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The Cybersecurity Career Ladder

Nancy Wang and Steve Zalewski

Featuring:

* STEVE ZALEWSKI, former CISO, Levi Strauss

* NANCY WANG, founder and CEO, AWIT; SVP, Head of Engineering at 1Password; Venture Partner at Felicis Ventures

* PAUL BINGHAM, senior vice president and executive dean of Western Governors University; former member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Cybercrime Task Force

* SWATHI JOSHI, vice president of SaaS cloud security at Oracle

* GORDON YU, former CISO of Bedrock Security

You will learn:

* How security practitioners think

* The cybersecurity career ladder

Featuring:

* STEVE ZALEWSKI, former CISO, Levi Strauss

* NANCY WANG, founder and CEO, AWIT; SVP, Head of Engineering at 1Password; Venture Partner at Felicis Ventures

* PAUL BINGHAM, senior vice president and executive dean of Western Governors University; former member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Cybercrime Task Force

* SWATHI JOSHI, vice president of SaaS cloud security at Oracle

* GORDON YU, former CISO of Bedrock Security

You will learn:

* How security practitioners think

* The cybersecurity career ladder

* Differences in priorities across different security practitioners

* Matching the correct security priorities to the correct organizations

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What's inside

Syllabus

Steve and Nancy intro the course

Learn about AWIT, your lecturers, and whether this Specialization is right for you!

Inside the mind of a CISO

What's it mean to be a security leader? Understand how to live with -- and excel under -- pressure and uncertainty, appease business demands, track relentless threats, and never have complete control of your work.

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Career center

Learners who complete The Cybersecurity Career Ladder will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Chief Information Security Officer

A Chief Information Security Officer is a senior executive responsible for an organization's overall information and data security. This includes developing security strategy, managing risk, and ensuring compliance. This course, "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder," is exceptionally tailored for aspiring and current CISOs, providing deep insights "inside the mind of a CISO" and what it means to be a security leader. It helps learners understand how to manage pressure, appease business demands, track relentless threats, and navigate uncertainty. By exploring "the 3 Types of CISOs" and how "CISOs across different business types" adapt approaches, learners gain a nuanced understanding of leadership mindsets. This guidance, from featured experts like former CISOs, including those from Microsoft and 1Password, is crucial for anyone aiming to reach or excel in this pivotal leadership position.

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Security Director

A Security Director leads a department or a significant function within an organization's cybersecurity framework, overseeing teams, managing projects, and implementing security strategies under executive leadership. This position demands a strong understanding of strategic security challenges. "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder" course provides invaluable perspective by detailing what it means to be a security leader, emphasizing the need to manage pressure, understand business demands, and track threats effectively. Learners will gain direction to "elevate their trajectory" by understanding "the cybersecurity career ladder" itself. The course's focus on matching security priorities to organizational needs and adapting to different business types is highly relevant for a Security Director translating strategy into actionable plans.

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Cybersecurity Strategy Consultant

A Cybersecurity Strategy Consultant advises organizations on their overall security posture, helping them develop robust defense strategies, assess risks, and align security initiatives with business objectives. This role requires a comprehensive understanding of diverse security challenges and effective communication with leadership. This course, "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder," is particularly pertinent for aspiring Cybersecurity Strategy Consultants, as it specifically helps learners "understand and match themselves to the needs of their organization and its leaders." The insights into "how security practitioners think" and the "differences in priorities across different security practitioners" are essential for accurately assessing client needs and crafting tailored solutions. Learning how "CISOs across different business types" adapt their approaches directly informs a consultant's ability to advise a variety of clients strategically.

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Information Security Governance Risk and Compliance Lead

An Information Security Governance Risk and Compliance Lead develops, implements, and monitors an organization's information security governance framework, managing risks, and ensuring adherence to regulatory standards. This role requires understanding organizational priorities and strategic alignment. "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder" course offers significant advantages, emphasizing "matching the correct security priorities to the correct organizations." The course's exploration of "how security practitioners think" and varying "priorities across different security practitioners" helps learners develop a holistic view of security challenges for effective governance and risk management. Understanding the CISO mindset, as detailed in the course, is crucial for aligning GRC initiatives with executive-level strategic goals.

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Security Program Manager

A Security Program Manager oversees multiple cybersecurity projects and initiatives, ensuring they align with an organization's strategic security goals and are delivered effectively. This role demands strong leadership, organizational skills, and the ability to navigate complex business environments. "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder" course offers valuable perspectives by helping learners "gain direction and elevate their trajectory" within the field. Its focus on understanding and matching security priorities "to the needs of your organization and its leaders" is directly applicable to managing programs that must deliver tangible value and meet executive expectations. Insights into "how security practitioners think" and challenges faced by security leaders can help anticipate roadblocks and communicate program status effectively to diverse stakeholders.

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Head of Cybersecurity Operations

The Head of Cybersecurity Operations leads teams responsible for day-to-day security monitoring, incident detection, and response. This senior leadership role demands operational expertise and strategic vision to improve defense capabilities. "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder" course may be helpful for advancing or excelling in this role by providing insight into what it means to be a security leader, particularly focusing on how to "live with pressure and uncertainty" and "track relentless threats." Understanding "how security practitioners think" and the "differences in priorities across different security practitioners" can enable a Head of Cybersecurity Operations to better align operational activities with broader organizational and CISO strategies.

