Manager, Privileged Access Management (PAM)

About the role:

We are seeking an experienced Manager of IAM to lead and mature our Privileged Access Management (PAM) team. This is a people-first management role responsible for a large team of engineers and analysts.

You will work as an engineering leader responsible for strategy, delivery, and operation of our enterprise PAM Program—driving automation of Elevated Privilege (EP) discovery and vaulting, managing EP access requests and certifications, non-human identity (NHI) governance and management, and delivering zero standing privilege and just-in-time access at scale.

Success in this role requires operating at a high tempo while maintaining strong operational disciple and driving automation, continuous improvement, and measurable impact for our customers and the business. We are looking for an IAM Manager with experience in building high-performing teams, influencing stakeholders, and delivering measurable business outcomes.

What You'll Do:

• Define and execute the multi-year IAM/PAM strategy and roadmap aligned to business priorities, risk reduction, and regulatory compliance.
• Own the end-to-end PAM program: non-human identity and agentic AI security frameworks and access control, secrets lifecycle management, service account certifications, PAM tooling capability development and deployment, and reporting.
• Accountable for a full range of people manager responsibilities including communication, coaching, mentoring and staff development, performance management, salary administration, and staffing decisions.
• Perform functional management duties to ensure optimum effectiveness and quality by managing adherence to strategies, goals, budgets, operating policies and procedures as an NM frontline manager.
• Accountable for translating the departmental strategy to IAM security operational objectives (OKR) including both systems and processes. Drives for results through others to include:
  • Integrating and designing measurement systems, targets and specific initiatives in support of the various strategies.
  • Partner with other IAM teams, including IGA, Directory Services, and Cloud IAM, to implement Elevated Privilege access controls across all applications and systems.
• Accountable for providing guidance and escalation avenues for the business unit based on understanding the business values, goals, work processes and workflows.
• Accountable for evaluation, review and approval of risk assessment and risk management strategies and processes to establish a foundation for appropriately managing systems and data risks.

What You'll Bring to the Role:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred; bachelor’s or advanced degree in engineering, computer science, information systems, or related field.
• Eight (8) years of progressive IAM experience, with 3+ years running a PAM program.
• Hands-on experience implementing and operating enterprise PAM platforms such as CyberArk and Hashicorp Vault.
• Proven delivery of automated secrets management, agentic AI controls, EP access requests and certifications, just-in-time access, and role engineering at scale.
• Proven people management skills to include human relations and interpersonal skills necessary to manage multiple teams.
• Proven ability to build effective teams committed to organizational goals.
• Proven analytical abilities especially in decision making and problem solving.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and the ability to handle ambiguity.
• Proven ability to cultivate relationships and counsel key business partners within all levels of the organization. Strong stakeholder management skills.
• Experience with Agile methodologies/DevSecOps environment desired.
• Relevant security certifications (CISM, CISSP, CCSP, etcetera) are desired.

Skills you have:

• Identity and Access Management Standard-Utilizes IAM industry standards, reference architectures and patterns. Demonstrates and applies AAA (Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting) identity management protocols and access management infrastructure.
• Identity protocols-Utilizes identity protocols such as, SAML, OAuth, OpenID, LDAP, and Kerberos to provide strong authentication for network resources, including devices, applications and databases.
• Security Practices-Undertakes best practices of technologies, policies, and processes designed to protect networks, devices, programs, and data from attack, damage, or unauthorized access.
• Cross Functional Partnership-Facilitates collaboration, communication, coordination, and planning with individuals and teams from different functions within the organization, and who have different areas of expertise, to achieve common goals.
• Stakeholder relationship-Organizes, influences, monitors, and improves relationships with key stakeholders; systematically identifies stakeholders and analyzes their needs and expectations to support in planning and decision making while implementing various tasks to engage with them.
• Talent development and Planning-Develops direct reports’ skills based on organizational objectives, evaluates skill gaps, and manages succession planning to develop more capable direct reports, diverse, strong teams and better organizational performance in an equitable and inclusive manner.
• Technical Problem Solving-Conducts in-depth analysis of technology needs, issues, and roadblocks within assigned scope, applies best practice based on experience and expertise, explores the “art of possible”. Solves problems effectively and gains alignment on the path forward. Defines, understands, and documents what is being solved for.

#LI-Hybrid

Compensation Range:

Pay Range - Start:

$130,800.00

Pay Range - End:

$196,200.00

Geographic Specific Pay Structure:

Structure 110:

Structure 115:

We believe in fairness and transparency. It’s why we share the salary range for most of our roles. However, final salaries are based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of the candidate; the current market; location of the candidate; and other factors uncovered in the hiring process. The standard pay structure is listed but if you’re living in California, New York City or other eligible location, geographic specific pay structures, compensation and benefits could be applicable, click here to learn more.

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Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes talented individuals of all backgrounds. We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which each employee can contribute creative ideas, seek challenges, assume leadership and continue to focus on meeting and exceeding business and personal objectives.