Security & Compliance

  • 4 min read

IT Security Manager Job Description

Sreenidhe S.P

23rd May, 2022

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Security is one of the most essential aspects of any organization's operations, particularly with regard to its information technology systems. The responsibility of an information security manager is to ensure that all computer systems are safeguarded against either malicious attacks or accidental damage. 

The work of the IT Security Manager comprises the planning and execution of security procedures that safeguard the data and information of an organization from being intentionally attacked, accessed without authorization, corrupted, or stolen.

IT security managers are responsible for directing a group of IT security specialists in the formulation and execution of plans and programs designed to safeguard enterprises against cyberattacks. They are also responsible for identifying existing security risks and forecasting possible attacks.

Job opportunities for IT security managers are projected to grow as the frequency of cyberattacks increases across a variety of industries. Businesses that handle and store sensitive information are the most likely to be targeted by hackers. More and more companies are scrambling to hire IT security managers, in light of the tighter regulatory guidelines and increasing fines.

The salary of an IT security manager is influenced by a variety of factors. These criteria include educational background, experience, skills, work location, industry, and organization type and size.

As per Glassdoor, the national average salary for an Information Security Manager is ₹16,17,696 in India. At the same time, the average salary for an Information Security Manager is $1,34,108 in the United States.

Key Responsibilities of an IT Security Manager

An IT security manager's responsibilities vary based on the type of organization and the size of the enterprise. 

However, as an IT security manager, you will most likely be responsible for several typical obligations and duties. These are:

1. Implementing policies and procedures to keep your organization in compliance with current legislation and standards. 

2. Providing employees with security training. It is critical that all workers understand how their everyday job actions affect the overall security of the firm. Training staff on defined policies and procedures on an ongoing basis.

3. Take corrective and preventive action if an employee breaks the policies or procedures. Understanding the security threats connected with various job functions is part of this. 

4. Collaborate with employees to understand how the policies affect their regular work activities. 

5. Keeping the infrastructure secure by supervising the IT auditing procedure (e.g., penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, etc.). You will also be in charge of assessing all audit results and making necessary infrastructure adjustments.

6.  Ensuring that your company's data is protected using the most secure technologies available. This means you'll have to keep up with new threats, vulnerabilities, and exploits as they emerge. 

7. Be aware of any potential harm the new threats may have on your network infrastructure and existing security procedures. 

8. Maintaining the security of all applications, networks, and systems that interact with the outside world. This involves ensuring that all third-party service providers are held to the same security standards as the internal users. 

9. Serving as a point of contact for high-risk vulnerabilities and occurrences. This includes assessing the risk associated with new threats, vulnerabilities, and exploits before deciding how to respond to them. You must also be able to make decisions about when to tell senior management about emerging threats and their possible impact on your organization's infrastructure.

Educational Qualifications and Skills Required

IT security managers must exhibit technical competence as well as leadership characteristics. When it comes to education, most employers look for at least a bachelor's degree in information security-related areas, such as information technology, information assurance, or cybersecurity, with relevant experience. Degrees in IT management or business administration can be an added advantage. 

Senior-level security management positions frequently necessitate a master's degree in an area such as cybersecurity or information systems. 

Aspiring security managers can demonstrate their expertise in the industry by gaining professional experience. 

Security managers are in charge of lower-level security staff. Therefore they must have good managerial skills as well as a solid understanding of information security procedures and technologies. 

You will typically require at least five years of expertise in the field of information security and can advance to management positions by working as an information security analyst, security administrator, or network administrator. 

When hiring an IT security manager, companies look for specific skills, just like they do for any other profession. Soft skills are a must-have for IT security managers. Security managers must have great communication, leadership, and strategic decision-making abilities because they manage people and make critical, timely decisions.

The must-have hard skills are security management, cybersecurity (intrusion detection and prevention), identity and access management, security incident handling and response like DDoS attacks, ransomware, phishing, knowledge, and automation of SIEM tools to create incident response plans based on real-time analysis from alerts, audit and regulatory compliance (HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, etc.), application security development, etc.

Prospective security managers have a variety of alternatives for honing their hard and soft skills. Bachelor's degrees in computer science, cybersecurity, and information systems are common ways for security managers to gain core IT skills. 

Employees in information technology can expand their skill sets by learning from more experienced colleagues and mentors. Certifications are another approach to honing skills and exhibiting knowledge to potential employers. 

You must be well-versed in information security methods, IT security architecture, and network architecture. On the most basic level, familiarity with various operating systems such as Linux and Windows is a must-have. In addition, you must be knowledgeable about firewalls, intrusion detection protocols, and intrusion prevention measures.

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About the author

Sreenidhe S.P

Sreenidhe is a SaaS management expert and has a keen interest in ITAM and SAM practices. She is adept when it comes to SaaS Vendor Management and SaaS Spend management. Her knowledge of SaaS and SaaS management is self-thought and is based on a lot of reading. Before joining Zluri, Sreenidhe was working as a full-time journalist. She is also equally passionate about fashion and aspires to own a boutique someday.