Network Security & Firewall Governance Specialist – Palo Alto
Are you a security governance professional with a strong background in network security and firewall rule compliance? If you excel in policy review, audit, and ensuring adherence to security standards, this is the perfect opportunity to make a real impact.
Working with one of our top financial clients, this role calls for a Network Security & Firewall Governance Specialist – Palo Alto who will focus on firewall rule governance, audit, and compliance — not hands-on configuration or design. The successful candidate will review and validate firewall rule requests, ensure alignment with internal and external compliance standards, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to enforce security governance frameworks. This role requires a solid understanding of network traffic flow, firewall rule logic, and security best practices, along with strong communication and documentation skills.
Responsibilities:
- Review and assess firewall rule and security exception requests (e.g., URL filtering exceptions, SSL decryption bypass) to ensure compliance with OCISO standards.
- Oversee, monitor, and enforce enterprise frameworks and methodologies related to technology controls and information security.
- Conduct regular firewall rule reviews, audits, and compliance checks to ensure adherence to security policies.
- Collaborate with technical and compliance teams to validate and document rule governance processes.
- Provide after-hours support for firewall rule reviews when required.
- Participate in cross-functional and enterprise-wide initiatives to identify risks and provide security governance guidance.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of internal processes and controls to enhance operational efficiency.
- Create opportunities to educate stakeholders and promote a risk-aware culture.
- Participate in security incident investigations and develop remediation and prevention mechanisms.
- Stay current on emerging security trends, technologies, and best practices.
- Draft and maintain TSS standard documents and audit documentation.
- Influence stakeholders, build consensus, and drive adoption of security governance practices.
Desired Skill Set:
- Strong knowledge of network platforms including firewalls, IDS/IPS, routers, switches, WAN technologies, MPLS, load balancing, and WiFi.
- Proven experience with firewall rule management including review, approval, and assessments.
- Understanding of NIST, configuration drift, and vulnerability management concepts.
- Hands-on experience with Qualys or other vulnerability management tools.
- Solid understanding of network traffic flow and security rule logic.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to multitask effectively.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Team-oriented mindset with the ability to collaborate across teams.
Nice to Have:
- Information Security certifications or accreditations (e.g., CISSP, Cisco certifications).
- Experience working in a banking or financial institution (Big 5 banks) or a large insurance company.
- Familiarity with GuardiCore.
- Technical writing and documentation experience.
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