IT Security Specialist

Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company
West Des Moines, IA
On-site

Who this role is best for

Cybersecurity professionals with incident investigation experience and advanced certifications will find this leadership-focused role in the insurance industry rewarding.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with incident investigation leadership and regulatory compliance experience in insurance or similar domains
    — “Serves as a technical leader within security, overseeing complex incident investigations, guiding regulatory compliance efforts”
  • Candidates who excel in mentoring and cross-functional collaboration with IT and compliance teams
    — “Provides mentorship and technical guidance to Security Specialists I and II and serves as a security subject matter expert, collaborating with IT, compliance, and business teams”

Things to consider

  • The role requires a non-sponsored work authorization and is not eligible for visa sponsorship
    — “This position is not eligible for sponsorship for work authorization”
  • The position is based in West Des Moines, IA, with potential for hybrid work only after training
    — “Potential for hybrid work schedule after training is completed”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience in leading incident investigations and coordinating remediation efforts
    — “Leads complex security incident investigations, including forensic analysis, root cause determination”
  • Emphasize expertise in optimizing enterprise security tools such as SIEM and EDR/XDR
    — “Provides senior-level administration, configuration, and optimization of enterprise security technologies”
  • Showcase knowledge of security frameworks like NIST and CIS Controls in compliance work
    — “Supports compliance with applicable insurance cybersecurity laws, privacy requirements, organizational policies”
  • Demonstrate hands-on experience with Microsoft Entra ID and Azure identity management
    — “Leads periodic access reviews, privileged access oversight, and identity security improvements across Microsoft Entra ID, Azure”
  • Include examples of vulnerability management lifecycle coordination and risk prioritization
    — “Coordinates the enterprise vulnerability management lifecycle, including vulnerability scanning”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · MediumAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • lead complex security incident investigations
  • proactively identify emerging threats
  • administer enterprise security tools
Typical background
7+ years of progressive experience in cybersecurity

Skills & requirements

Required

CybersecurityIncident InvestigationsEnterprise Security ToolsRegulatory ComplianceSecurity Certifications

Preferred

Cloud Security Certifications

Stack & domain

CybersecuritySecurity OperationsIncident InvestigationsEnterprise Security ToolsRegulatory ComplianceSIEMEdr/xdrVulnerability ManagementEmail SecurityIdentity SecurityCloud SecurityComptia Cysa+Casp+GIAC CertificationsCisspCCSPAzure Security EngineerLeadershipCommunicationIT

About the role

Original posting from Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company via Greenhouse

At Farmers Mutual Hail (FMH), our mission is simple: protect the livelihoods and legacies of America’s farmers through the complete farm insurance solutions we offer. As America’s Crop Insurance Company™, we’re headquartered in the U.S. and have been owned by the farmers we insure for over 125 years.

FMH is seeking an IT Security Specialist to lead advanced security operations, driving security control maturity, and strengthening the organization’s overall security posture. Serves as a technical leader within security, overseeing complex incident investigations, guiding regulatory compliance efforts, optimizing enterprise security technologies, and mentoring junior team members.

BENEFITS:

Our employees appreciate our family-oriented culture, and we make sure their benefits reflect that. In addition to a competitive salary and bonuses, medical/dental/vision plan, 401(k) plan with a generous company match, you will be eligible for benefits such as:

Potential for hybrid work schedule after training is completed. 

Paid Parental leave and Caregiver leave.

Employee appreciation events.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for support when you and your family need it.

On-site cafeteria and fitness center.

REQUIREMENTS:

Experience: Seven or more years of progressive experience in cybersecurity, security operations, or related technical roles; or equivalent combination of education and/or experience.

Education: Associate’s degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science, MIS, or related field required (Bachelor’s degree preferred).

Skills: Demonstrated experience leading incident investigations, administering enterprise security tools, and contributing to regulatory compliance programs. Intermediate or advanced-level security certifications preferred, such as: CompTIA CySA+ or CASP+, GIAC certifications (GCIH, GCED, GCIA, etc.), CISSP (preferred), Cloud security certifications (e.g., CCSP, Azure Security Engineer).

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leads complex security incident investigations, including forensic analysis, root cause determination, and coordination of containment and recovery efforts.

Proactively identifies emerging threats, recommends mitigation strategies, and enhances detection capabilities through improved monitoring logic and alert thresholds to increase threat visibility and reduce false positives.

Provides senior-level administration, configuration, and optimization of enterprise security technologies, including SIEM, EDR/XDR, vulnerability management, email security, identity security, and cloud security solutions.

Evaluates security tool effectiveness, identifies control weaknesses, and recommends improvements to security configurations and technical safeguards aligned with organizational standards and risk tolerance.

Coordinates the enterprise vulnerability management lifecycle, including vulnerability scanning, risk-based prioritization, remediation tracking, validation, exception documentation, and reporting.

Collaborates with IT teams to address identified vulnerabilities and escalates overdue or high-risk findings.

Leads periodic access reviews, privileged access oversight, and identity security improvements across Microsoft Entra ID, Azure, and other enterprise identity management platforms, including multifactor authentication, Conditional Access, privileged identity management, and least-privilege enforcement.

Monitors and evaluates identity security configurations, authentication activities, Azure role-based access controls, application permissions, service principals, managed identities, and privileged access to identify security risks and control deficiencies; coordinates remediation with IT teams and system owners.

Supports compliance with applicable insurance cybersecurity laws, privacy requirements, organizational policies, and adopted security frameworks, including NIST Cybersecurity Framework and CIS Controls.

Maintains security control documentation and audit evidence, identifies control deficiencies, and supports remediation tracking, security policy reviews, risk assessments, third-party evaluations, and regulatory examinations.

Leads technical security process improvements, develops control procedures, and supports incident response exercises and security initiatives.

Provides mentorship and technical guidance to Security Specialists I and II and serves as a security subject matter expert, collaborating with IT, compliance, and business teams to strengthen security practices and awareness.

This position is not eligible for sponsorship for work authorization by Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company, SI. Therefore, if you will require sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, we cannot consider your application at this time.

Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company does not discriminate in employment (EOE). All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

Source: Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company careers (Greenhouse)

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