Director, Cyber Defense & Response - Insider Risk

Job Classification:

Technology - Information Security

Are you passionate about safeguarding organizations from within by integrating innovative analytics, strategic prevention, and cyber defense capabilities? Our Cyber Defense and Response team is dedicated to a culture where proactive risk management is part of our DNA. When you join Prudential as a Director of Insider Risk, you’ll unlock a high-impact career path, while continuously growing your expertise at one of the world’s leading financial institutions.

Your Team & Role:

The Director of Insider Risk is responsible for leading the daily operations of Prudential’s enterprise Insider Risk Program, focused on identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks posed by employees, contractors, and third-party partners.

This role oversees the detection, investigation, and prevention of insider risk activities and ensures the program operates through a cross-functional partnership between Cybersecurity, Human Resources, Legal, Privacy, Compliance, and Enterprise Risk Management.

The Director establishes operational processes, and investigative standards to ensure insider risk cases are handled consistently, lawfully, and with appropriate confidentiality. The role also provides leadership with risk insights and behavioral indicators that help the organization proactively reduce internal threats.

Here is what you can expect on a typical day:

• Lead the global Insider Risk Program, establishing and continuously evolving operating procedures aligned with enterprise practices and standards.
• Build, mentor, and manage a team of insider risk analysts responsible for monitoring, investigations, and case management.
• Establish investigative standards, playbooks, and procedures to ensure insider risk events are handled consistently, lawfully, and with appropriate confidentiality.
• Coordinate insider risk activities across Security, HR, Legal, Privacy, Compliance, and Enterprise Risk Management to ensure cross-functional case handling.
• Oversee insider risk detection capabilities, including behavioral analytics, endpoint monitoring, and relevant security telemetry.
• Partner with technology teams to evaluate, implement, and optimize insider risk detection tools and analytics platforms.
• Lead the triage, investigation, and response to insider risk incidents, ensuring proper evidence handling and documentation.
• Conduct insider risk assessments and analyze behavioral indicators to identify potential internal threats and organizational control gaps.
• Partner with Security Awareness to develop targeted education and prevention initiatives that reduce insider risk exposure.
• Provide regular reporting and briefings to executive leadership on insider risk trends, investigations, and program effectiveness.
• Monitor emerging insider threat trends, technologies, and research to continuously enhance the insider risk program.
• Drive continuous improvement of detection, investigation, and prevention capabilities in alignment with leading practices.
• Operate effectively in ambiguous and complex situations, independently assessing risk, making timely decisions, and applying a flexible, solutions-oriented approach to resolve insider risk challenges.
• Continuously develop professional expertise by completing relevant training and pursuing industry-recognized certifications to stay current with evolving insider risk, cybersecurity, and investigative practices.

The Skills and Expertise You Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Security, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Psychology, Criminal Justice, or a related field preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in cybersecurity, insider risk, threat management, digital investigations, or incident response, with at least 3 years focused on insider risk or internal threat detection.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams and managing enterprise or global programs.
• Strong understanding of insider risk frameworks and multidisciplinary program models.
• Experience working in cross-functional environments with Human Resources, Legal, Privacy, Compliance, and Risk Management.
• Strong knowledge of insider risk detection methods, behavioral indicators, and investigative techniques used to identify and assess internal threats.
• Hands-on experience with security monitoring and analytics technologies such as SIEM, User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA/UBA), Data Loss Prevention (DLP), and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) platforms.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements and industry security frameworks (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001, Cybersecurity Framework) and their application to insider risk monitoring and investigations.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to translate complex technical and behavioral risk insights for senior leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive insider-related investigations and confidential information with discretion and sound judgment.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to evaluate complex behavioral and technical indicators to assess insider risk scenarios.
• Business acumen and the ability to make risk-based decisions that balance security, legal, privacy, and operational considerations.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development to remain current with evolving cyber security threats, investigative practices, and technologies.

Preferred Certifications:

• GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA)
• GIAC Cloud Forensics Responder (GCFR)
• Certified Insider Threat Program Manager (CITPM)
• AWS Security Specialty

What we offer you:

Prudential is required by state specific laws to include the salary range for this role when hiring a resident in applicable locations. The salary range for this role is from $158,800.00 to $238,200.00. Specific pricing for the role may vary within the above range based on many factors including geographic location, candidate experience, and skills.

• Market competitive base salaries, with a yearly bonus potential at every level. 

• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, Paid Time Off (PTO), and leave of absences, such as parental and military leave. 

• 401(k) plan with company match (up to 4%). 

• Company-funded pension plan. 

• Wellness Programs including up to $1,600 a year for reimbursement of items purchased to support personal wellbeing needs. 

• Work/Life Resources to help support topics such as parenting, housing, senior care, finances, pets, legal matters, education, emotional and mental health, and career development.  

• Education Benefit to help finance traditional college enrollment toward obtaining an approved degree and many accredited certificate programs.  

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan: Shares can be purchased at 85% of the lower of two prices (Beginning or End of the purchase period), after one year of service. 

Eligibility to participate in a discretionary annual incentive program is subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance. To find out more about our Total Rewards package, visit Work Life Balance | Prudential Careers. Some of the above benefits may not apply to part-time employees scheduled to work less than 20 hours per week.