Cloud Security Specialist (IAM & Cloud Controls)

Role Summary

The Cloud Security Specialist (IAM & Cloud Controls) role provides expert analysis, recommendations, and implementation of identity and access management security for new and existing technology platforms, environments, and software used across the enterprise. Coordinates with other teams and departments to review access rights and potential risks. Drives strategic goals and support for access management processes and protocols, while investigating security incidents, advising on improvements, promoting awareness, and evaluating protocol effectiveness.

Core Responsibilities (Technical Product Delivery)

• Manage the technical product roadmap for cloud IAM capabilities, including preventive and detective controls, governance automation, and identity‑based security policies.

• Partner with engineering, architecture, and security teams to design, build, and scale IAM controls and multi-cloud security solutions.

• Drive delivery of IAM capabilities such as pipeline controls, runtime configuration checks, and identity‑based governance rules.

• Translate enterprise IAM strategy, audit requirements, and risk priorities into well‑defined technical product requirements.

Cloud IAM Engineering Partnership

• Drive delivery of IAM controls embedded into CI/CD pipelines, runtime configuration checks, and identity‑centric governance rules.

• Own and prioritize the product backlog, translating business requirements into actionable user stories and technical specifications.

• Act as a product leader within agile teams. Lead Agile ceremonies (e.g., sprint planning, backlog refinement, retrospectives) and foster a culture of continuous improvement within the team.

• Participate in quarterly planning as needed, with emphasis on technical readiness, dependencies, and release quality.

Client Partnership & Platform Enablement

• Act as the technical product interface between IAM, cloud platform teams, security partners, developers, and external vendors.

• Partner with third-party vendor product teams to lead collaborations, setting priorities on IAM roadmap items, ensuring delivery commitments and issue resolutions.

• Clearly communicate technical expectations, upcoming changes, and adoption guidance to engineering and platform consumers.

• Provide “white‑glove” support for high‑impact initiatives and time‑sensitive requests while maintaining strong governance discipline.

• Deliver product updates, roadmap communications, and set expectations by developing presentations and release management materials. Share these through enterprise forums, departmental meetings, office hours, and community channels.

• Building strong relationships across the Vanguard Sub-divisions, CTO/GTO platform teams and external partners to enable execution.

• Provide expert‑level consultation for complex IAM use cases, exceptions, and high‑risk scenarios.

Operational Excellence & Product Lifecycle Management

• Ensure IAM products are production‑ready, supportable, and compliant with enterprise standards.

• Maintain high‑quality technical documentation, design artifacts, and runbooks to support audit, operations, and scale.

• Understanding and utilization of data visualization tools to monitor product performance, generate metrics/dashboard to tailor message to various stakeholders and senior leadership.

• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency through automation, tooling, and emerging technologies (including AI/ML where appropriate).

• Participates in on‑call rotation and provides off‑hours support as required to ensure service availability and incident resolution.

• Participates in special projects and performs other duties as assigned.

Technical Leadership & Mentorship

• Serve as a technical thought leader within IAM Cloud, mentoring engineers and early‑career professionals on IAM patterns, cloud security, and product design. Manage onboarding and offboarding processes for team members across multiple Vanguard locations. Influence standards and best practices for IAM product development across teams. Contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, and high‑performing team culture.

Qualifications and Skills (Technical Skills & Experience Required)

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.

• 5+ years in technical product management or ownership, security engineering, cloud engineering, or IAM‑focused roles.

• Strong understanding of cloud platforms (one or more: AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI) and Identity & Access Management concepts.

• Experience working directly with engineering teams on policy‑as‑code, CI/CD integrations, and cloud security tooling, and policy frameworks (e.g. Terraform, CloudFormation, Rego/OPA concepts).

• Experience with SQL, Python, and APIs

• Demonstrated experience delivering complex, cross‑functional technology products using agile methodologies.

• Ability to read, reason about, and influence technical designs and rule logic (even if not writing production code daily).

Preferred

• Experience with CSPM, identity posture management, or cloud governance platforms.

• Experience with PySpark, Rego, YAML, AI.

• Experience operating in regulated or audit‑driven environments.

• Agile, Scrum, or Product Management certification (nice to have, not required).

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

Why This Role Matters

This role is central to reducing enterprise risk, enabling secure cloud adoption, and operationalizing IAM strategy through technology. Success is measured by technical coverage, control effectiveness, and platform trust. The Cloud Security Specialist directly shapes how IAM products are conceived, delivered, and adopted.

Special Factors

Sponsorship

Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.

To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.