Cyber Assurance Manager

Citizens; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 175,000 - 221,000; Full time

Job summary

Citizens is seeking a Manager, Cyber Assurance to lead and mature the enterprise cybersecurity continuous control testing program. You will oversee strategy, governance, and execution of assurance activities to evaluate control effectiveness and identify deficiencies across the security posture.

The role leads a team of cyber professionals, partners with Technology, Risk, and Compliance, and reports on KPIs and risk metrics to inform leadership decisions while driving continuous improvement and

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of progressive cybersecurity experience.
• 3+ years of people leadership in cybersecurity.
• Experience assessing and testing cybersecurity controls.
• Knowledge of NIST CSF, NIST standards, CRI Profile.
• Experience in large, regulated organizations.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and drive collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy, governance, and maturity of the Cyber Security Assurance Program.
• Oversee planning and quality assurance of control testing.
• Define asset identification and assurance activities for critical assets.
• Establish assurance methodologies, standards, and audit readiness.
• Monitor threats and regulatory developments impacting assurance strategy.
• Report KPIs, KRIs, and maturity metrics; provide executive dashboards.
• Lead talent development and team performance.

Skills

Cybersecurity leadership

Risk management

Stakeholder engagement

Cross-functional collaboration

People leadership

NIST CSF familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, IT, CS

Job description

Description

Manager, Cyber Assurance

The Manager, Cyber Assurance is responsible for establishing, leading, and continuously maturing the enterprise cybersecurity continuous control testing program. This role oversees the strategy, governance, execution, and continuous improvement of assurance activities designed to evaluate the effectiveness of cybersecurity controls, identify control deficiencies and control drift, and validate alignment with enterprise security policies, standards, regulatory requirements, and risk management objectives.

The Manager leads a team of cybersecurity professionals responsible for planning and executing technical control assessments, control effectiveness reviews, assurance testing, reporting, and remediation oversight across the cybersecurity control environment. This role also provides leadership for talent acquisition, workforce development, documentation management, program governance, metrics, reporting, and stakeholder engagement to help maintain a strong and resilient cybersecurity posture.

This position is ideal for a cybersecurity assurance leader who understands how to build and deliver risk informed assurance over cybersecurity controls while continuously improving enterprise cyber resilience.

Work Arrangement

Candidates must be willing to work a hybrid schedule of 4 days onsite and 1 day remote per week. Remote work is not available for this position.

Eligible hub locations include:

• Phoenix, AZ
• Charlotte, NC
• Johnston, RI
• Boston, MA
• Westwood, MA
• Marlton, NJ
• Irving, TX

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the strategy, governance, maturity, and continuous improvement of the Cyber Security Assurance Program aligned to enterprise cybersecurity, risk, and resilience objectives.
• Oversee planning, execution, and quality assurance of cybersecurity control testing to validate control design, implementation, and operating effectiveness.
• Define and govern critical asset identification, enhanced control requirements, and assurance activities for the organization's most critical assets.
• Establish and maintain assurance methodologies, standards, testing frameworks, documentation, and quality controls to ensure consistency, repeatability, and audit readiness.
• Monitor threats, emerging technologies, regulatory developments, and business changes to identify impacts to the control environment and assurance strategy.
• Define and report key performance indicators, key risk indicators, control effectiveness measures, testing coverage, and maturity metrics to demonstrate program performance and risk posture.
• Oversee the development of assurance reports, executive dashboards, findings, trend analysis, and recommendations that drive informed decision making and continuous improvement.
• Ensure control deficiencies, control drift, failures, and related risks are documented, tracked, remediated, and validated through sustainable resolution.
• Lead and develop a high performing team through workforce planning, hiring, coaching, mentoring, succession planning, and career development.
• Partner with Technology, Risk, Compliance, control owners, and business stakeholders to align assurance activities with enterprise priorities and regulatory expectations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 8 to 12 years of progressive experience in cybersecurity, cyber risk, cybersecurity assurance, controls testing, audit, or related disciplines.
• 3 or more years of people leadership experience managing cybersecurity assurance, controls, risk, or audit professionals.
• Experience assessing, testing, and validating cybersecurity controls across technology environments.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity control frameworks, risk management principles, and security governance practices.
• Experience developing and managing enterprise programs, governance processes, metrics, and reporting.
• Knowledge of NIST Cybersecurity Framework, NIST standards, Cyber Risk Institute (CRI) Profile, and cybersecurity maturity frameworks.
• Experience working within large, complex, and highly regulated organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and drive cross functional collaboration.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with continuous controls monitoring, security validation technologies, and cyber control assessment methodologies.
• Experience building and maturing cybersecurity assurance or controls testing programs.

Certifications

• CISSP, Certified Information Systems Security Professional
• CISM, Certified Information Security Manager
• CRISC, Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control
• CISA, Certified Information Systems Auditor
• GSLC, GIAC Security Leadership Certification
• Emerging AI or cybersecurity focused certifications

Pay Transparency

The salary range for this position is from $175,000 to $221,000 per year, plus an opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. Actual pay is based on various factors including but not limited to, the budget, work location, relevant skills, and experience.

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity and paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs, and more. Citizens’ paid time off policy exceeds the mandatory paid sick or paid time away policies of local and state jurisdictions in the United States. For an overview of our benefits, visit our Careers site - https://jobs.citizensbank.com/benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.

Why Work for Us

At Citizens, you'll find a customer-centric culture built around helping our customers and giving back to our local communities. When you join our team, you are part of a supportive and collaborative workforce, with access to training and tools to accelerate your potential and maximize your career growth

Background Check

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the candidate successfully passing a background check, which may include initial credit, motor vehicle record, public record, prior employment verification, and criminal background checks. Results of the background check are individually reviewed based upon legal requirements imposed by our regulators and with consideration of the nature and gravity of the background history and the job offered. Any offer of employment will include further information.