Supervisor OT Network Security - Cyber Security & TSOC

FirstEnergy at a Glance

We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers’ lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger.

FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to safety, reliability, and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of 3,780 megawatts.

This position is within FirstEnergy Service Co., a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp.

This position’s base reporting location is in Akron, Ohio with significant flexible work location opportunities.  This position is within FirstEnergy’s Cyber Security Operations and reports to the Manager of Cyber Security Technologies. 

We’re looking for a strategic, technically skilled leader to shape the future of OT Network Security. In this role, you will lead a team of engineers responsible for the operation of OT network traffic analysis and visibility platforms protecting FirstEnergy’s realtime (OT) networks — including substations and other field/critical infrastructure locations — that ensure compliance with NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards, specifically NERC CIP-015, for programmable electronic devices and networks within the OT environment in support of the electric grid. This role is responsible for responding to operational and cyber security incidents, including those affecting OT/ICS assets and BES Cyber Systems. This role works closely with IT Transmission Systems and other cybersecurity personnel. 

Responsibilities Include

• Provides leadership across our suite of OT Network Security tools, ensuring that they are configured appropriately, have the proper visibility into our real-time network, and are adhering FirstEnergy to NERC CIP Compliance standards.

• Supervise a team responsible for providing visibility into the segmented operational technology networks through passive monitoring, network telemetry collection, communications analysis and intrusion detection supported by the IT Tx team for our OT/ICS environments.

• Maintain a high level of technical knowledge of the platforms supported by the team, including network protection devices and security postures deployed across substations, generation facilities, data centers, and other OT/field locations connecting servers, routers, and other Layer 3 devices.

• Experience in designing, building, and delivering automated access control solutions, i.e., least privilege and zero trust.

• Coordinate activities to maintain security platforms and applications with the latest firmware, software, and security patches.

• Assist the manager and director with coordinating team projects to engineer, design, configure, and administer platforms to deliver quality, secure, and functional solutions in support of FirstEnergy’s business objectives.

• Partner with transmission and SCADA engineering teams on OT-related communications protocols (e.g., Modbus, DNP3, IEC 61850) and build/maintain working relationships with OT partners to ensure security activities are coordinated and non-disruptive to operations.

• Responsible for managing staff performance by setting objectives, goals, priorities, tracking performance and providing feedback. Assists in personal growth of staff through individual development plans, mentoring, coaching and stretch assignments.

• Respond and coordinate support requests and incidents that are received by the team.  Assign work to team members and track progress.

• Act as first point of escalation for team’s response to operational and security incidents 24/7

• Assist management with overseeing the complete lifecycle of all OT security-related technologies [JV1] [AB2] deployed at FirstEnergy from design, implementation, replacement, to retirement, including budgeting. 

• Develop and maintain key relationships with vendors. Assist management with obtaining quotes for hardware, software, and services. 

• Assist leadership with defining staff goals and managing performance against goals and priorities. Directs personnel actions in accordance with the company’s guidelines and procedures. 

• Ensure security-related systems meet all applicable regulatory requirements and adhere to cybersecurity policies.

• Willing and able to travel to corporate locations, on a frequent basis, in support of cyber security initiatives.

• Assist management with leading team’s response to cyber security and operational incidents across FirstEnergy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, computer science, information security, or similar discipline required, along with 7+ years of cyber security experience.

• Must have experience installing, configuring, and administering various cybersecurity network visibility tools.

• Ideal candidate will have direct experience working within a Cyber Security Operations team, with a strong understanding of the security platforms deployed. 

• Experience making strategic and tactical decisions derived from threat and risk-based analysis of security information, while balancing the operational needs of the business.

• Demonstrate a high level of technical expertise, with a strong understanding and knowledge of computer, network, and OT/IT security systems. 

• Demonstrate strong knowledge of core networking skills, specifically on network fundamentals, IP connectivity, and network access.

• Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills which include creating and delivering presentations, briefs, and training sessions.

• Must compose well-written, professional documents and reports.

• Ability to communicate complex and technical issues to a diverse population, orally and in writing, in an easily understood, authoritative and actionable manner.

• Strong project management skills and experience in creating and managing project plans and resource allocation.
• Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with people at varying levels within an organization to accomplish tasks and goals.
• Experience with compliance activities such as: SOX, CIP.

• Ability to effectively manage a large, budgeted portfolio, forecast and re-forecast dollars for both Labor and OTL.

• Strong knowledge of core architectural design principles to achieve optimal availability and disaster recovery availability.

• Ability to travel on a frequent basis to other FirstEnergy buildings in the Akron area. Infrequent overnight business travel may be required throughout the FirstEnergy service territory.

Benefits, Compensation & Workforce Diversity

At FirstEnergy, employees are key to our success. We depend on their talents to meet the challenges of our changing business environment. We are committed to rewarding individual and team efforts through our total rewards philosophy which includes competitive pay plus incentive compensation, a company-sponsored pension plan, 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution, a choice of medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs, as well as skills development training with tuition reimbursement. Please visit our website at www.firstenergycorp.com to learn more about all of our employee rewards programs. FirstEnergy proudly supports workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. No recruiters or agencies without a previously signed contract. Unable to sponsor or transfer H-1B visas at this time.

Safety

Safety is a core value for FirstEnergy and is essential to all of our business activities. We ensure employees have the tools, information, and processes to perform their duties in a manner that assures safety for themselves, their co-workers, our customers and the public. Our goals are to provide a safe work environment, to maintain an accident-free, injury-free workplace, and to promote and maintain public safety. To meet these goals, we dedicate ourselves to achieving world-class safety standards.

Position Classification

Exempt 

FirstEnergy Human Resources Team