Cybersecurity Director at Guidehouse

Position Overview

Job Family: Cyber Consulting

Travel Required: Up to 25%

Clearance Required: Active Secret

As a Cybersecurity Director, you will serve as a senior leader responsible for shaping enterprise‑wide cybersecurity engagements and driving strategic initiatives across federal environments. This role combines deep expertise in cyber governance, risk management, and compliance with advanced leadership, business development, and stakeholder engagement skills. The Director will translate federal mandates and industry best practices into actionable strategies, ensuring alignment with organizational mission objectives and technical implementation teams while overseeing practice growth and profitability.

Key Functions

• Lead enterprise‑level cyber advisory service engagements, ensuring alignment with EO 14028, OMB guidance, CISA directives, and NIST frameworks.
• Drive business development and capture activities to expand cybersecurity offerings, including proposal leadership, client relationship management, and revenue growth.
• Oversee delivery of major cybersecurity engagements, ensuring quality, scalability, and adherence to federal cybersecurity standards.
• Provide thought leadership through publications, conferences, and industry forums, positioning the organization as a leader in cybersecurity services.

What You Will Do

• Lead development and execution of cybersecurity policies, services and solutions aligned with EO 14028, OMB guidance, CISA directives, and NIST frameworks.
• Advise executive leadership (CISO, CIO, CDO) and interagency partners on cybersecurity strategies and risk posture.
• Bring together cybersecurity technical competencies with IT, data and AI competencies to advance risk management approaches with clients and potential clients.
• Integrate Zero Trust principles into enterprise services and drive system adoption in accordance with NIST SP 800-207, CISA, DOW and IC frameworks and approaches for Zero Trust Maturity Model into engagements and potential new work.
• Drive cybersecurity program performance by defining and monitoring KPIs, maturity models, and compliance metrics to operational effectiveness and risk reduction, such as decreased time for vulnerability patching, increased speed of Mean Time to Recover, and increased compliance with continuous monitoring/continuous Authority to Operate initiatives.
• Drive practice growth through business development, proposal leadership, and client engagement, translating mission risk into AI‑enabled controls, analytics, and automation; steward solutions and optimize outcomes and margin.
• Mentor multi‑disciplinary teams; build communities of practice; embed learning loops; fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications

• Ten (10)+ years of overall relevant work experience.
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.
• Active and maintained secret (or higher) federal security clearance.
• Experience in cybersecurity risk management and governance, including various years in senior leadership roles.
• Federal experience at the department level working on cybersecurity programs.
• Comprehensive understanding of federal IT/security and privacy procedures and techniques.
• Ability to influence an AI‑first, data‑driven mindset and drive a culture of collaboration, innovation, and best practices.
• Proven track record in leading capture, building pipeline, increasing win‑rate across federal segments and meeting yearly targets (e.g., bookings, utilization).
• Demonstrated ability to lead large, multidisciplinary teams and deliver complex cybersecurity programs.
• Strong communication skills for engaging audiences from C‑Suite executives to technical specialists.
• U.S. citizenship is required. Sponsorship is not eligible for this position.

Nice‑to‑Have

• Successfully meeting or exceeding Business Development targets in the $10M–$15M USD range.
• Cybersecurity experience in one of the following agencies: Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, Department of War, or the Intelligence community.
• Master’s degree.
• Project Management Professional (PMP).
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).

What We Offer

Guidehouse offers a comprehensive, total rewards package that includes competitive compensation and a flexible benefits package that reflects our commitment to creating a diverse and supportive workplace.

Benefits include:

• Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Personal and Family Sick Time & Company Paid Holidays
• Position may be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus
• Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Basic Life & Supplemental Life
• Health Savings Account, Dental/Vision & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Short‑Term & Long‑Term Disability
• Student Loan PayDown
• Tuition Reimbursement, Personal Development & Learning Opportunities
• Skills Development & Certifications
• Employee Referral ProgramCorporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach
• Emergency Back‑Up Childcare Program
• Mobility Stipend

EEO Statement

Guidehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer–Protected Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.

Guidehouse will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law or ordinance including the Fair Chance Ordinance of Los Angeles and San Francisco.