines, and key deliverables.
• Follow, maintain, and contribute to MSSP SOPs, communication templates, onboarding documentation, and SharePoint resources to support repeatable execution and knowledge continuity.

Required Experience:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience: 4-8 years of project management experience in professional services, consulting, or client delivery environments
• Experience managing multiple concurrent client engagements in a professional services environment, often with overlapping timelines
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills in fast-paced environments
• Excellent communication skills and a professional, customer-facing approach
• Ability to coordinate work across technical and non-technical teams

Preferred:

• Experience in cybersecurity, IT services, consulting, or SaaS environments
• Experience working with PSA or project management platforms such as Salesforce-based tools, Mission Control, Certinia, or similar systems
• Experience supporting delivery of consulting or professional services engagements in client-facing environments
• Understanding of technical or security-related project environments
• Project Management certification (PMP, CAPM, or equivalent)
• Lead kickoff meetings, implementation planning sessions, status meetings, and milestone reviews.
• Provide regular updates on project status, risks, timelines, and key deliverables.

Application Instructions: To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter through our online application portal. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Salary range : $100,000 - $108,000

Benefits include:

• 401(k)
• AD&D Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Disability insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Vision insurance
• Flex PTO program
• Paid certification and continuing education

Work schedule: Monday through Friday

Work hours: 40 hours a week

A little about DirectDefense

Since coming together in 2011 to form DirectDefense, our team has been committed to offering unmatched cybersecurity defense strategies. Whether we are performing assessments of networks, platforms, and applications or applying managed services to improve your organization's security posture, we are focused on providing world-class services that don't just work-they work for you.

OUR MISSION

We establish partnerships with our clients based on trust and results. We leverage our deep industry knowledge and expertise to identify and remediate blind spots in your security program, provide meaningful visibility of your entire enterprise, and align your organization with security best practices and compliance standards.

OUR VISION

We aim to secure organizations across all industries against advanced threats and attacks in today's world. Acting in partnership with organizations, we will provide unmatched information security services designed to improve your overall security posture, close gaps, and track vulnerabilities on an ongoing basis through continued education and support.

PAY TRANSPARENCY

In accordance with applicable state laws, we are providing a good-faith estimate of the compensation range for this role. The anticipated salary range for this position is $100,000 to $108,000 per year . Actual compensation will be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the candidate's qualifications, experience, skills, and location. This position may also be eligible for bonus incentives and a comprehensive benefits package.