Job Description

Job Description and Duties

Under the general direction of the State Chief Information Security Officer (State CISO), the Deputy State Chief Information Security Officer (Deputy State CISO) is responsible for the development, maintenance, implementation and enforcement of statewide policies to ensure the California Department of Technology (CDT) can provide for the safety and security of the technical infrastructure and the data and information of California State Organizations. The Deputy State CISO will have primary responsibility for managing the Risk Governance, Advisory, Audit/Compliance, and Security Operations, which includes Security Assurance, Security Solutions and Security Threat Management, also known as Security Operations Center (SOC). The Deputy State CISO will be focused on evolution, execution and promotion of statewide security strategy with internal and external stakeholders. The Deputy State CISO will also have responsibility over the operational support of Incident Response and threat intelligence staff embedded within the California Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC) within the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

CA Residency:

Candidates who reside outside of the State of California may be admitted to the job interview. However, upon a job offer, candidates must provide proof of residence in California prior to their appointment becoming effective, or the offer may be rescinded.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Special Requirements

For a complete list of the required Knowledge & Required Abilities see our customized Examination Bulletin that is attached to the Duty Statement portion of this announcement.

Must pass fingerprint background check completed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a condition of employment.

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:

• Industry cybersecurity certifications, such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) Security Leadership Certification (GSLC), or other information security and/or leadership accreditations such as completion of the California IT Leadership Academy program.
• Demonstrated experience leading or coordinating multi-agency cybersecurity collaboration, such as managing joint incident response efforts (e.g., major ransomware events), establishing memorandums of understanding (MOUs), or developing joint threat sharing protocols across departments, state agencies, and/or local/federal partners. 
• Proven leadership in managing or modernizing a 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC), including implementing threat intelligence platforms, managing escalated incident response processes, and integrating playbooks for high-severity events. 
• Demonstrated leadership in developing cybersecurity talent pipelines, including mentorship programs, apprenticeship pathways, succession plans, or internal skill-building initiatives for security staff across departments. 
• Experience supporting or leading statewide emergency coordination efforts related to cyberattacks, including coordination with the California Office of Emergency Services, National Guard, local jurisdictions, or federal entities such as CISA or FBI. 
• Familiarity with integrating cybersecurity efforts across physical, operational, and information security domains within critical infrastructure or essential government services. 
• Experience establishing and reporting on performance metrics for cybersecurity maturity, including KPIs for SOC efficiency, risk reduction outcomes, vulnerability management closure rates, or policy adoption across departments. 
• History of serving as a trusted advisor to senior leadership across multiple departments or in a federated environment, providing actionable guidance on security posture improvement, strategic investment, or emerging threat response. 
• Extensive experience in security management, legislation and policy-making.
• Knowledge of organization and functions of California State government, including the organization and practices of Control Agencies, Legislature and the Executive Branch.
• Ability to communicate effectively with others as demonstrated by strong written and verbal communication skills, strong negotiating skills, and particularly the ability to represent the California Department of Technology effectively with the Administration, control agencies, Legislature, key customers, stakeholders and internal staff.
• Experience in obtaining buy-in and providing leadership to a large group of multi-disciplinary team members that do not report directly to the incumbent.
• Knowledge of the structure, organization and function of a variety of technology disciplines, as well as local, State and federal initiatives and programs.
• Ability to anticipate and manage complex information security issues affecting many organizations, including the ability to develop policy and integrate all aspects of a strategy to assure resolution of issues.

• Must pass a fingerprint background check completed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a condition of employment.
• Must be eligible to undergo a federal clearance.

Benefits

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

STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS

FILING INSTRUCTIONS

• A Standard original State application ( version 12/2021) (Form 678) is required to apply for this examination and hiring selection.
• A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) must discuss how your education, training, experience qualifies you for this position. The SOQ must be no more than  five pages in length, 12 pt. Arial font, 1 (one) inch margins, and must address each of the statements listed below. Please sure to number your responses for each question.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be useful in the development of written responses; however, it is important to use these tools responsibly and ethically. Where assistive tools may be used, responses within the SOQ should be your own original work. Applicants must write in their own words and avoid plagiarism. Failure to comply may be cuase for disqualification. 

Each candidate’s Statement of Qualifications must clearly and concisely identify experience in the following 5 categories and be formatted in the same manner as shown below:

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.
• Statement of Qualifications -

  A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is REQUIRED and must be submitted with your application to be considered for this position. Please see the area of this bulletin titled STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS for specific instructions and the 5 categories that must be addressed.

Job Tags

Full time, Apprenticeship, Local area,

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