MANAGER OF ACCESS CONTROL

CLASSIFICATION: Exempt

LOCATION: Houston

JOB SUMMARY

The Manager of Access Control will serve as the strategic and technical lead for Empyrean's Identity and Access Management (IAM) initiatives, including oversight of platforms such as Okta, Aquera, Active Directory (AD), AWS IAM, and Auth0. This role is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining robust access control strategies, with a particular focus on securing user access, system integrity, and scalability as Empyrean grows. The Manager will also lead RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) modernization efforts and support advanced integration and configuration for Okta and related IAM technologies, will support security engineering tasks, oversight and administration of various security tools, and will promote activities centric to the organization's security and resiliency practices and programs. This position will supervise the Sr. Access Control Administrator and the Sr. Systems Security Analyst and serve as a key partner to network and security engineering teams.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the development and execution of Empyrean's identity and access control strategy, ensuring secure and scalable access across systems and platforms.
• Resolve general access control and IAM related workflow (tickets), which may include various platforms, such as Okta, Aquera, Active Directory (AD), AWS IAM, Auth0, etc.
• Oversee the design, implementation, and administration of IAM systems, including Okta, Aquera, Active Directory, AWS IAM, Proofpoint, and Auth0.
• Guide architectural planning and configuration of Okta and other identity platforms to support current and future organizational needs.
• Drive the RBAC initiative forward, including the assessment and restructuring of Active Directory, informed by legacy design and implementation.
• Supervise and mentor the Sr. Access Control Administrator and Sr. Systems Security Analyst, ensuring operational excellence and role clarity.
• Provide technical expertise across the IAM ecosystem, supporting security posture improvements and incident response capabilities.
• Partner cross-functionally with IT, Security, and Engineering to align IAM practices with Empyrean's broader security and infrastructure strategy.
• Support planning and implementation of future access-related initiatives, including Privileged Access Management (PAM).
• Maintain detailed documentation, SOPs, and policies related to access control processes and system configurations.
• Support execution and required oversight of various security engineering tasks.
• Support and administrate various security tools that empower the organizations security program.
• Participate and assist tasks that support the overall security and resiliency program.

NON-ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participate in audits and compliance activities as needed.
• Provide IAM training and awareness to internal stakeholders.
• Contribute to process improvement initiatives outside of direct IAM scope where relevant technical expertise applies.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Advanced understanding of identity and access management frameworks, technologies, and best practices.
• Expertise in designing and managing solutions in Okta, Active Directory, AWS IAM, and related identity platforms.
• Ability to assess existing infrastructure and recommend improvements for scalability, security, and performance.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating access-related risks.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Experience in mentoring technical staff and overseeing day-to-day operational execution.
• Capability to manage multiple priorities and adapt in a dynamic environment .

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND/OR EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
• 6+ years of progressively responsible experience in IAM or access control functions.
• 2+ years in a leadership or managerial role overseeing technical staff.
• Deep experience with Okta (design/configuration/support), Active Directory (including rebuilds and migrations), AWS IAM, and Proofpoint.
• Familiarity with PAM technologies and RBAC frameworks is strongly preferred.
• Relevant professional certifications strongly preferred but not required.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to work on-site or in a hybrid capacity, as required by the role.

• Availability for after-hours support as needed for critical access or incident-related issues.

• Must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Disclaimer: This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job. Management reserves the right to modify or reassign job duties as business needs evolve. Empyrean is an Equal Opportunity Employer: including disability and veterans