IT and Network Security Specialist - University of Ghana

The University of Ghana Computing Systems provides the IT services that the University of Ghana requires to fulfil its mission to be a world-class centre for research and teaching. UGCS provides innovative services and projects to support learning, teaching and research in response to the changing demands and trends in the IT ecosystem.

In order to more effectively carry out this mandate, applications are invited to fill the following Senior Member positions:

JOB TITLE: IT and Network Security Specialist

DEPARTMENT: Infrastructure and Security Services

REPORTS TO: Deputy Chief Information Technology Officer Infrastructure and Security Support

JOB SUMMARY

• The role of the IT and Network Security analyst/specialist is to manage the University’s firewall deployment and support as well as help maintain critical network configuration updates that have wider impact.

• The Network Security Specialist/Analyst will manage and deploy Firewall rules, configure, and maintains IPS/IDS, Anti-Malware, conduct regular penetration tests when required and ACLs reviews when they need to be applied for maximum internal and external network and application protection.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ATTRIBUTES

• Provides leadership and coordinates changes in the configuration after approval, updates, upgrades, patches etc. regarding infrastructure and applications and evaluates risks before implementation with application owners involved.
• Leads in vulnerability scanning and threat monitoring (internal & external) across the University community
• Performs bi-annual audits and security assessments to ensure benchmarks and other standards are adhered to.
• Monitors and reviews logs to identify trends on the network and proactively manage threats with other team leads to ensure stability.
• Leads in creating and maintaining an asset register and works with security management to indicate appropriate risks level for each asset
• Leads in infrastructure hardening to prevent unused services from broadcasting
• Assists in classifying information assets and tagging them in conformity as per the approved standard
• Works with other officers in incident management efforts across the University and serves as the first point of call for escalated matters on technical security issues
• Works with security management to ensure that ALL information assets are protected by the appropriate CIA
• Works with other units to ensure security suites and products for end users are appropriately configured & updated
• Supports disaster recovery efforts with the wider UGCS team
• Periodically provides reports on the state of infrastructure and services with regards to security
• Leads in collecting network performance data, monitoring network security, troubleshooting issues, anticipating problems, and performing routine fixes working with other units to ensure stability and security.
• Leads the configuration and maintenance of regular Access Control Lists (ACLs) on UG’s edge router(s) and other relevant switches and maintains IPS/IDS, firewall rules, etc. for maximum internal and external network and application protection.
• Manages network access control (NAC) systems, firewalls, routers, incident response techniques, intrusion prevention systems, information security methodologies, authentication protocols and different attack types.

Qualification Required & Experience

• A master’s degree in Ethical Hacking and Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Management Information Systems or related discipline. Having any of the professional certifications (Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MSCE), Cisco Certified Network Engineer (CCNE), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) or Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) would be an added advantage.
• Possession of the Professional certification in CCNP (which should be current) is mandatory.

Knowledge & Experience

• A minimum of seven (7) years progressively responsible working experience in all areas of local and wide area network management and administration including system configuration, setup, troubleshooting, planning, designing, implementation, and user support, of which three (3) years should be in a supervisory capacity.
• In addition, applicants are required to have fibre Optic Certification as well as other Security Certifications and hands on experience with working IGPs and EGPs (OSFPs, BGP)

Location: Accra