Sr Cybersecurity Specialist / Consultant at Horizontal Talent Sr Cybersecurity Specialist / Consultant at Horizontal Talent in Mounds View, Minnesota Posted in 2 days ago. $49.00 - $85.00 per hour Join a dynamic cybersecurity and identity access management role focused on strengthening directory services, hybrid identity, and enterprise security operations. This position offers the opportunity to support Active Directory and Entra ID environments, improve automation, and partner with cross-functional teams to protect critical systems and support business needs. Responsibilities Administer and support Active Directory and Entra ID environments, including directory services, replication, trusts, and Group Policy management. Monitor identity and access technologies to help maintain availability, performance, logging, alerting, and access control standards. Support upgrades, patching, and operational improvements in collaboration with internal and offshore teams. Investigate and resolve complex directory services, authentication, and synchronization issues; provide second- and third-level support as needed. Perform root cause analysis for outages and implement corrective actions to reduce recurrence. Develop and improve automation and operational procedures to increase consistency and efficiency. Work with security and IT teams to ensure directory services align with security policies and best practices. Collaborate with vendors and stakeholders to research issues, evaluate changes, and support ongoing platform enhancements. Contribute to access management processes, including provisioning, deprovisioning, and role-based access controls. Skills Strong hands-on experience with Microsoft Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID in enterprise environments. Deep understanding of authentication and identity protocols such as LDAP/LDAPS, Kerberos, SAML, OAuth, and OpenID Connect. Proficiency with PowerShell scripting and automation for administration, reporting, and process improvement. Experience troubleshooting complex identity, directory synchronization, and authentication challenges. Solid knowledge of identity security, privileged access, certificate management, and access control concepts. Ability to document processes, revise procedures, and adapt to changing security requirements. Excellent communication, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. Demonstrated understanding of information security policies, standards, and governance controls in complex environments. Preferred Skills Experience working with AWS, Linux/Unix, CyberArk, and Splunk. Background in cyber defense operations, threat intelligence, forensics, or vulnerability analysis. Familiarity with security architecture, penetration testing, and risk analysis. Exposure to cloud, web, or mobile security considerations. Ability to guide others and support process improvement initiatives. Comfort working in a collaborative environment with local and remote teams. Horizontal is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where diverse perspectives are valued, respected, and encouraged. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds who share a passion for security, collaboration, and continuous improvement. By applying for this position, you acknowledge and agree that Horizontal Talent may contact you regarding your application using automated technology, including phone calls, SMS/text messages, or email, which may be delivered by our virtual AI recruiter, Alex. Please apply through this online posting or by visiting our Job Board at www.horizontaltalent.com/job-board. Applications will be accepted for 4 weeks. For those that join the team, we offer competitive compensation and benefits including medical, dental, vision, and retirement. Check out all we have to offer and how you can become part of the Horizontal Talent Team. The pay range for this role is $49 - $85 per hour based on qualifications and experience.