Job Description
Information Security Risk Assessor
Onsite in Rockville, MD
Scope of Work
The Cyber Security Risk Analyst will support Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) efforts by performing detailed risk evaluations and compliance assessments. The analyst will work primarily within the ServiceNow GRC platform to review IT security policy exception requests, assess vulnerabilities, and support broader risk governance activities. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Cross-Functional Risk Support Responsibilities
- Collaborate with internal departments including IT, legal, compliance, audit, and business operations to identify, assess, and manage cybersecurity risks across the organization.
- Support vulnerability assessments by interpreting technical findings, validating remediation efforts, and ensuring alignment with policy.
- Participate in internal control evaluations to assess effectiveness and identify potential gaps based on relevant frameworks such as NIST 800-53 and ISO 27001.
- Assist with the design, documentation, and implementation of risk treatment plans, ensuring appropriate mitigation strategies are in place and tracked through resolution.
- Contribute to audit preparation activities, respond to information requests, and support remediation of audit findings as needed.
- Use ServiceNow GRC functionality to support workflow management, risk tracking, and reporting.
- Recommend improvements to exception request workflows, dashboards, and system configurations where appropriate.
Policy Exception Review Process - Review and assess policy exception requests submitted via the ServiceNow GRC platform.
- Confirm the completeness, consistency, and accuracy of the information provided in the exception request form.
- Conduct detailed risk assessments for each exception request, identifying relevant threats, vulnerabilities, likelihood of exploitation, and potential impacts.
- Analyze the effect of granting exceptions on system security, regulatory compliance, and business continuity.
- Develop formal approval or denial recommendations based on the risk assessment and alignment with organizational policy and risk tolerance.
- Document all risk analysis, decisions, and recommendations in the ServiceNow GRC platform in accordance with audit standards.
- Present findings and recommendations to the CISO and designated approvers.
- Use ServiceNow GRC functionality to support workflow management, risk tracking, and reporting.
- Recommend improvements to exception request workflows, dashboards, and system configurations where appropriate.
Knowledge / Skills / Abilities - Demonstrated hands-on experience with Governance, Risk, Compliance tools such as ServiceNow, Riskonnect, LogicManager, RSA Archer.
- Strong understanding and application of cybersecurity risk management principles and control frameworks, including NIST SP 800-53, NIST RMF 800-37, ISO 27001, HIPAA Security Rule, PCI and FedRAMP.
- Demonstrated ability to conduct structured risk assessments, including the analysis of compensating controls, residual risk determination, application of quantitative risk models, and providing formal recommendations regarding the acceptance or denial of exception requests.
- Demonstrated experience with the policy exception request process including intake/review, completeness verification, clarification with requestors, risk assessment, and final recommendation with stakeholder communication.
- Strong technical foundation with the ability to interpret network diagrams, threat models, vulnerability scan results, and compliance assessment reports.
- Familiarity with risk qualification methodologies such as NIST, ISO 27005, and Factor Analysis of Information Risk (FAIR).
- Demonstrated ability to evaluate third-party System and Organization Controls (SOC) reports, specifically SOC 1 Type II and SOC 2 Type II, for completeness, relevance, and control alignment.
- Proven ability to contribute to third-party risk assessments, compliance audits, and the evaluation of internal security controls.
- Proven track record in performing the duties of an Information Security Risk Analyst, including structured risk assessments and policy exception reviews.
- Track record of supporting policy exception management processes and risk tolerance assessments in complex regulatory environments.
Professional Certifications - CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)
- CRISC (Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control)
- GRCP (GRC Professional Certification)
- CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor)
- CGRC (Certified in Governance, Risk, and Compliance)
Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate is a mid-level cybersecurity professional with a solid track record in risk analysis, policy exception review, and control evaluation within a regulated environment. They possess hands-on experience with Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) platforms-preferably ServiceNow-and are adept at navigating complex workflows related to policy deviations, risk acceptances, and control exceptions.
This individual demonstrates a deep understanding of risk management frameworks such as NIST 800-53, NIST RMF 800-37, HIPAA, and ISO 27001, and can apply this knowledge to evaluate threats, assess vulnerabilities, and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies. The candidate brings a technical foundation that enables them to confidently interpret network diagrams, vulnerability scan results, and audit artifacts such as SOC 1/SOC 2 reports.
They are detail-oriented, analytical, and capable of conducting structured risk assessments that support business operations while maintaining compliance with organizational security policies. The candidate excels at clearly communicating risk implications and recommendations to both technical teams and executive stakeholders. Experience working in hybrid government environments, supporting third-party risk assessments, and contributing to audit readiness activities is highly desirable.
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