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Director

Cyber Defense Director

McLane Company, Inc. · Transportation & Logistics · 10,000+ employees

Temple, TX · Hybrid · full_time

CLI Career Level

VP-equivalent

Moderate confidence

Opportunity Score

74/100

Above average

Moderate confidence

Executive Fit

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Career Level and Opportunity Score describe the role itself. Executive Fit is the only figure that depends on your profile.

First seen Aug 20, 2026 · Last verified 2 hours ago · Sourced from LinkedIn — Director of Security (US)

CLI Take

Broader than the title suggests

This role reads VP-equivalent despite being advertised as “Cyber Defense Director” — the stated scope is wider than the employer's title implies. CLI's analysis of the posting describes a strategic build or transformation mandate. The posting reads closer to an individual contributor mandate: hands-on delivery expected. The reporting line, total compensation and team size are not disclosed and remain the main open questions before pursuing it.

Why this role scores the way it does

74/100 — above average opportunity quality. CLI reads this as a VP-equivalent mandate. Strongest signal: CLI's analysis of the posting describes a strategic build or transformation mandate. Main drag on the score: The posting reads closer to an individual contributor mandate: hands-on delivery expected. 5 of 10 dimensions are not disclosed, which lowers confidence rather than the score.

Career level read

VP-equivalent — The employer lists this as “Cyber Defense Director”. CLI reads it as VP-equivalent because the role shows enterprise-wide remit, 10,000+ employee organization.

Moderate confidence

What makes it attractive

  • CLI's analysis of the posting describes a strategic build or transformation mandate.
  • Employer profile: 10,000+ employee organization, publicly traded, revenue over 10b.

What to probe before applying

  • The posting reads closer to an individual contributor mandate: hands-on delivery expected.

Scoring components · Above average

Compensation versus comparable rolesNot disclosed · excluded from the score

Compensation is not disclosed and there is no comparable set to place it against.

Reporting levelNot disclosed · excluded from the score

Reporting line: not disclosed.

Functional and geographic scope57 · weight 12%

Scope language covers enterprise-wide remit.

Quality of the mandate100 · weight 12%

CLI's analysis of the posting describes a strategic build or transformation mandate.

Executive and board exposureNot disclosed · excluded from the score

Executive and board exposure: not disclosed.

Role authority versus title25 · weight 10%

The posting reads closer to an individual contributor mandate: hands-on delivery expected.

Company scale and trajectory100 · weight 10%

Employer profile: 10,000+ employee organization, publicly traded, revenue over 10b.

Team ownershipNot disclosed · excluded from the score

Team size: not disclosed.

Budget ownershipNot disclosed · excluded from the score

Budget ownership: not disclosed.

Risk signals100 · weight 5%

No adverse signals identified in the posting.

Dimensions the employer does not disclose are excluded and the remaining weights are rebalanced, so missing information lowers confidence rather than the score.

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Compensation

No compensation disclosed and insufficient comparable data to estimate.

Sample size not yet sufficient for a market comparison

See the full benchmark bands by level and region

The mandate

The Cyber Defense Director will lead and scale the enterprise-wide cyber defense program across both IT and Operational Technology (OT) environments. The role is tasked with modernizing security capabilities, embedding secure architecture, and advancing identity-centric security and Zero Trust frameworks across the organization's distributed distribution centers.

Domains and regulation

  • Enterprise Security
  • Cloud Security
  • Infrastructure Security
  • Cyber Defense
  • Identity
  • OT Security
  • GRC
  • Application Security

Requirements

Must have

  • 15+ years of IT experience
  • 10+ years in cybersecurity engineering, architecture, or defense
  • Proven leadership of enterprise cyber defense across IT + OT in complex, distributed environments
  • Deep expertise in EDR/XDR, cloud security (CSPM/CNAPP), Zero Trust, IAM, and secure architecture
  • Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, or IT

Preferred / bonus

  • Preferred: Master’s degree; CISSP, CISM, or CCSP certifications

Only must-have items are scored as hard constraints in Executive Fit.

Likely challenges

Not stated in the posting: Reporting line not specified; Budget authority or specific team size not disclosed; Compensation range not disclosed.

