Risk Lead, IT Risk Management

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in California, +1 more state.

📋 Description

• Take charge of the IT Risk Management standards and methodologies, encompassing risk sensing, aggregation, prioritization, risk appetite, taxonomy, thresholds, and standardized methods.

• Spearhead the AI-driven risk intelligence model and articulate how sub-agents prioritize exposure based on business impact.

• Deliver real-time insights for leadership across AI and IT signals.

• Establish the assurance model for critical service outcomes, including failure tolerances, resilience, control effectiveness, and safeguards throughout the AI lifecycle.

• Test disaster-recovery capabilities through evidence-based evaluations of objectives, dependencies, and recovery protocols.

• Manage the closed-loop model through designated owners, action tracking, risk acceptance and escalation pathways, and validation of risk mitigation efforts.

• Integrate incidents, testing outcomes, and lessons learned back into standards and design frameworks.

• Offer technical thought leadership in AI-driven risk management.

• Collaborate with Software Engineering and leaders across AI + IT, STO, Finance, Security, Compliance, and Resiliency.

• Establish guardrails, assess agent behavior, facilitate automation and telemetry, and maintain domain ownership regarding risk decisions and remediation actions.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 12 years of experience in IT risk, GRC, audit, control assurance, or management of technology risk programs.

• Proven experience in creating a unified risk framework, taxonomy or scoring method, enterprise risk register, and a consistent executive review schedule.

• Experience collaborating with executive team members and domain owners to delineate RACI, escalation processes, risk acceptance, and decision-making rights.

• Familiarity with at least two of the following areas: SOX or control assurance, vulnerability management, lifecycle management, business continuity or disaster recovery, application resiliency, CMMC, or GRC or audit.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Information Systems, Risk Management, Computer Science, Business, or a related discipline (preferred).

• Proven experience employing AI, agentic workflows, automation, or advanced analytics in technology risk, security, resilience, control assurance, or operations.

• Experience with establishing guardrails and facilitating human-in-the-loop reviews.

• Demonstrated experience leading evidence-based resilience, control effectiveness, or AI lifecycle testing initiatives.

• Ability to unify fragmented risk or compliance programs into a cohesive operating model.

• Proven experience in building closed-loop risk management with designated owners, action tracking, verified completion, and measures for risk reduction.

• Strong ability to promote open communication, balanced discussions, and consensus on decisions that enhance business performance.

🏝️ Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• 401(k) plan with a matching contribution from Cisco.

• Paid parental leave.

• Coverage for short- and long-term disability.

• Basic life insurance.

• Potential for Cisco restricted stock unit grants.

• 10 paid holidays each full calendar year.

• 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees.

• Paid employee birthday.

• Paid year-end holiday shutdown.

• 4 paid personal wellness days.

• 16 days of paid vacation annually for non-exempt employees.

• Flexible vacation time off program for exempt employees.

• 80 hours of sick time off provided upon hire and each January 1st thereafter.

• Up to 80 hours of unused sick time may be carried forward.

• Additional paid time off for critical or emergency family situations.

• Optional 10 paid volunteer days per full calendar year.

• Annual bonuses for non-sales roles, subject to Cisco policies.