Associate - Cybersecurity Compliance & Advisory

SecureIT; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

SecureIT seeks an entry-level Associate to perform hands-on assessment and advisory work on client engagements under the direction of a Manager. You will own assigned workstreams, deliver high-quality deliverables, and engage with clients at the workstream level while the Manager oversees scope and schedule.

Requirements include 1-2 years in security/compliance, knowledge of NIST 800-53, and a Bachelor's in a related field. Progress toward relevant certifications is preferred.

Qualifications

• 1-2 years of experience in security and compliance within a professional services capacity.
• Working knowledge of NIST 800-53 and other relevant compliance frameworks.
• Experience contributing to assessment or advisory engagements, including evidence review and documentation.
• Ability to manage multiple assigned tasks and deadlines with limited supervision.

Responsibilities

• Perform hands-on execution of assigned assessment/advisory tasks with minimal oversight.
• Produce high-quality deliverables (e.g., control assessments, evidence reviews, findings, documentation) on schedule.
• Self-QA work product before submission and incorporate Manager feedback promptly.
• Track and report status and hours for assigned tasks to the Manager.
• Flag scope, timeline, or quality risks within their workstream to the Manager.
• Support evidence/request collection, interview scheduling, and information gathering with the client(s).
• Respond to client questions within their workstream, escalating anything outside their scope to the Manager.
• Represent SecureIT professionally in all client interactions.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Self-direction

Time management

Teamwork

Leadership potential

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity

Job description

About the Role

The Associate is an entry level individual contributor who performs hands-on assessment and advisory work on one or more client engagements under the direction of a Manager. Associates take ownership of assigned workstreams and deliverables, while the Manager retains accountability for overall project execution, scope, schedule, and budget.

SecureIT staffs from a firm-wide talent pool rather than fixed teams. The engagements and colleagues an Associate works with will change as staffing needs evolve; Associates work with whoever is assigned based on capability and availability.

Workstream Ownership

Consistent with SecureIT’s model, the Associate owns high-quality execution of assigned workstreams but does not own overall project leadership or the formal employee lifecycle.

The Associate owns:

• Hands-on execution of assigned assessment/advisory workstreams and deliverables.
• Quality and completeness of their own work product, consistent with SecureIT methodology and standards.
• Client interaction at the workstream level (e.g., evidence requests, interviews, clarifying questions) under the Manager’s direction.
• Timely escalation of workstream issues, blockers, or quality concerns to the Manager.

Responsibilities and tasking include:

Workstream Execution & Quality

• Perform hands-on execution of assigned assessment/advisory tasks with minimal oversight.
• Produce high-quality deliverables (e.g., control assessments, evidence reviews, findings, documentation) on schedule.
• Self-QA work product before submission and incorporate Manager feedback promptly.
• Track and report status and hours for assigned tasks to the Manager.
• Flag scope, timeline, or quality risks within their workstream to the Manager.

Client Support

• Support evidence/request collection, interview scheduling, and information gathering with the client(s).
• Respond to client questions within their workstream, escalating anything outside their scope to the Manager.
• Represent SecureIT professionally in all client interactions.

Quality, Capability & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain current working knowledge of relevant frameworks and standards.
• Contribute lessons learned, templates, and process improvements to the Manager and playbooks.
• Pursue growth toward Sr. Associate-level responsibilities (e.g., scoping, budgeting, client ownership).

What You’ll Bring to the Table

Knowledge & Experience

• 1-2 years of experience in security and compliance within a professional services capacity.
• Working knowledge of NIST 800-53 and other relevant compliance frameworks.
• Experience contributing to assessment or advisory engagements, including evidence review and documentation.
• Ability to manage multiple assigned tasks and deadlines with limited supervision.

Soft Skills

• Strong attention to detail and consistent, high-quality work product.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including with clients.
• Ability to take direction and incorporate feedback quickly.
• Comfortable working independently and as part of a larger team.
• Developing leadership skills — reliability, initiative, and willingness to guide others.
• Effective time management and adaptability in a fast-changing environment.

Certifications & Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field.
• Progress toward or completion of a relevant certification (e.g., Sec+, CySA+, CCSK, AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate or other cloud-relevant certifications) preferred.

How Success Is Defined

Success in this role is measured primarily through the quality and reliability of workstream execution. A successful Associate consistently delivers:

• High-quality, on-time deliverables within their assigned workstream(s).
• Strong, professional client interactions at the workstream level.
• Growing readiness to take on Sr. Associate-level responsibilities.

The pay range for this role is:

60,000 - 95,000 USD per year dependent on candidate experience