We are seeking an experienced and visionary Firewall Strategy Lead to shape, guide, and evolve the enterprise firewall strategy across our global infrastructure footprint. This role is responsible for defining and managing the full firewall lifecycle—from design and implementation to retirement—while driving modernization, vendor performance, and alignment with enterprise security and business objectives.

The Firewall Strategy Lead will serve as the strategic authority for firewall platforms and capabilities, ensuring interoperability, governance, compliance, and cost-effectiveness. In this role, you will collaborate across internal teams and third-party service providers to deliver scalable and forward-looking solutions that reduce risk, improve agility, and support our long-term technology roadmap.

 

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning & Execution

Define and continuously evolve the enterprise firewall strategy in alignment with organizational goals, emerging threats, and architectural principles. Develop and maintain a comprehensive firewall lifecycle roadmap, including refresh cycles, decommissioning timelines, and technology modernization initiatives. Influence platform selection, service models, and architectural direction based on technical merit, risk impact, and business value.

Vendor Strategy & Governance

Serve as the primary point of contact for all firewall-related third-party vendors and managed service providers (MSPs). Drive vendor selection processes, capability evaluations, and contract negotiations to ensure delivery of high-performing, cost-effective solutions. Oversee vendor execution against SLAs, strategic initiatives, and compliance requirements.

Modernization & Innovation

Lead initiatives to modernize firewall policy models, automation frameworks, and management tools to support scalable, dynamic, and context-aware access controls. Evaluate and implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) methodologies to enhance policy deployment, change management, and repeatability. Ensure alignment between cloud-native and on-premise firewall strategies in hybrid environments.

Governance, Compliance & Risk Management

Develop governance models that ensure auditability, documentation consistency, and alignment with regulatory frameworks (e.g., PCI-DSS, SOX, NIST, ISO 27001). Review audit findings, control gaps, and incident trends to drive systemic improvements in firewall design and operational maturity. Collaborate with security, compliance, and legal teams to ensure firewall strategy supports regulatory obligations and internal standards.

Stakeholder Collaboration & Communication

Partner with Cybersecurity, Enterprise Architecture, Infrastructure Engineering, and Restaurant Engineering teams to drive alignment, prioritize initiatives, and support project delivery. Lead cross-functional workshops and steering committees to gain consensus on firewall-related strategies and decisions. Create and present business cases to executive stakeholders for new investments, platform transitions, and lifecycle planning.

 

What Does Success Look Like?:

A clearly defined and well-executed firewall lifecycle strategy with measurable outcomes. Elimination of legacy risks through modernization of platforms, policies, and practices. Strong vendor relationships delivering performance, compliance, and cost optimization. Enterprise-wide governance model with consistent documentation and metrics. Cost-effective investments with demonstrable ROI and risk reduction.

 

Required Qualifications:

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent work experience). Advanced certifications such as CISSP, CCNP Security, or equivalent are strongly preferred.

Experience

7–10 years of experience in network or security architecture roles, including at least 3 years focused on firewall governance, lifecycle planning, or product ownership. Demonstrated success in vendor management, strategic sourcing, and contract negotiation. Proficiency in automation and orchestration tools such as Ansible, Terraform, OpenTofu, Chef, or Puppet. In-depth experience with enterprise firewall platforms including Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, Cisco ASA/Firepower, or equivalent. Solid understanding of hybrid cloud environments (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and the role of firewalls within them. Familiarity with security frameworks and regulatory mandates (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, SOX).

 

Skills and Competencies:

Strategic and architectural thinking with the ability to connect technology decisions to business outcomes. Strong documentation and communication skills; able to translate complex topics to executive and technical audiences. Risk-aware mindset with a strong drive for innovation, scalability, and process improvement. Ability to lead cross-functional teams and align diverse stakeholders to common goals. Deep understanding of firewall technologies, perimeter defense, and access control models.

 

Work Environment & Conditions:

This role may support hybrid or remote work, depending on location and team structure. Occasional travel may be required for vendor meetings, workshops, or strategy sessions. Participation in executive briefings or leadership forums may be expected.

 

Salary Range: $127,900 to $160,200 annually + bonus eligibility. This is the expected salary range for this position. Ultimately, in determining pay, we'll consider the successful candidate’s location, experience, and other job-related factors.