Job Details

Director,Governance, Risk and Compliance

Job ID: 293019

Location: Kennesaw, Georgia

Full/Part Time: Full Time

Regular/Temporary: Regular

About Us

Are you ready to transform lives through academic excellence, innovative research, strong community partnerships and economic opportunity? Kennesaw State University is one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. With growing enrollment and global reach, we continue to expand our institutional influence and prominence beyond the state of Georgia. We offer more than 190 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to empower our 47,000 students to become thought leaders, lifelong learners, and informed global citizens. Our entrepreneurial spirit, high-impact research, and Division I athletics draw students from throughout the region and from more than 100 countries across the globe. Our university's vibrant culture, career opportunities, rich benefits, and values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity, and accountability make us an employer of choice. We are part of the University System of Georgia. We are searching for talented people to join Kennesaw State University in our vision. Come Take Flight at KSU!

Location

(Primary Location for Job Responsibilities) Our Kennesaw campus is located at 1000 Chastain Road NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144.

Our Marietta campus is located at 1100 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060.

Job Summary

Leads the enterprise-wide IT risk management, compliance, and governance initiatives. Ensured strategic regulatory alignments, supports audit readiness, and drives resilience across cloud and research environments. Manages assigned staff and collaborates with key stakeholders to build and execute security and compliance strategies.

Responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Leads the implementation and optimization of GRC platforms (e.g., Apptega)
2. Develops and applies risk quantification methodologies
3. Ensures compliance with cybersecurity frameworks including CIS18 v8.1, NIST CSF, 800-171, etc.
4. Manages third-party risk assessments using BitSight, Security Scorecard, or similar system
5. Collaborates with key stakeholders on the governance of restricted research environments (CUI, HIPAA) and drives cloud security compliance, with a focus on Microsoft Azure
6. Coordinates internal and external audit evidence collection, workflow automation, and reporting
7. Communicates IT risks effectively across technical and non-technical audiences, developing remediation recommendations and plans
8. Supports business continuity and disaster recovery planning
9. Partners with internal stakeholders to develop and execute security plans

Required Qualifications

Educational Requirements
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education in Computer Science or related field.

Required Experience
Eight (8) years of experience in governance, risk and compliance (GRC), cybersecurity, or information assurance including at least five (5) years of leadership and team management experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Additional Preferred Qualifications
Professional certifications: CRISC, CGRC, CISSP, CISA, or equivalent
Proven ability to lead and grow a team
Must be adaptable, strategic, and collaborative

Preferred Educational Qualifications
An advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in Cybersecurity, Information Security, Computer Science, or related field

Preferred Experience
Strong background in higher education information security is a plus, or experience in regulated industries such as healthcare, energy, or federal government is a plus

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

ABILITIES
Able to handle multiple tasks or projects at one time meeting assigned deadlines
Communication and stakeholder engagement
Think like an auditor to anticipate compliance needs
Build trust and alignment with functional users
Lead, grow, and develop a high-performing GRC team
Navigate complex regulatory environments with agility

KNOWLEDGE
CIS18 8.1 and NIST frameworks
HIPAA and CUI compliance in research settings
Cloud security governance (Azure)
Risk quantification and third-party risk tools (BitSight, SecurityScorecard)
Strategic planning and execution
Audit response and evidence management
Business continuity and disaster recovery coordination

SKILLS
Excellent interpersonal, initiative, teamwork, problem solving, independent judgment, organization, communication (verbal and written), time management, project management, and presentation skills
Proficient with computer applications and programs associated with the position (i.e., Microsoft Office suite)
Strong attention to detail and follow-up skills
Strong customer service skills and phone and e-mail etiquette

Other Information
This is a supervisory position.
This position has financial responsibilities.
This position will be required to drive.
This role is considered a position of trust.
This position does not require a purchasing card (P-Card).
This position may travel 1% - 24% of the time

Background Check
Credit Report
Standard Enhanced
Education
DMV