IT Security Specialist

Central Carolina Community College is committed to being an employer of choice, grounded in excellence, integrity, respect, collaboration, innovation, and leadership. We provide a supportive, growth-focused workplace where professionals can thrive while helping students access first-class educational and workforce opportunities. Join us in shaping futures, strengthening our region, and contributing to a mission-driven culture rooted in service and opportunity.

The IT Security Specialist serves as the frontline defense for the colleges digital infrastructure, acting as the primary point of contact for detecting, triaging, and responding to cybersecurity events. Collaborating closely with internal IT and business teams, this position coordinates comprehensive risk mitigations and incident remediation efforts. Beyond technical response, the role is vital in promoting an institutional culture of security compliance by authoring technical documentation and delivering security awareness training. Reporting to the Executive Director of Information Technology , the Specialist actively monitors systems for abnormal activity, conducts ongoing risk assessments, and implements proactive defensive solutions.

• This position may have occasional travel between campuses and for training. Occasional after hours may be required.

• Some evening and weekend work may be required for departmental events and meetings.

Responsible for :

• PCI Compliance

• IT Dept. Risk Assessment and IT Dept. portion of Business Continuity

• Oversee IT system patches , updates and documentation

• Oversee firewall rules and security

• Keeping current with state IT security standards

• Internal and external security penetration testing

• Monthly and a nnual user access updates

• Recommend security enhancements and purchases

• Monitor and triage of security events daily, performing assessments and investigations, and working with appropriate team members, business teams, and technology teams to develop solutions that address critical security concerns

• Develop and maintain technical documentation for security platforms, including system security plans, policies, procedures, and standards;

• Promote a culture of security throughout the college by working closely with the Information Technology team members and relevant operational teamsto gather data and insights to enhance the college's security awareness program;

• Conduct information security awareness briefings, training, and simulations to influence positive security behaviors across the college;

• Support governance, risk, and compliance activities

• Research and recommend security enhancements to network and server systems, and assisting in evaluation/selection of network and/or server equipment and/or software;

• Administer and utilize KnowBe4 training application for security training

Customer Support

• Providing security related end user support to staff and faculty
• Other duties as assigned
• Recognizing and respecting the variety of experiences and contributions represented by all of our students, employees, and community, the IT Security Specialist will encourage a learning environment where everyone is supported and valued for their unique perspectives and experiences and will foster and promote the participation of all members of our diverse communities.

• Associate degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Science, or a closely related field and two (2) years of experience as an IT Analyst or in Cybersecurity or Information Security; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience utilizing enterprise security platforms, including firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention, web filtering, vulnerability management, endpoint protection, email protection, and encryption, is preferred. Experience designing and implementing technical educational materials, as well as conducting technical training with diverse audiences, is preferred.

Required knowledge, skills and abilities:

• An understanding of the need to work cooperatively with all department users including staff, faculty and students.
• An understanding of network and server security, including but not limited to Windows, Linux.
• Good troubleshooting skills
• Good documentation and organizational skills
• An understanding of the role and requirements of the state auditors
• Experience in computer/network security
• Technical writing experience
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to thrive in a sense-of-urgency environment, leveraging best practices, and approaching any problem as a team player with a can-do attitude;
• Ability to apply strong attention to detail;
• Skilled in problem-solving and analyzing information and data in complex tasks;
• Ability to effectively and clearly communicate and convey complex information technology security concepts and terminology with both technical and non-technical staff;
• Ability to manage time, prioritize, and manage multiple responsibilities while ensuring accuracy and efficiency;
• Knowledge and understanding of information security architecture, technologies, best practices, and controls;
• Demonstrated ability to document complex designs and implementation strategies;
• Familiarity with common Information Security frameworks, standards, and compliance and regulations such as NIST, PCI DSS, HIPAA, FERPA;
• Ability to identify, analyze, respond to, and resolve security issues promptly;
• Ability to maintain up-to-date knowledge of developments in security technology, trends, and issues;
• Ability to demonstrate excellent customer service with the ability to work with a diverse group of individuals and provide equitable treatment to all;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with college administration, peers, and associates.