This position will be fully remote and can be hired anywhere in the continental U.S.The Principal AI Advisor, Center of Excellence plays a critical role in serving as a trusted partner to Optiv's clients. By combining advanced business and AI security practitioner knowledge, the Principal AI Cybersecurity Advisor designs AI security solutions using some of the most advanced security services and technologies to achieve highly defensible and scalable security programs. The Principal Advisor has extensive real-world knowledge in AI security and can design pragmatic security solutions tailored to each client's unique environment and provide our clients and sellers with consistent security expertise on all sales opportunities. The Principal Advisor will drive thought leadership and inspired cyber security solutions powered by our ecosystem of people, products, and partners in all areas of AI.
How you'll make an impact- Architect and engineer advanced AI security solutions for clients
- Demonstrate AI security products and capabilities in a lab
- Understand and leverage advanced AI and cloud security tools, techniques, and capabilities
- Deep understanding of agentic workflow management, API security, Model Context Protocol (MCP), AI runtime security, and security within cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
- Direct experience deploying AI security in production environments to manage AI risk, compliance, data leakage, AI/agentic identity, or secure AI operations
- Understanding how to secure Anthropic Claude, OpenAI ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Nvidia Nemotron and/or open-source models such as Llama, Mistral, or Gemma
- Drive pipeline generation of AI security managed services and technologies business to meet or exceed quarterly and annual quota objectives in partnership with the account and domain teams in all areas relating to AI security opportunity
- Maintain expert level knowledge of the current AI security environment, partner AI security capabilities, and best practices related to AI security
- Identify AI related security concerns and/or potential application of AI security and toolsets and determine how they correlate into Optiv's strategic solutions across the assigned domain and holistic cyber security programs
- Identify cross-sell and upsell opportunities across clients and Optiv's partner relationships
- Qualify, lead, and partner with internal colleagues to determine scope, proposal management, and follow through to closure
- Participate in sales opportunities across Optiv's entire portfolio as it relates to AI product, services, and/or advisement opportunity
- Clearly articulate how the necessary elements of the Optiv AI technology and services portfolio meet the specific needs of the client stakeholders at an executive level
- Stay abreast of industry trends, news, and maintain a broad understanding of the AI security landscape to facilitate thought leadership, internal and external support, analysis, and guidance to clients and internal Optiv groups
- Maintain advisory relationships with key stakeholders at clients by facilitating thought leadership, support, information, and guidance in conjunction with sales partners
- Maintain strong working relationships with relevant Optiv technology partners, based on client spend, and Optiv focus in area of CoE focus and AI security
- Identify and drive complete AI security programs to meet client objectives across technology and services including;
- leading new discussions by leveraging peer and industry network contacts
- performing requirements analysis, and technology selection criteria
- coordinating demonstrations and security technology evaluations
- leading cross organizational solutions leveraging Optiv's portfolio
- Interface and partner with the internal Optiv teams to align client expectations as it pertains to AI with the entire Optiv solution portfolio to ensure technology and service implementation and delivery excellence and client satisfaction
- Identify new and emerging AI security technologies and products for internal enablement and exposure to clients
- Promote Optiv's portfolio and security awareness at speaking events, partner events, writing industry articles and leveraging social media
- Maintains a reputation as trusted advisor with clients, partners, peers and cyber community resulting in an influential network of contacts
- Listen to client feedback and continually share with internal teams to evaluate and cultivate continuous improvement
- Participate in account planning, forecasting, and pipeline management activities as it pertains to growing Optiv pipeline, closed business, and industry mindshare as it pertains to AI
- Participate in managing and prioritizing the proposal process to create business proposals, contracts, and response to RFI/RFP's
- Actively pursue personal development by maintaining and obtaining technical capabilities, soft skills, and security specific knowledge through formal education, certification, and other avenues
- Expert sales techniques; makes connections, facilitates meetings, reads the room, asks probing questions, overcomes objections, gains trust, maintains composure under pressure, positions solutions, and assist in finalization of sale
- Lead discovery sessions and workshops with clients on AI security engineering, AI security architecture, AI/ML security orchestration, AI/ML development operations (DevOps), and AI threat containment
- Build AI security reference architectures, thought leading AI security workshops, and AI security requirements matrix
- Execute Proof-of-Value (POV) and Proof-of-Concept (POC) pilots in lab and customer environments using advanced AI security tools from partners
- Experience securing AI workloads across hybrid, on-premise, and cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP)
What we're looking for- BS/BA or equivalent and applicable work experience
- Minimum of ten (10) years in an information security role, preferably as a consulting advisor, architect, team leader, director and/or higher
- Highly motivated self-starter that does not require day-to-day management
- Ability to work in a highly adaptable and nimble team environment with responsive communication
- Thorough understanding of the current threat landscape, vulnerabilities, and defensive controls as it pertains to AI security and architecture
- Strong business and technical acumen and ability to lead technology focused discussions as it pertains to AI security and architecture
- Strong presentation, written, and oral communication skills to clients, including whiteboard sessions and other presentation mechanisms
- Strong attention to detail for reviewing statements of work (SOWs), quotes, and client deliverables
- Expands and shares broad security related knowledge and continuously expands their expertise in other domains across the portfolio as it pertains to a holistic approach to AI security
- Develop and maintain vendor specific certification(s) focused primarily on AI security and related areas of AI CoE focus
- Perform additional duties as directed or needed
- Ability to work in-person and remotely with distributed teams in a decentralized environment
- Valid driver's license
- Ability to travel within US and Canada, as well as internationally as needed
- CISSP, GIAC, CISA, CISM, CCSP, AAISM or other relevant professional cybersecurity certifications that may relate to AI desired
- Experience speaking and evangelizing technology and AI security thought leadership and vision at events
- Previous experience working at a solutions provider, OEM or cloud services provider.
- Organizational membership and participation in chapter meetings such as ISACA, ISSA, OWASP, or CSA
- Desirable: Certifications in cloud architecture (AWS SA Pro, Azure SA, GCP PCA) or AI orchestration platforms (Agentcore, Bedrock, AI Foundry, Vertex)
- Desirable: Experience with AI security tools (CrowdStrike Guardian, Palo Alto Prisma Airs, Cortex AES, Cisco AI Defense, Proofpoint AI Security, their competitors or AI security startups)
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What you can expect from Optiv- A company committed to our inclusive value through our Employee Resource Groups
- Work/life balance
- Professional training resources
- Creative problem-solving and the ability to tackle unique, complex projects
- Volunteer Opportunities. "Optiv Chips In" encourages employees to volunteer and engage with their teams and communities.
- The ability and technology necessary to productively work remotely/from home (where applicable)
EEO StatementOptiv is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age 40 and over, marital status, genetic information, national origin, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.
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