Senior Trust & Assurance Program Manager- Confluent

Introduction

At IBM Software, we are dedicated to transforming the challenges faced by our clients into innovative solutions. We develop cutting-edge, AI-driven, cloud-native products that are set to redefine the landscape of business and society. Our commitment to innovation fosters a wealth of opportunities for IBMers to learn, advance, and create a significant impact on a global scale. Joining the Software division means becoming part of a team driven by curiosity and collaboration. You will engage with a variety of technologies, partners, and industries to design, develop, and implement solutions that facilitate digital transformation. With a culture that emphasizes innovation, professional growth, and ongoing learning, IBM Software positions you at the core of IBM's technology and product ecosystem. Here, you will have access to the resources and opportunities needed to elevate your career while developing software that makes a difference in the world.

Your Role And Responsibilities

The Office of the CISO (OCISO) operates within Confluent's Trust and Security organization, with the primary mission of cultivating and maintaining trust by advocating for Confluent's security, privacy, resilience, and compliance initiatives, thereby enhancing customer adoption and utilization of our platform and products.

We seek an individual who will collaborate closely with Confluent's customers to ensure the development of a highly trustworthy platform that satisfies security, compliance, and privacy mandates.

Success in this position involves not only leveraging existing technologies and practices but also identifying new opportunities for product enhancement, customer engagement strategies, audit transparency, and field enablement.

This role will require regular interaction with leadership, while also necessitating a hands-on approach to achieve results. The OCISO Trust Lead will 'lead by influence' and oversee the management of trust-related engagements and communications with customers concerning security, privacy, resilience, and compliance.

The APAC OCISO Trust Lead will work cross-functionally with teams in Sales, Customer Solutions Group, Product, Engineering, and Legal to assure customers of Confluent's security and compliance stance, facilitate contract reviews and negotiations, and spearhead external communications with clients.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the execution of customer trust engagements and communications to provide insights into Confluent's security and compliance posture and negotiate security terms when necessary.
• Collaborate with product, engineering, and security teams to propose and design security and compliance solutions that align with customer needs.
• Guide and mentor field and security personnel regarding customer security requirements.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on customer security assurance, developing and presenting points of view on significant existing and emerging regulatory challenges affecting cloud service adoption.
• Develop and scale essential internal capabilities and programs that facilitate customer enablement interactions.
• Foster relationships with internal teams such as Sales, CSG, Product, Engineering, and Legal to implement programs aimed at building customer trust.
  
  

Preferred Education

Master's Degree

Required Technical And Professional Expertise

Required Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 8 years' experience in Information Security and Compliance.
• Experience working directly with customers at a cloud provider or consulting firm.
• Experience as a customer or provider in a cloud or SaaS environment with complex security and compliance demands.
• Familiarity with standards such as ISO 27001, HITRUST, SOC2, CSA, NIST, etc.
• Architectural knowledge across various security domains (e.g., identity and access management, data protection, network security, cloud infrastructure) with the capability to integrate across domains and propose practical solutions to intricate customer security challenges.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage customer trust and assurance engagements from initial scoping and security questionnaires through to assessment completion and negotiation with minimal oversight.
• Understanding of digital sovereignty requirements pertinent to cloud adoption.
  
  

Preferred Technical And Professional Experience

Additional highly desirable experience:

• Active Security certifications such as CISSP, CIPP, CISA, CISM, or equivalent.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication, organizational, and planning skills.
• Knowledge of GDPR, SOC2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, HITRUST, CSA, NIST, C5, and other regulatory standards affecting security and privacy in APAC (including OSPAR, IRAP).
• Experience with industry-specific regulatory requirements impacting cloud adoption, particularly in Financial Services and Public Sector sectors, including GDPR and APAC compliance standards from regulators such as APRA, MAS, RBI, FSA, OJK, HKMA, etc.
• Previous experience in reviewing and negotiating security clauses in customer contracts is advantageous.
• Ability to evaluate the broader risk implications of customer security engagements and structure work proactively to minimize risk exposure for both the customer and Confluent.
• Familiarity with emerging AI/ML security and governance issues, including data pipeline security, model risk, and evolving regulatory expectations related to AI in cloud settings.
• Capability to independently lead and manage programs.