Career Pathways: What Does a Cybersecurity Project Manager Do?

An increasingly complex threat landscape—the FBI estimates that cybercrime cost U.S. businesses more than $12.5 billion in 2023, a 22% jump from the previous year—is driving demand for cybersecurity professionals. Cybersecurity Ventures reports 3.5 million cybersecurity job vacancies worldwide, with over 750,000 open positions in the U.S. 

Successful cybersecurity initiatives require careful planning and flawless execution. That’s why cybersecurity teams commonly include project managers to guide the projects and processes that drive security measures in companies of all sizes. Continue reading to learn more about cybersecurity project management and how an online Master of Science in Business Cybersecurity can help you excel in this field.

What is Project Management? 

Project management involves planning, organizing, securing and managing resources to achieve specific goals within a specified timeframe. It includes overseeing all aspects of a project—from initiation to completion—to ensure an on-budget and timely delivery that meets predefined quality standards. Effective project management promotes efficiency and precision, with all stakeholders informed and involved throughout the process.

Companies seeking to maintain and improve productivity drive demand for project managers across industries, especially in the IT sector. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of project managers should increase by six percent between 2022 and 2032.

Cybersecurity Project Management: A Closer Look 

Cybersecurity projects often feature complex aspects and high stakes. Cybersecurity project managers are crucial in guiding these projects through detailed planning and competent execution. 

Typical responsibilities of cybersecurity project managers include: 

• Project planning: Cybersecurity project managers define the project objectives and scope and create a detailed project plan for the initiative. This plan provides a step-by-step guide for the project team, helping everyone stay on track. 
• Resource allocation and budgeting: Cybersecurity project managers build a team of experts with all necessary skill sets. They also manage budgets and ensure the team has everything it needs to complete the job. 
• Risk assessment and mitigation: Project managers must stay aware of all vulnerabilities, potential threats and their possible impact. 
• Compliance: Cybersecurity project managers must monitor adherence to relevant laws and regulations. 
• Stakeholder communication and management: Project managers communicate the project’s progress and outcomes to stakeholders. 

Where Do Cybersecurity Project Managers Work?

Various industries, especially those with a high risk of cyberattack, need project managers. They include:

• Information technology (IT) services: IT service providers and consulting firms often require cybersecurity project managers to oversee the implementation of security measures for clients’ systems and networks.
• Finance: Financial institutions handle vast amounts of sensitive data, making them prime targets for cyberattacks. Banks, investment firms and insurance companies frequently hire project managers to manage their cybersecurity efforts.
• Healthcare: With the digitization of patient records and medical devices, healthcare organizations face significant cybersecurity challenges. Hospitals, clinics and healthcare providers hire cybersecurity project managers to help safeguard patient data and monitor compliance with regulations like HIPAA.
• Government and defense: Government agencies and defense contractors handle classified information and critical infrastructure. They employ cybersecurity project managers to ensure security monitoring and updates are on track.
• Retail and e-commerce: Retailers and e-commerce companies handle sensitive customer payment information and personal data. Cybersecurity project managers help these organizations implement robust security measures to protect customer information and prevent data breaches.
• Manufacturing: As industrial processes become increasingly automated and interconnected, manufacturing companies face growing cybersecurity risks. Cybersecurity project managers are crucial in securing manufacturing systems and protecting companies against cyberattacks that could disrupt operations.

What Cybersecurity Projects Do They Work On? 

