IAM Engineer Lead

Department: Information Security Office
Salary/Grade: ITS/83

Target hiring range for this position will be between $125,220-130,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data

Job Summary:

The IAM Lead Engineer provides support for a complex environment(s). They provide expert knowledge, skillsets and subject matter expertise (SME) for provisioning/deprovisioning, federation, authentication and authorization/access management, and directory services. AM Team Architecture, infrastructure and identity integrations with various technologies and services.

In this role, you will apply your knowledge and skillsets to lead the AM team that provides support, consultation, design services, testing, documentation and implementation for Sailpoint, SSO, Shibboleth, LDAP and Linux based systems. That will include configuration/implementation of new functionality, versioning, modify existing set ups, and provide Tier 3 support for trouble shooting various issues or incidents. You will also provide an array of consultative information, guidance and/or assistance to various groups within NUIT as well as NU schools and units.

You will assist with strategic planning and will work to ensure that IAM systems/solutions are both resilient and adaptive to an evolving Identity landscape. You will work with stakeholders throughout Northwestern to implement IAM best practices and controls.

You will lead the AM Team in a supervisor capacity that includes work assignment, work evaluation/peer review, training, mentoring, and conduct performance evaluation reviews. Oversee operations and support for the teams infrastructure and services. Leads, instructs, directs, and checks the work of other engineers using full technical knowledge and thorough understanding of functionality. Provides supervision to and oversees the work of staff. Leads with the expectation that team members are cross-trained on all products and are staying on top of new skill development within the industry.

Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

• Represent Identity & Access Management Department in collaborative and strategic initiatives, applying expertise and functioning as an integral part of the information security organization.
• Contribute to yearly roadmap planning of the IAM portfolio.
• Research and provide guidance/support in evaluating industry best practices, evaluating vendors, open source products and internally developed systems, cloud or SAAS solutions.

• Participate in BTAA, CSG or other industry meetings or conferences to help ensure IAM stays on top of future functionality, products, trends and support.

Administration

• Act as IAM point-of-contact for assigned MS team products and operations.
• Serve as Tier 3 support and an escalation point for domain technology issues that cannot be solved by Tier 1 and Tier 2 support.
• Responsible for AM team operations to include - team performance, ownership of root cause analysis, problem management, documentation and communication for Identity Environment(s).
• AMTeam system monitoring, verifying the integrity and availability of all hardware, server resources, system and key processes, reviewing system logs and verifying completion of scheduled tasks/jobs.
• AM Team create and maintain system documentation for domain technologies, including installation, configuration, and appropriate trouble shooting steps.
• Identify opportunities to innovate, extend and enhance service delivery where possible.
• Monitor and evaluate systems and services for conformity to existing policies, standards, and guidelines

Engineer

• Ability to to develop, integrate and deploy Identity and Access Management frameworks, systems and protocols.
• Architect, design and implement solutions for AM Team infrastructure (SailPoint, Ping/ForgeRock, Shibboleth) for efficiency and continuous improvement opportunities.
• Ability to create scripting, read code, utilize Git for versioning and use an
• Lead projects in the design, development, testing, and implementation of technical solutions which advance strategic initiatives in IAM including projects affecting the overall posture of Northwestern University
• Review existing Identity & Access Management practices, developing and implementing systems and solutions for additional controls, capabilities, or compliance
• Implement recommendations for assigned projects, in consultation with project team(s) and/or other NUIT staff
• Provide recommendations for continual process improvements across Identity & Access Management workflows
• Draft and review documentation such as analyses of technical, administrative, or procedural issues; procedural documentation/playbooks; and team documentation

Performance

• Collaborate with other Identity staff or NUIT staff as needed for incident remediation or incident investigations
• Provides troubleshooting and investigation assistance to users regarding potential or actual Identity incidents.
• Partners with users and internal/external staff to monitor and/or report school, unit, or departmental level IAM issues/incidents within applications or systems.
• Develop and maintain IAM AM team expertise through university-provided and external training/seminars/courses; staying abreast of industry trends, methods, and published literature; and participating in professional development programs/initiatives and approved by information security management.

Supervises

• Assigns staff to certain projects/tasks
• Champions utilization of best practices and standards, and ensures compliance with IT/University policies.
• Conducts performance evaluations for supervised team members.
• Coaches and mentors team members and facilitate career development goals for junior staff and direct reports.
• Provide ongoing feedback and coaching throughout the year and coaches direct report for goals and development opportunities.

• Leads with the expectation that team members are cross-trained and new skill developments.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Education, Experience, Certifications, Skills)

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of education, training and experience from which comparable skills can be acquired.
• Four or more years of relevant professional experience, preferably in admissions, recruitment, enrollment management, marketing, or a related field.
• Demonstrated comfort and effectiveness presenting to and engaging with large audiences, both in person and virtually.
• Proven ability to use data and insights to inform strategy, improve processes, and support decision-making.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, demonstrating comfort with ambiguity, change, and evolving priorities.
• Strong initiative and problem-solving skills, with a track record of identifying opportunities and proposing thoughtful improvements.
• Collaborative mindset with a clear commitment to teamwork and building positive, collegial relationships across stakeholders.
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously while meeting deadlines.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with attention to clarity, professionalism, and audience engagement.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally and to work occasional evenings and weekends as required by the admissions cycle.

Preferred Qualifications (Education, Experience, Certifications, Skills)

• Experience in admissions or higher education
• Experience working in slate, our admissions crm system
• Experience with recruiting, talent development or talent evaluation
• Experience presenting in front of large audiences
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong project management skills

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.