About McLane Company, Inc.

McLane Company is a large-scale supply chain services provider delivering food and beverage products to convenience stores, mass merchants, and restaurants across the United States. It operates one of the nation's largest private fleets and a network of over 80 distribution centers. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, managing complex logistics and inventory for thousands of retail locations.

Industry
Transportation & Logistics
Headcount
10,000+ employees
Headquarters
Temple, Texas
Founded
1894
Ownership
Public company · NYSE:BRK.A
Funding
Publicly traded
Revenue
Over $10B

Full company profile for McLane Company, Inc. →

View original job description
Take your career further with McLane!McLane teammates, the driving force behind our success, are diverse professionals who work together seamlessly to keep our operations running smoothly. McLane leaders think long-term, act with purpose, and inspire high performance. They lead with accountability, communicate clearly, and drive results through collaboration, innovation, and continuous growth. They empower each teammate to learn from industry leaders, develop their skills, and build lasting connections nationwide.Drive the future of cyber defense at McLane. We’re seeking a strategic, hands-on leader to own and scale our enterprise-wide cyber defense program across IT and Operational Technology (OT). You’ll modernize security capabilities, embed secure architecture, and strengthen detection and response across a highly distributed, mission-critical environment.This is a hybrid position which will require the candidate to report and work from the office three days a week. Therefore, interested candidates should be within a 50-minute radius from Temple, TX.Benefits You Can Count OnDay 1 Benefits: medical, dental, and vision insurance, FSA/HSA, and company-paid life insurance.Paid time off begins day one.401(k) Profit Sharing Plan after 90 days.Additional benefits: pet insurance, maternity/paternity leave, employee assistance programs, discount programs, tuition reimbursement program, and more!What You'll DoLead enterprise cyber defense strategy across network, data, endpoint, email, Microsoft, cloud, and GRC engineering.Modernize and integrate security platforms to improve visibility, reduce tool sprawl, and elevate prevention/detection.Define and enforce secure architecture across enterprise, identity (IAM), cloud, and OT environments.Embed security into design via standards, reference architectures, and formal review processes.Partner with the Fusion Center to strengthen telemetry, detection coverage, and response alignment.Advance identity-centric security. (Zero Trust, least privilege, lifecycle automation)Lead OT/IoT security across distribution centers and automation environments. (segmentation, visibility, monitoring)Align OT security to Purdue Model, NIST CSF, IEC 62443; expand telemetry into centralized monitoring.Build and scale high-performing engineering teams; oversee deployment and lifecycle of security technologies.What We're Looking For15+ years IT experience; 10+ years in cybersecurity engineering/architecture/defense.Proven leader of enterprise cyber defense across IT + OT in complex, distributed environments.Deep expertise in EDR/XDR, cloud security (CSPM/CNAPP), Zero Trust, IAM, and secure architecture.Track record modernizing platforms, reducing risk, and improving detection/response outcomes.Strong influencer and communicator—able to translate complex concepts for all audiences.Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity/CS/IT (Master’s preferred); CISSP/CISM/CCSP a plus.This position requires the ability to read, write, and understand English at a level sufficient to perform job-related tasks effectively and safely. This includes understanding work instructions, safety protocols, and communications essential to the role. The requirement is directly related to the nature of the job and ensures compliance with workplace safety and operational standards.Fit the following? We want you here!Teamwork orientedOrganizedProblem solverDetailed Our roadmap. Our story. We’ve been forging our path as a leader in the distribution industry since 1894. Building an expansive nationwide network of team members for 130+ years has allowed us to stay agile for our clients across the restaurant, retail, and e-commerce industries. We look to the future and are ready to continue making industry-defining moves by embracing the newest technology into our practices, continuing team member training, and emphasizing our people-centered culture.Candidates may be subject to a background check and drug screen, in accordance with applicable laws.All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.For our complete EEO and Pay Transparency statement, please visit https://www.mclaneco.com/legal/employment/Primary Location United States-Texas-TempleWork Locations 31st Street Temple TXBusiness UnitIS970Job Information TechnologySchedule Full-timeShift 1st - DayEmployee Status Regular

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