Cybersecurity project managers can work on various projects to enhance an organization’s security posture and protect its digital assets from cyber threats, including: 

• Security information and event management (SIEM) system implementation: Project managers can coordinate SIEM system implementation to centralize and analyze security event logs from various sources across the organization, enabling proactive threat detection and incident response.
• Security policy development: Project managers can oversee the development of policies for data encryption, access control and password management.
• Vulnerability assessments and penetration tests: Project managers often plan and coordinate tests to identify system, network and application weaknesses.
• Security awareness training programs: Cybersecurity project managers can help educate employees about cybersecurity best practices and social engineering tactics.
• Incident response plans: Cybersecurity project managers often coordinate cross-functional teams to create and document incident response plans. These plans outline procedures for detecting, responding to and recovering from cybersecurity incidents.
• Security infrastructure upgrades: Project managers can manage the upgrade or replacement of outdated security infrastructure components, such as firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), endpoint protection solutions and secure web gateways.
• Regulatory compliance: Project managers often manage projects related to achieving and maintaining compliance with industry-specific regulations like GDPR, HIPAA and standards such as ISO 27001. 

Skills & Knowledge for Project Managers in Cybersecurity 

Most cybersecurity project manager jobs require candidates to have at least a bachelor’s degree; almost 20 percent of security project managers have master’s degrees. In addition to your degree, you will also need specific technical and soft skills to oversee cybersecurity initiatives effectively.

Technical Skills

To succeed as a project manager in the technical field of cybersecurity, you will need information security expertise and project management experience. Knowledge of and experience in the following technical areas will help you stand out to potential employers: 

• Information technology and cybersecurity concepts and best practices, such as confidentiality, integrity, availability, risk management and defense-in-depth.
• Cybersecurity technologies, tools and systems, such as firewalls, IDS/IPS, antivirus software, encryption and SIEM systems.
• Security testing methodologies, including vulnerability assessments, penetration testing and security code reviews.
• Risk assessment and management, including assessing cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities, prioritizing remediation efforts based on risk severity and developing risk management strategies to mitigate potential threats effectively.
• Cloud computing concepts and security principles, including shared responsibility models, identity and access management, data encryption, secure configuration management and compliance requirements for cloud environments.
• Cybersecurity regulations, standards and frameworks like GDPR, HIPAA and ISO 27001, as well as experience implementing controls to achieve and maintain compliance with these requirements.

Soft skills

In addition to solid technical skills, cybersecurity project managers need the following soft skills to get the best out of their team and keep things running smoothly:

• Verbal and written communication skills: For effective project management, project managers must clearly communicate project goals, expectations and updates to team members, stakeholders and clients. 
• Adaptability: Project environments constantly evolve, requiring project managers to adapt to changing circumstances, priorities and requirements.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize and manage time efficiently: Project managers oversee project schedules, timelines and deadlines. They must prioritize tasks and allocate resources efficiently to deliver projects on time and within budget.
• Problem-solving: Projects inevitably encounter obstacles and challenges, requiring project managers to identify issues, analyze root causes and implement solutions adeptly.
• Leadership: Project managers need strong leadership skills to inspire and motivate team members, provide direction, make tough decisions and drive project success.
• Conflict management: Project managers often need to negotiate with team members, stakeholders and vendors to resolve conflicts, reach consensus and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. 
• Staying calm under pressure: Projects often have tight deadlines, competing priorities and unexpected challenges. Project managers must maintain composure, focus and productivity in such circumstances.

Advance Your Skills with an MS in Business Cybersecurity

Earning a master’s degree in business cybersecurity, like the online Master of Science in Business Cybersecurity (MSBC) from the University of Tennessee (UT), Knoxville, can help you gain the skills and expertise needed to kickstart or advance your cybersecurity project management career.  

UT’s online MSBC provides technical cybersecurity training and the ability to apply these concepts to better inform business strategy. The curriculum aligns with the skills employers seek in cybersecurity project managers: coursework covers business cybersecurity foundations, risk management and organizational security management. The program culminates in a capstone project in which students assess, analyze and solve real-world cybersecurity problems. 

Next Steps: Apply to the Online Master of Science in Business Cybersecurity at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville 

Businesses increasingly prioritize cybersecurity, driving demand for qualified professionals to manage information security projects. UT’s online MSBC program can help prepare you to accelerate your project management career and take advantage of the cybersecurity workforce shortage. If you’re ready to take the next step, contact the enrollment team or start your application today.