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IT Security Specialist
Non-Union Position
IS Security & Analytics Staff 1; Portland, Oregon (US-OR)
Hybrid schedule available for Oregon & Washington residents.
Regular FT
Posting # 5446
About Us:
At NW Natural, we offer more than rewarding career opportunities and a vibrant, inclusive work culture. We invite you to join us in providing safe and reliable utility services and renewable energy to better the lives of the communities we serve. Our vision is to be the leader in service excellence, innovation and environmental stewardship for our customers, while building on our strengths as a trusted energy provider and environmental leader for our industry.
In addition to environmental stewardship, we’re also deeply committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at NW Natural. Our DEI Council started 21 years ago, and today we continue to foster a culture where all employees can experience a sense of belonging, shared purpose and possibility.
The Role:
You’ll be a member of the Security Operations Team and collaborate with our teams on projects and operational work, as part of our security program. Your responsibilities will include people, processes, and technology. You will understand security in the context of business priorities/constraints. This is a key role in a technology organization maturing its processes and modernizing its Identity and Access Management (IAM) technology. This position will be based at our office in downtown Portland.
Day to Day:
Identity Management
Design -
- Define IAM security requirements for the implementation of new applications and projects.
- Provide analytical and technical guidance to the team and recommend and take action to direct the analysis and solutions required.
- Contribute to the overall architecture of our identity and access management standards.
Implement -
- Automate IAM processes to reduce manual effort.
- Work with managed service providers and peers to ensure new systems are onboarded into IAM tools successfully.
- Escalate and work closely with product vendors to support the technical environment.
Operate -
- Provide IAM administration as well as maintenance of user access roles including reviewing changes in the production environments and coordinating with the key stakeholders from IT, business delivery teams, and third-party vendors.
- Monitor IAM activities to proactively identify both operational issues and security incidents; identify and resolve issues with IAM tools.
- Drive towards identity standards and processes; provide guidance on application IAM best practices.
Support -
- Update IAM workflows in line with information security principles in response to business requirements.
- Ensure product/content updates occur successfully.
- Create and update IAM documentation (e.g., policies, standards, processes, etc.).
- Develop and report on key performance indicators to show the effectiveness of the identity governance administration (IGA) program.
Security Consulting -
- Collaborate on projects to ensure that identity security issues are addressed throughout the project lifecycle.
- Review system designs and identify areas for security improvements.
- Provide ad hoc consulting on tactical identity security topics.
Come on your first day with:
Qualification and Experience
Educational Qualifications -
- Minimum three years of identity management or information security experience. Additional experience required for level 3.
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent additional work experience.
- Advanced understanding of Identity Management, Identity Governance and Authentication/Authorization integration, PIV, SSO (e.g., Active Directory, ADFS, SAML, LDAP, MFA, OAuth 2.0, OIDC, etc.).
- Experience with secure code development practices.
- Experience with the Java/Beanshell, Python, and PowerShell programming languages
- Familiarity with developing web-based APIs, HTTP-RPC, and REST.
- ITIL Foundations certified or successful completion within 90 days of starting.
Technical Competency -
- A solid understanding of IAM and security priorities and concepts
- Technical knowledge of identity and access management technologies, mainstream operating systems, and complex applications.
Occupational Personality -
- You’ll interact with NW Natural's personnel at various levels and across business units to understand business imperatives. Deep technical skills paired with collaboration will be key to your success, as will your ability to communicate IAM concepts and situations to audiences with varying levels of familiarity with these concepts.
- Leadership abilities with the capability to direct other technical staff on identity security initiatives and guide team members. You’ll get to work with minimal supervision. Strong analytical skills to analyze identity security requirements and relate them to appropriate security controls.
- Your ability to manage expectations appropriately will help and build long-term relationships.
- You’ll remain current with industry trends and evolving threats.
What we offer:
Health & Wellness –
- Rich health insurance benefits with competitive employer contribution
- Free access to an online wellness resources platform
Work Life Balance -
- Up to 23 Vacation Days
- 80 Hours of Sick Time
- 10 paid holidays and 3 floating holidays
- Flexible work arrangements
- 3 weeks paid parental leave
- Green Team / Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council / Safety Team / Women’s Network and many other Employee Resource Groups
- 1500 sq foot exercise facility and secure bike room
Financial -
- Meaningful annual incentive bonus opportunity in addition to base salary
- Competitive 401K company contribution and match
- 15% discount on NW Natural stock through Employee Stock Purchase Program
- Up to $5250 a year in tuition reimbursement
- Wellness incentive program
Discounts -
- 20% off natural gas service
- Up to 30% discount at NW Natural Appliance Center
- TriMet Pass for all HQ employees
- Generous discounts with Verizon & AT&T Wireless
Base salary range: $86,500.00 - $123,250.00 (Level 2) or $107,500.00 - $153,200.00 (Level 3) per year, depending on qualifications
Annual Target Incentive: Level 2, 9.5% target
Level 3, 12.0% target
Targets are calculated using eligible earnings during plan year participation. Payout, if earned, is based on company and individual performance for each plan year and may range from 0% – 200% of target. Targets are subject to change in subsequent plan years. Must be employed by September 30 in order to receive any prorated payout.
Application Process: To be considered for this position, submit a complete electronic application including cover letter and resume via our website.
https://www.nwnatural.com/about-us/the-company/careers
Deadline: 2/3/26
Disclosure: We are a drug free workplace and we comply with Federal Drug Free Workplace Act and Department of Transportation regulations. NW Natural participates in E-Verify. Individuals hired will have their Form I-9 information submitted to E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility.
All applications must be submitted through NW Natural’s Electronic Application System. Resumes submitted via email, fax or mail will not be accepted in lieu of an electronic application.
NW Natural is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and embrace our candidates’ diversity and take affirmative action to employ and advance individuals without discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth or related medical conditions), national origin, marital status, genetic information, and all other legally protected characteristics. We forbid discrimination and harassment in the workplace based on any protected status or characteristic. A criminal history is not an automatic bar to employment with NW Natural. Instead, we make individualized assessments regarding qualifications and backgrounds. NW Natural is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation as part of the application process, please contact us at employment@nwnatural.com or (971) 979-6341.
NW Natural does not accept unsolicited submissions or assistance from search firms for posted positions. Resumes submitted by search firms working under a valid and current written contract with NW Natural valid written Statement of Work in place for this position from NW Natural HR/Employment will be deemed the sole property of NW Natural. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by NW Natural as a result of the referral or through other means.
Nearest Major Market: Portland Oregon