Cybersecurity Risk Manager

The Cybersecurity Risk Manager is a senior-level professional responsible for establishing and maintaining an organization's cyber risk management framework. This role involves identifying, assessing, and prioritizing cybersecurity risks, then developing strategies to mitigate them to an acceptable level. The manager works closely with IT, legal, compliance, and business units to align security initiatives with organizational objectives.

Key responsibilities include conducting risk assessments using methodologies like NIST RMF, ISO 27005, or FAIR; managing vulnerability remediation programs; overseeing security audits and compliance with regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, or SOX; and reporting risk posture to executive leadership and the board. The role also involves threat modeling, security architecture review, and incident response planning.

At the junior level, the role focuses on executing risk assessments, maintaining risk registers, and supporting compliance activities. Mid-level professionals lead risk assessments, manage vendor risk, and develop risk treatment plans. Senior managers define risk appetite, establish policies, and drive strategic risk reduction programs across the enterprise.

Collaboration is central: the manager partners with security engineers to prioritize vulnerabilities, with legal teams to interpret regulatory requirements, and with business leaders to communicate risk in business terms. Remote compatibility is medium, as the role requires occasional on-site presence for audits, incident response, or stakeholder meetings, but many tasks can be performed remotely.

Salary drivers include industry (financial services and healthcare pay premium), company size, certifications (CISSP, CISM, CRISC), and experience with specific frameworks. Common stack signals include GRC platforms (ServiceNow, RSA Archer), SIEM tools (Splunk, QRadar), and vulnerability management solutions (Qualys, Tenable). The role is distinct from a Security Architect (more design-focused) or a Compliance Officer (more audit-focused), blending risk analysis with strategic management.