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Security Product Manager

A Security Product Manager defines the strategy, roadmap, and features for security-related products or services, ensuring they meet market needs and solve real customer problems. This role requires a deep understanding of the cybersecurity landscape and organizational priorities. "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder" course may be helpful for a Security Product Manager by providing insights into "how security practitioners think" and, crucially, the "differences in priorities across different security practitioners." Learning about "the 3 Types of CISOs" and how "CISOs across different business types" adapt their approaches directly informs product development, helping to create solutions that genuinely address the challenges faced by security leaders and their organizations.

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Cloud Security Manager

A Cloud Security Manager leads the development and implementation of security strategies specifically for an organization's cloud environments. This involves managing cloud security risks, ensuring compliance, and overseeing cloud security tools and teams. As a manager, this role requires leadership and strategic thinking. "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder" course may be helpful for a Cloud Security Manager by offering insights into what it means to be a security leader, a role that often requires "appeasing business demands" while managing risks. The course's emphasis on "matching the correct security priorities to the correct organizations" is particularly relevant when translating executive cloud strategy into specific security controls and practices. Swathi Joshi's role reinforces the course's applicability.

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Security Awareness and Training Manager

A Security Awareness and Training Manager develops and implements programs to educate employees about cybersecurity best practices, aiming to reduce human-related security risks. This role requires understanding organizational culture, effective communication, and aligning initiatives with overall security strategy. "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder" course may be helpful for this role by fostering a deeper understanding of "how security practitioners think" and the "differences in priorities across different security practitioners." By understanding the challenges and priorities of security leaders, particularly CISOs, a Security Awareness and Training Manager can design programs that more effectively address critical organizational risks and gain buy-in from senior management.

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Incident Response Manager

An Incident Response Manager leads efforts to detect, analyze, contain, and recover from cybersecurity incidents. This role demands decisive leadership under pressure, strong technical understanding, and the ability to communicate effectively with senior leadership during critical events. "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder" course may be helpful for an Incident Response Manager, particularly through its emphasis on what it means "to be a security leader" and how to "live with pressure and uncertainty." Understanding "how security practitioners think" and the "differences in priorities across different security practitioners" can enable this manager to better articulate incident impact in business terms and align response strategies with organizational risk tolerance.

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Security Operations Center Manager

A Security Operations Center Manager leads a team of security analysts responsible for continuous monitoring, detection, and initial response to cyber threats. This leadership position requires managing team performance, optimizing processes, and reporting on security posture to senior management. "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder" course may be useful for a Security Operations Center Manager by providing critical insights into "the cybersecurity career ladder" and how to "elevate their trajectory." Understanding "how security practitioners think" and the strategic priorities of executive leaders helps the manager align daily SOC activities with broader organizational security objectives and communicate operational effectiveness in a context that resonates with leadership.

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Cybersecurity Policy Analyst

A Cybersecurity Policy Analyst researches, develops, and updates security policies, standards, and procedures to ensure an organization's compliance with regulations and best practices. This role demands a strong understanding of both technical security controls and organizational governance. "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder" course may be helpful for a Cybersecurity Policy Analyst by emphasizing the importance of "matching the correct security priorities to the correct organizations." By exploring "how security practitioners think" and the "differences in priorities across different security practitioners," learners can develop policies that are not only technically sound but also strategically aligned with executive leadership's risk appetite and business objectives.

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Technical Account Manager Cybersecurity

A Technical Account Manager for cybersecurity products or services acts as a primary technical contact for key clients, helping them optimize their security solutions and achieve desired outcomes. This role requires a blend of technical expertise, client relationship management, and a deep understanding of client business needs. "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder" course may be useful for a Technical Account Manager Cybersecurity, as it helps learners "understand and match themselves to the needs of their organization and its leaders." The course's insights into "the 3 Types of CISOs" and how "CISOs across different business types" adapt their approaches directly inform how a Technical Account Manager can engage with client leadership and understand their specific security priorities.

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Cybersecurity Educator

A Cybersecurity Educator designs and delivers training programs or academic courses in cybersecurity, preparing individuals for careers or enhancing existing professionals' skills. This role requires not only technical knowledge but also an understanding of career pathways and industry demands. "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder" course may be useful for a Cybersecurity Educator by providing explicit insights into "the cybersecurity career ladder" and how to "understand and match yourself to the needs of your organization and its leaders." The optional module on "The cybersecurity job market" offers critical information for guiding students. Understanding "how security practitioners think" allows an educator to provide relevant and up-to-date career advice.

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Cybersecurity Journalist

A Cybersecurity Journalist researches, writes, and reports on various aspects of cybersecurity, including threats, technologies, policies, and industry trends, for public consumption. This role requires strong analytical and communication skills, alongside an ability to distill complex information. "The Cybersecurity Career Ladder" course may be useful for a Cybersecurity Journalist by offering a unique perspective "inside the mind of a CISO" and what it means "to be a security leader." Understanding the "differences in priorities across different security practitioners" and how "CISOs across different business types" adapt their approaches provides rich context for reporting on industry challenges, leadership strategies, and career dynamics, enhancing the depth and credibility of their articles.

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Reading list

We've selected 50 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in The Cybersecurity Career Ladder.