A manager of data security, as you can imagine, will typically be one of the senior staff within their company’s IT department, working closely alongside the company’s network security personnel, system administrators and other staff members who are tasked with ensuring the security of their employer’s IT infrastructure and systems. As a senior staff member, a person working in a management data security position will generally play a supervisory role within the IT department as well and bear the responsibility of making sure that all staff members underneath them in the department’s hierarchy are up to date on the company’s specific policies regarding data security, network security best practices and other matters which affect the integrity of the company’s computer systems. They are also responsible for ensuring that junior and mid-level staff in their department follow these procedures and carry out routine security tasks as well as special projects which relate to computer or network security as necessary and for assigning these duties.
People who work in manager data security jobs obviously need to have a fairly extensive background in IT, especially in the areas of network security and/or system administration (since there is often a great deal of crossover between these two specialties, especially in terms of computer and network security). This experience may come from on-the-job training, with many a manager of data security having learned the ropes through the course of their work in another, less senior position in the IT department, either with their current employer or in the IT department of a previous employer. There are also management of data security experts who have no formal background or training in information technology, but have learned through sheer necessity and are almost entirely self-taught. If you’ve built up some expertise in management data security through your work history, it’s important to emphasize specific accomplishments on your resume when seeking out similar positions in the field, since many employers will focus on your educational background first and foremost when looking at the resumes of potential hires.
Speaking of education, the majority of manager data security personnel cut their teeth in the field through a program of study. This may be as part of a two or four year degree program in computer science, networking or even an IT security-specific program. There are also shorter certification programs available which provide students with the knowledge and basic skill set required to begin working in computer security – it’s more often the case that they will need to begin their career not as a manager of data security but as a lower-level employee within the IT department and work their way up the ladder as they gain seniority and hone their data security skills. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule and an exceptionally talented candidate or one who is seeking employment as management data security officer at a smaller firm may find themselves able to secure this relatively senior position straight out of school or with a much less extensive track record of professional experience than would generally be the case.
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