IT Information Security Analyst, Senior

Dakota County, Minnesota is hiring a Senior IT Information Security Analyst to help protect the confidentiality of county information assets. This onsite role in Hastings, MN focuses on strengthening security standards, modernizing security technologies, and supporting compliance across major security frameworks and regulations. The position also offers strong stability and benefits, including comprehensive health coverage, generous paid time off, and pension support, along with the flexibility to work from home some of the time.

What you will do

• Research and stay current on information security threats, industry trends, emerging technologies, and response alternatives.
• Recommend improvements to county information security policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Assess, monitor, and support improvements to security procedures for user access creation, modification, and removal.
• Identify, assess, and help deploy security technology solutions across the county and through vendors, including encryption, firewalls, authorization, authentication, intrusion detection, and gateway security controls.
• Support approval, tracking, and reporting of security exceptions as needed.
• Prepare status reports on security matters to analyze security risk and vendor security control performance.
• Monitor security technology performance and proactively recommend solutions when capabilities fall short.
• Collaborate on critical technology projects to ensure security concerns are addressed throughout the project life cycle.
• Assist with security improvement and tool acquisition recommendations to the County Board and Senior Management.
• Evaluate security technologies and tools, and provide insight into deployment approaches for encryption, firewalls, authorization, authentication, intrusion detection, and gateway controls.
• Work with auditors to demonstrate processes and confirm appropriate access levels, including review of information identification and lifecycle practices.
• Participate in planning, selection, and implementation of an identity management solution.
• Provide advisory support to application development or acquisition efforts to ensure security requirements and controls are implemented as planned.
• Maintain and monitor compliance with security control frameworks such as CJIS Security Policy, HIPAA, IRS Tax 1075, PCI-DSS, and other state statutes and federal law.
• Perform regular assessments of the IT security environment to identify weaknesses and partner with IT management on improvement opportunities, including reducing complexity, reducing time and cost, and increasing effectiveness.
• Serve as a technical subject matter resource, providing security-domain expertise and direction on security-related projects.
• Lead and govern plans for contracted security assessments, driving remediation with internal and external partners across business and IT.
• Assess threats and risks to County systems and assist management with risk decisions.
• Balance business needs with security concerns, articulating issues and recommending options.
• Participate in design, development, and delivery of security training programs and individual classes.
• Maintain regular attendance according to the management-approved work schedule, following county hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) with on-call availability as required.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, or information security, plus 3 years of work experience supporting IT security infrastructure.
• OR associate degree in computer science, information systems, or information security, plus 5 years of work experience supporting IT security infrastructure.
• OR a combined 7 years of equivalent education and experience in IT security infrastructure.
• CISSP.
• CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+).
• Certified Security Analyst (CSA).
• Knowledge of technological trends and developments related to security and risk management.
• Strong understanding of information security controls, risks, and threats.
• Understanding and experience with network protocols including switches, routers, and routing technologies.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Windows Server environments, VMWare Server, Microsoft M365, Veeam Backup, and other enterprise-wide applications.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise security technologies including VPN, encryption, firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention, and anti-virus.
• Knowledge of information security standards, data privacy laws, computer crime laws, and state and federal data protection laws.
• Knowledge of information security audit and assessment methodologies, policies, standards, procedures, and best practices.
• Ability to conduct risk management assessments and help identify, prioritize, and remediate security vulnerabilities for diverse users.
• Business process and reengineering experience.
• Proven knowledge of systems development life cycle methodologies.
• Familiarity with national security standards organizations and industry leaders in security excellence.
• Ability to work in a flexible environment where requirements and procedures evolve.
• Highly self-motivated and self-directed, with strong analytical, troubleshooting, and attention-to-detail skills.
• Ability to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment, make technical decisions with limited resources, and handle sensitive and confidential information.
• Strong customer service orientation and strong written, oral, interpersonal, and presentational skills.
• Experience working in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.

Technologies you will work with

• Microsoft Windows Server, VMWare Server, Microsoft M365, Veeam Backup
• Virtual Private Network (VPN), encryption, firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention, anti-virus
• CJIS Security Policy, HIPAA, IRS Tax 1075, PCI-DSS
• Network protocols, switches, routers, routing technologies
• Identity management solution
• Authorization, authentication, intrusion detection, gateway security controls

Benefits

• Comprehensive and affordable medical, dental, vision, and other benefits
• Excellent work-life balance
• Generous paid time off
• Eleven paid holidays and one floating holiday each year
• Pension with a generous employer contribution
• Ability to work from home some of the time

Selection process

• Submit an online application including supplemental questions
• Application scoring based on qualifications
• Top scoring candidates referred to the hiring manager for interview consideration
• Interviews and reference checks before an offer is extended
• An offer is extended, followed by a background check

Compensation: USD 92,218 - 144,090 per year. Location: Hastings, MN (onsite). Minimum experience: 3 years.