Security Manager

Security Manager - Fusion Center

The Security Manager - Fusion Center leads AEP's integrated Fusion Center, a 24x7 operational capability responsible for providing enterprise-wide situational awareness across cybersecurity events while maintaining correlation with physical security events, and grid operations environments. This leader oversees a team of approximately 10–15 analysts, and fusion personnel responsible for monitoring, analyzing, and responding to threats and events that could impact the reliability, safety, security, and resilience of AEP operations.

The Fusion Center serves as a centralized hub that correlates cross domain events leveraging the intelligence, operational data, and security information from Information Technology (IT), Operational Technology (OT), physical security systems, and grid operations. The Security Manager is responsible for ensuring timely detection, assessment, escalation, and coordination of response activities for cyber incidents and blended events which integrate physical security details and grid conditions affecting critical infrastructure.

This role provides strategic leadership for the development of AEP's enterprise Fusion Center capabilities, enhancing cross-functional collaboration, threat intelligence integration, and real-time decision-making to protect AEP's customers, employees, assets, and critical infrastructure.

Essential Job Functions & Tasks

Leadership & Team Management

Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of Fusion Center analysts operating within a 24x7 environment.

Provide coaching, mentoring, performance management, and professional development opportunities for team members.

Foster a culture of collaboration across cybersecurity, physical security, grid operations, emergency management, and intelligence functions.

Ensure adequate staffing, training, operational readiness, and succession planning to support continuous operations.

Establish performance expectations and operational metrics that promote accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Fusion Operations & Situational Awareness

Direct daily Fusion Center operations, ensuring continuous monitoring of cyber events incorporating relevant physical security and operational technology activity.

Oversee the integration of intelligence, operational telemetry, and security information to create a unified operational picture across the enterprise.

Lead efforts to identify, assess, and prioritize threats that may impact reliability, safety, security, or regulatory compliance.

Ensure timely dissemination of actionable event intelligence and situational awareness reporting to executive leadership, operational partners, and incident response teams.

Establish operational processes that promote rapid detection, correlation, validation, and escalation of cross-domain events.

Threat Monitoring, Intelligence & Analysis

Lead analysts in identifying and investigating cyber events which also leverage physical security and operational technology events.

Leverage the correlation of data from SIEM platforms, OT monitoring systems, physical access control systems, video systems, threat intelligence platforms, and external intelligence sources.

Maintain awareness of emerging threat actor tactics, techniques, and procedures impacting critical infrastructure and the energy sector.

Coordinate with government agencies, industry partners, Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs), and peer utilities to strengthen enterprise awareness and preparedness.

Ensure event intelligence and assessments support operational decision-making and risk reduction efforts.

Incident Response & Coordination

Serve as the primary escalation point for high-priority and cross-domain security events.

Coordinate enterprise Cybersecurity response efforts including those that blend Cyber, Physical and Grid Operations events.

Ensure incidents are managed using established response frameworks and escalation procedures.

Support executive communications and provide operational briefings during high-impact events.

Technology, Automation & Continuous Improvement

Influence the Fusion Center technology ecosystem, including monitoring, analytics, visualization, automation, and intelligence platforms.

What We're Looking For:

Education requirements are listed below:

Bachelor's degree or Associate degree combined with a minimum of 2 years of applicable business/technical experience in Security (Cyber and/or Physical), Business Administration, Computer Science, or related field OR a HS diploma/GED combined with a minimum of 4 years of applicable business/technical experience preferably in Security (Cyber and/or Physical), Business Administration, Computer Science, or related field.

Work Experience requirement listed below:

10 or more years of Security (Physical and/or Cyber), business administration, computer science, or other technical experience, demonstrating steady progression in responsibilities including 4 or more years of direct supervision experience preferred (in addition to any experience identified above).

At AEP, we're more than just an energy company — we're a team of dedicated professionals committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative energy solutions. Guided by our mission to put the customer first, we strive to exceed expectations by listening, responding, and continuously improving the way we serve our communities. If you're passionate about making a meaningful impact and being part of a forward-thinking organization, this is the company for you!

Compensation Grade: SP20-010

Compensation Range: $136,539.00 - $177,503.00

The Physical Demand Level for this job is: S – Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently. (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.

It is hereby reaffirmed that it is the policy of American Electric Power (AEP) to provide Equal Employment Opportunity in all respects of the employer-employee relationship including recruiting, hiring, upgrading and promotion, conditions and privileges of employment, company sponsored training programs, educational assistance, social and recreational programs, compensation, benefits, transfers, discipline, layoffs and termination of employment to all employees and applicants without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, veteran or military status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. When required by law, we might record certain information or applicants for employment may be invited to voluntarily disclose protected characteristics.