Security Governance & Assurance (SGA) Lead

Job Description and Duties

All applicants will be considered, however SROA/Surplus candidates will be given priority.

Are you interested in making life better for Californians? Are you looking for a career and not just a job? Do you want to create a meaningful impact in your community? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) has a career opportunity waiting for you! California not only needs you, it wants you as part of the growing workforce. New employees, new ideas, and new creative perspectives are needed in all areas at the CDTFA. We value staff and are dedicated to employee career development. Our agency supports the development of staff by offering training to flourish in their position and programs to promote and explore upward mobility. To learn more about us, please see CDTFA Gateway to New Opportunities video

Under direction of the Deputy Chief Information Security & Privacy officer (IT Manager I), the Information Technology Specialist II (IT Spec II) serves as the lead of the Security Governance and Assurance Team (SGA) in the Information Security Office (ISO).

The IT Specialist II leads efforts to establish and maintain a consistent and efficient risk management program, privacy program and a vulnerability management program while ensuring alignment and compliance with statewide and federal requirements and integration of risk-based decision-making across IT and business units.

How did you hear about this opportunity? 

Under Government Code 14200, this position may be eligible for partial telework for eligible candidates residing in California. All telework/hybrid schedules require staff to report to the office a minimum number of days per week. Schedules are subject to change.

Currently, per the California Budget Act of 2025, all California Department of Tax and Fee Administration salaries are subject to the provisions of the State of California’s Personal Leave Program.

This recruitment has been posted for more vacancies than currently exist as it may be used to fill additional identical vacancies which occur within 180 days of the closing date of this bulletin.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

• Position may be located in a high-rise building.       

• Standard office environment.

• Requires being in a stationary position, consistent with office work, for extended periods of time.

• Daily use of a personal computer, office equipment, and/or telephone.
• Telework is partially available.

Special Requirements

• This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.; for more information about E-Verify, please go to

• Position requires employee to be fingerprinted and successfully pass a background investigation. 

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Knowledge managing and leading an enterprise risk register, conducting technical risk assessments and tracking remediation of risks via a Plan of Action and Milestones (POAM).

• Experience performing System Security Plans (SSPs), Privacy Threshold Assessments (PTAs) and Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs).

• Experience with managing or leading an enterprise privacy program. 

• Strong foundational knowledge of network architecture, system administration, software development and secure system and application design.

• Extensive knowledge of Information Security Policies, Standards, Procedures and Guidelines.

• Experience with cyber security tools and IT administration tools.

• Experience and working knowledge with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), IRS Publication 1075, State Administrative Manual (SAM), and the Statewide Information Management Manual (SIMM).

• Experience managing and leading large Information Technology (IT) projects.

• Ability to analyze issues, define opportunities, and recommend effective solutions.

• Ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships, and deliver excellent customer service.

• Ability to work collaboratively with multi-disciplined work groups.

• Ability to multi-task and work under pressure.

• Outstanding written skills for preparing reports and briefings for audience at all levels of organization.

• Outstanding analytical and problem-solving abilities, prioritization and time management skills.

• Experience leading, mentoring and developing a team while fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

• Ability to align technical, governance and compliance initiatives with organizational goals and drive continuous improvement and program maturity.

• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), CRISC (Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control) and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certifications are a plus.

• Experience in managing a vulnerability management program and prioritizing remediation based on risk.

• Experience in utilizing vulnerability management platforms such as Rapid7 Insight VM and Tenable Nessus.

• Experience managing and leading incident response activities related to security and privacy incidents.

Benefits

CDTFA appreciates and proudly celebrates diversity with an emphasis of an inclusive atmosphere in all levels of the organization. CDTFA is a participant in The Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) Capitol Cohort to advance racial equality and advance opportunities for all in California. Employees of different races, ethnicities, genders, ages, religions, disabilities, gender orientations and personal experiences are welcomed to contribute to the success of CDTFA.

The CDTFA was presented with the Large State Employer of the Year Award for 2018 from The Association of California State Employees with Disabilities (ACSED); showcasing CDTFA’s support of employment, promotion, and fair treatment of persons with disabilities.

CDTFA values its staff and is dedicated to employee career development. Our agency supports the development of staff by offering training to flourish in their position and programs to promote and explore upward mobility.

Working for the State offers great opportunities, generous benefits, and career development. In addition, you can look forward to:

• Nearby (third-party) parking. 
• Convenient to public transportation. 
• Located near downtown, major freeway access.

For more information about the outstanding benefits offered to State Employees

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Supplemental Questionnaire Requirement

Applicants must include a Supplemental Questionnaire (SQ) for this recruitment. Applications without an SQ or include an SQ that does not directly answer all the items below will not be considered. Resumes do not take the place of the SQ.

SQ Requirements:

• Name on SQ.
• Job Control number on SQ.

Respond directly to the following SQ question(s):

Describe how you addressed a security concern within an organization or enterprise.

• What steps, tools, processes or frameworks did you use?

• How did you get approval from management or system owners to fix the issue and what was the outcome?

You must provide specific information in your response(s) which demonstrates how your knowledge, skills, and training meet the needs of this position. 

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.
• Other - A completed Supplemental Questionnaire (SQ) must be submitted with your STD. 678 in order to be considered for this position. Please see the Supplemental Questionnaire Requirement section of this job posting for additional information.