Senior Strategic Security Advisor

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Minnesota.

📋 Description

• Act as a reliable cybersecurity partner for small to mid-sized businesses in the Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul metro region.

• Oversee designated customer advisory relationships, perform regular strategic assessments, and deliver recommendations to executive leadership and boards.

• Create and sustain risk-oriented security roadmaps, align milestones and stakeholders, monitor commitments, and escalate initiatives that are stalled.

• Carry out security and compliance evaluations and maintain risk registers.

• Suggest and document options for risk mitigation, acceptance, transfer, or avoidance.

• Develop and enhance security policies, standards, incident response plans, and governance documentation.

• Assist customers with the review and approval process for policies, standards, and governance.

• Lead advisory efforts for CMMC and Department of Defense readiness, including NIST SP 800-171, FCI/CUI scoping, SSPs, POA&Ms, control assessments, and evidence preparation.

• Counsel financial institutions regarding security expectations related to FFIEC, FDIC, NCUA, OCC, GLBA, and CRI.

• Aid healthcare clients in complying with HIPAA/HITECH requirements.

• Propose risk-based enhancements to security controls, third-party risk management, resilience, incident preparedness, and remediation priorities in collaboration with CIT technical teams.

• Work alongside CIT account managers, customer success, and service teams to align solutions and sustain customer momentum.

• Facilitate qualified presales discussions and identify opportunities to fill customer governance gaps through supplementary services.

• Provide unbiased, clear recommendations that serve the customer's best interests.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of five years of experience in cybersecurity, governance, risk and compliance, or IT consulting, with a focus on customer-facing advisory roles.

• Strong practical knowledge of CMMC and NIST SP 800-171.

• Experience in developing or assessing evidence for evaluations, SSPs, POA&Ms, or remediation plans.

• Familiarity with cybersecurity requirements and supervisory expectations in the financial sector, including FFIEC guidelines and environments regulated by FDIC, NCUA, or OCC.

• Experience in risk assessments, policy formulation, security frameworks, regulatory interpretation, and practical risk treatment recommendations.

• Comprehensive understanding of enterprise infrastructure, cybersecurity controls, and incident readiness.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, along with proficiency in executive presentations.

• Proactive account management with the capability to collaborate across various teams.

• Willingness to travel to client locations within the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota metro area approximately 1-2 times quarterly.

• Authorization to work in the United States is required.

• Preferred: At least eight years of relevant experience, including work in an MSP/MSSP, consulting, or vCISO/advisory context.

• Preferred: Possession of CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, relevant CMMC credentials, or an advanced degree in a related discipline.

• Preferred: Experience advising defense contractors, regulated financial institutions, healthcare organizations, or boards of directors.

• Preferred: Residency in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota metro area.

🏝️ Benefits

• Medical insurance.

• Dental insurance.

• Vision insurance.

• Life and disability insurance.

• 401(k) plan with employer matching contributions.

• Flexible work schedules.

• Paid volunteer leave.

• Paid parental leave.

• Flexible paid time off policy.

• Employer-sponsored rewards and recognition program.

• Competitive incentive programs.