Security & Compliance Lead

Job Title: Security & Compliance Lead
Location: Washington D.C. 20250
Employment Type: Full-Time
Experience Level: Senior

Summary
We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Security & Compliance Lead to play a pivotal role in designing implementing and maintaining robust cybersecurity frameworks for our federal clients. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in cloud security federal compliance and vulnerability management with expertise in NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF) FISMA and Zero Trust architecture. This role is critical to ensuring the protection of sensitive systems and data while supporting compliance with federal regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of security improvement plans aligned with federal standards (NIST FISMA Zero Trust) and departmental objectives.
• Design implement and monitor security controls within AWS cloud environments to mitigate risks and ensure compliance.
• Spearhead vulnerability remediation efforts including risk assessments prioritization of findings and coordination with development and operations teams to resolve issues.
• Support Authority to Operate (ATO) sustainment by maintaining continuous monitoring programs and ensuring adherence to control baselines.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate security requirements into system lifecycle processes ensuring alignment with compliance goals.
• Provide expert guidance on federal cybersecurity regulations and best practices including risk assessment methodologies and audit requirements.
• Document and report security posture compliance status and remediation progress to senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Maintain awareness of emerging threats regulatory changes and industry trends to proactively strengthen security programs.

Qualifications
Required:

• Recognized security certification such as CISSP Security or equivalent.
• 7 years of experience in cybersecurity with a focus on AWS cloud environments and implementation of security controls.
• In-depth expertise in federal cybersecurity frameworks including NIST RMF FISMA and Zero Trust architecture.
• Proven track record in leading vulnerability remediation security improvement planning and ATO sustainment initiatives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate technical requirements into actionable strategies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to collaborate with technical teams leadership and regulatory stakeholders.
• Ability to obtain or maintain a government security clearance (public trust or higher).

Preferred:

• Experience with NRCS systems or similar federal agency environments.
• Demonstrated leadership in cross-functional security projects including managing vendors or external auditors.
• Familiarity with DevSecOps practices and automated compliance tools (e.g. AWS Security Hub Terraform Chef).
• Knowledge of cloud-native security architectures and compliance automation.