Director, Identity and Access Management

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The Deputy CISO & Head of Identity and Access Management is responsible for leading Cengage Group's enterprise-wide identity, access, and entitlement strategy across both employee and customer-facing systems. This role serves as the strategic leader for IAM architecture, governance, and operations while acting as a key member of the cybersecurity leadership team. The position oversees critical identity platforms including Okta (CIAM and workforce identity) and integration with Active Directory, ensuring secure, scalable, and compliant access management that supports business growth while protecting the organization from identity-related threats.

• Define and implement enterprise IAM strategy encompassing workforce identity, customer identity (CIAM), privileged access management (PAM), and identity governance
• Oversee Okta platform operations for both employee and customer identity use cases, ensuring optimal configuration and integration with business applications
• Lead Active Directory strategy, including hybrid cloud identity architecture and Azure AD integration
• Deliver critical IAM initiatives including Okta consolidation, MFA strategy, and lifecycle automation.
• Drive identity platform modernization initiatives and maintain strategic roadmaps for IAM capabilities
• Establish and enforce identity and access policies, standards, and procedures aligned with security frameworks and regulatory requirements
• Partner with application teams to implement least-privilege access models and zero-trust principles

• Lead identity-related risk assessments and threat modeling to proactively identify vulnerabilities
• Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, FERPA) as they relate to identity and access
• Partner with Risk Management and Incident Response on identity threats and compromise events
• Oversee audits and readiness for SOC 2, ISO 27001, and related certifications
• Develop and maintain disaster recovery and business continuity plans for identity services

• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing IAM team with diverse technical and operational capabilities
• Communicate complex identity and security concepts effectively to technical and business audiences
• Serve as trusted advisor to business leaders on identity strategy, balancing security with user experience

• 10+ years of progressive experience in IAM, with at least 5 years in leadership roles
• Proven track record managing enterprise IAM platforms (Okta, Active Directory, Azure AD) at scale
• Strong experience with customer identity and access management (CIAM) in B2C or B2B environments
• Expertise in identity protocols and technologies (SAML, OAuth, OIDC, SCIM, LDAP, MFA, PAM, IGA)
• Deep understanding of identity-centric security, zero-trust architecture, and access governance
• Demonstrated success leading IAM transformations, consolidations, and modernization programs
• Knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks (NIST, CIS, ISO 27001) and identity threat landscapes
• Strong executive communication, multi-functional influence, and team leadership skills
• Experience in PE-backed environments or organizations preparing for liquidity events preferred
• Background in education technology, SaaS platforms, or regulated industries highly valued

• Reduced identity-related security incidents and improved time-to-detect/respond for credential compromise
• Successful Okta platform consolidation delivering measurable cost savings and operational efficiency
• High partner satisfaction from application teams and business partners on IAM service delivery
• Identity architecture positioned to support business growth and scale through liquidity event

This role requires a security-first mentality balanced with pragmatic business…