What Is an Outsourced Email Security Engineer?

📬 Who’s Protecting Your Inbox?

Email is still the most targeted entry point for cyberattacks in 2025, from phishing and spoofing to ransomware and business email compromise (BEC). But many small to mid-sized businesses don’t have the resources for a dedicated, in-house email security expert.

That’s where an outsourced email security engineer comes.

What Does “Outsourced Email Security Engineer” Mean?

An outsourced email security engineer is a highly specialized professional (or team) hired on a contract or as-a-service basis to protect your business email infrastructure.

Instead of hiring someone full-time, you get access to senior-level expertise when you need it, often at a fraction of the cost.

They work remotely and are responsible for:

• Monitoring your email environment for threats

• Implementing security protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

• Investigating suspicious activity

• Responding to phishing or spoofing incidents

• Training your team on email best practices

• Ensure the deliverability of your outgoing messages.

🔐 Key Responsibilities of an Outsourced Email Security Engineer

Here is what they typically handle for businesses:

1. Email Authentication & Policy Enforcement

• Set up and monitor SPF, DKIM, and DMARC

• Ensure your email is protected from spoofing or impersonation

• Enforce email encryption policies

2. Threat Detection & Response

• Detect phishing attempts, malware, and impersonation attacks

• Investigate login anomalies and suspicious forwarding rules

• Respond quickly to compromised accounts or delivery issues

3. Email Infrastructure Security

• Secure Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or on-prem email servers

• Lock down third-party email apps or risky configurations

• Ensure safe DNS and SMTP settings

4. End-User Protection & Awareness

• Run phishing simulations

• Deliver training and internal awareness campaigns

• Provide actionable recommendations to prevent human error

5. Email System Migrations & Hybrid Configurations

What They Handle:

• Exchange/Google Workspace Migrations (on-prem → cloud, or cross-platform)

• Hybrid Environment Setup (e.g., Exchange + Office 365 mail flow)

• DNS Cutover Planning (minimizing downtime during MX record changes)

• Post-Migration Security Hardening (e.g., reconfiguring SPF/DKIM for new infrastructure)

6. Email Deliverability Optimization

• Inbox Placement Audits (monitoring spam folder rates, blacklist status)

• Reputation Management (fixing IP/Domain-based blocklisting via tools like Talos, SenderScore)

• Bulk Email Configuration (ensuring newsletters/transactional emails comply with ISP rules)

• Feedback Loop (FBL) Setup (processing spam complaints to improve sender reputation)

• Warm-up Strategies for New IPs/Domains (avoiding throttling during cold starts)

💼 Who Should Hire One?

Outsourced email security engineers are ideal for:

• Small and medium businesses (SMBs) without internal cybersecurity staff

• Managed Service Providers (MSPs) that want to offer specialized email security or to skip the hiring process

• Companies handling sensitive data (finance, law, healthcare, tech)

• Organizations recovering from a recent breach

If email is core to your communication, and especially if you rely on cloud-based email platforms, then outsourcing this role is a smart move.

💰 How Much Does It Cost?

Hiring a full-time email security engineer can cost $90,000–$160,000/year, depending on experience and location.

By contrast, outsourcing with a provider like Answerssy gives you on-demand access to senior-level expertise for a fixed monthly fee or per-incident rate, often under $3,000/month.

You get:

• Faster onboarding

• Access to a team with years of dedicated experience

• No long-term hiring commitment

• Full coverage without needing to manage another employee

🆚 Outsourced vs In-House Email Security

	Outsourced Engineer	In-House Hire
Cost	Lower, flexible	High salary + overhead
Expertise	Specialized, battle-tested	Varies based on the individual
Scalability	Easy to adjust or upgrade	Limited to one person
Availability	24/7 support options	Depends on work hours
Response Time	Fast (dedicated team)	May require escalation

🔍What to Look For in an Outsourced Email Security Partner

Whether you choose Answerssy or another provider, here are the key things to check:

1. Proven Experience in Email Security

You want someone who specializes in email, not a general IT provider who "also handles email."

Look for:

• Experience with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and on-prem systems

• Familiarity with Cisco Secure Email, Proofpoint, Mimecast, etc.

• History of hands-on threat remediation

2. Certifications & Credentials

Ideal providers have:

• Real-world incident response experience

• Certifications like CISSP, CEH, or Microsoft Security Expert

• A portfolio or references showing impact

• * Although it is a plus to have certifications, the email security experience is more important. Unfortunately, email security engineers are not taught or trained by any universities, schools, or courses (because there is no dedicated degree or course, it is only mentioned as part of the bigger cybersecurity picture).

3. Service Scope & Flexibility

Make sure their offering includes:

• 24/7 monitoring and response

• Regular reporting and risk assessments

• Training and awareness support

How It Helps SEO & Compliance Too

Properly configured email security isn’t just about threat prevention — it also supports:

Email Deliverability

A strong DMARC policy and good sender reputation improve your chances of landing in inboxes instead of spam folders — critical for marketing and sales teams.

Compliance

Regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS often require data transmission and access controls, which outsourced engineers can help configure and maintain.

Cyber Insurance Eligibility

More providers are requiring DMARC, MFA, and other email controls. Having an expert manage these can help you qualify for better premiums and avoid denied claims.

Next Steps: Should You Outsource?

If you're unsure whether outsourcing is the right move, ask yourself:

• Do we have someone actively managing email security every day (or do we just have an IT support for everything)?

• Could we detect a spoofing, phishing, or takeover attack right now?

• Is our team trained to recognize and report threats?

If the answer is “no” or “I’m not sure,” it’s time to bring in outside help — before attackers find the cracks.

✅ Final Checklist: What an Outsourced Email Security Engineer Provides

• SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setup and monitoring

• Phishing protection and response

• User training and awareness campaigns

• Security for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and more

• Regular reporting and threat intelligence

• Expertise without the cost of hiring full-time

Why Choose Answerssy?

At Answerssy, we provide outsourced email security engineers who’ve worked with:

• Global clients

• High-risk industries

• Cisco’s internal email security team

We don’t just respond to issues — we prevent them, with proactive monitoring, hardened configurations, and expert guidance.

Want to See If Outsourcing Is Right for You?

Let’s find out together.

1. Schedule a free meeting with our team.

2. Get a review of your current email security setup

3. See how outsourced protection can save time, money, and stress

🔑 Final Takeaway

An outsourced email security engineer gives you all the protection of an internal expert, without the overhead.

If you're serious about keeping phishing, spoofing, and data loss out of your inbox, Answerssy is here to help.