Director, Global Identity & Access Management (IAM)

Director, Global Identity & Access Management (IAM) -Hybrid – Cary, North Carolina 

 

About SAS 

We’re a leader in data and AI. Through our software and services, we inspire customers around the world to transform data into intelligence – and questions into answers. If you’re looking for a dynamic, fulfilling career with flexibility and a world-class employee experience, you’ll find it here. We’re recognized globally for our inclusive culture, collaborative environment, and innovative technologies. 

 

About the Job 

The Cloud & Information Services (CIS) organization is looking for a Director, Global Identity & Access Management (IAM) to own and lead the strategy, execution, and continuous improvement of SAS’s enterprise and customer-facing identity services. This role is central to how SAS protects its people, platforms, and customers—and how securely and seamlessly users access SAS products worldwide. 

 

This is a hands-on leadership role for an experienced IAM leader who combines deep identity expertise with strong people leadership, operational discipline, and the ability to influence across business units. The Director will build trust-based partnerships with R&D, Product, Cloud Operations, HR, Legal, and other security leaders to ensure identity is designed in early, executed reliably, and continuously improved. 

 

This role is based in Cary, NC, and requires regular onsite presence to build relationships, lead effectively, and drive results across a highly collaborative organization. 

 

As a Director, Global IAM, you will: 

• Own the global IAM strategy and execution for both enterprise and customer identity services, including directory services, federation, authentication, identity governance and administration, privileged access management, and hosted customer-managed identities. 

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for IAM services, ensuring reliability, scalability, security, and continuous improvement across platforms such as Active Directory, Entra AD, Okta/IDP, PAM, MFA, PKI, and CIAM solutions. 

• Act as a trusted advisor to executives and senior stakeholders, balancing security, usability, cost, and business outcomes. 

• Build and sustain strong cross-functional partnerships with R&D, Product, Marketing, Professional Services, HR, Legal, and Compliance to ensure modern authentication and authorization capabilities are prioritized early in design—not added as an afterthought. 

• Lead Identity Governance & Compliance, ensuring audit readiness and alignment with regulatory, contractual, and business requirements. 

• Establish and communicate clear service ownership, roles and responsibilities, and accountability models across global teams, including effective engagement with distributed and offshore partners. 

• Drive operational excellence by defining success metrics that go beyond volume—focusing on risk reduction, posture improvement, reliability, and customer outcomes. 

• Build, mentor, and hold accountable a high-performing global IAM leadership team, setting clear expectations, delegating effectively, and developing future leaders. 

• Lead and sustain organizational change, translating strategy into execution through clear roadmaps, transparent communication, and consistent follow-through. 

 

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related technical field. Equivalent experience may be considered. 

• 15+ years of experience in Information Security or Information Systems, with significant depth in Identity & Access Management. 

• 9+ years of leadership experience, including at least 5 years in formal people management roles, leading managers and senior technical staff. 

• Demonstrated success leading global, complex IAM programs in large organizations. 

• Proven ability to influence peers and executives, resolve competing priorities, and drive alignment across organizational boundaries. 

• Strong experience with IAM technologies and standards, including SAML, OAuth, OIDC, LDAP, Kerberos, RBAC, MFA, SSO, IGA, and PAM. 

• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain complex concepts to technical and non-technical audiences. 

 

Additional Competencies, Knowledge, and Skills 

Required leadership compe