GRC Analyst

Forward Financing; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 108,000; Full time

Job summary

Forward Financing, a Boston-based fintech, seeks a GRC Analyst to drive third-party risk assessments and strengthen governance, risk, and compliance programs. You will manage vendor due diligence, help shape policies, and support SOC2 audits through evidence collection and stakeholder coordination.

The role emphasizes proactive risk identification, strong communication, and the use of AI/ML tools to automate tasks, with a compensation framework targeting $85k–$108k USD plus a 10% bonus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent practical experience.
• 1-2+ years of experience in a GRC, risk, or compliance role.
• Experience with third‑party/vendor risk management processes, including conducting due diligence and assessments.
• Familiarity with creating or maintaining policies, standards, and procedures.
• Understanding of risk assessment methodologies and the ability to help identify and evaluate risks.
• Experience supporting compliance audits, such as SOC2, by gathering evidence and coordinating with teams.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Excellent verbal and written English language skills.
• Demonstrated versatility — comfortable moving between tasks, tools, and priorities.
• A track record of asking good questions rather than guessing when something is unclear.
• Intellectual curiosity about risk, compliance, and security.

Responsibilities

• Conduct and manage third‑party risk assessments, including initial due diligence and ongoing monitoring of vendors.
• Collaborate with internal teams to help create and maintain security policies, standards, and procedures.
• Assist with risk analysis to identify, evaluate, and track risks across the organization.
• Support our annual SOC2 audit by helping to gather evidence, coordinate with stakeholders, and track findings.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of the GRC program to ensure it aligns with our business objectives.
• Help promote a culture of security and risk awareness through clear communication and collaboration.
• Utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to automate routine tasks, identify patterns, and enhance the efficiency of governance, risk, and compliance processes.
• Conduct internal audits of systems, processes, etc
• Take on ambiguous or unfamiliar problems as they arise, ask the right questions to get oriented quickly, and build the skills needed to solve them.

Skills

GRC experience

Vendor risk management

Policy development

Risk assessment

SOC2 support

Communication skills

English proficiency

Curiosity

Questioning mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree (related field)

Tools

AI/ML tools

Cloud platforms (AWS)

Job description

Forward Financing is a financial technology company based in Boston, Massachusetts with team members throughout the United States, Dominican Republic, and Canada. The company is on a mission to unlock the capital that fuels small businesses across America. Recognized as a Best Place to Work by Built In Boston and certified as a Great Place To Work®, Forward is investing in its employees, technology, and customer experience – with long‑term success in mind every step of the way.

As a GRC Analyst, you will be a key contributor to our Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) program. In this role, your primary focus will be on our third‑party risk management program. You will also be instrumental in maintaining our policies and standards, conducting risk analysis, and supporting our annual SOC2 audit.

In This Role You Will:

• Conduct and manage third‑party risk assessments, including initial due diligence and ongoing monitoring of vendors.

• Collaborate with internal teams to help create and maintain security policies, standards, and procedures.

• Assist with risk analysis to identify, evaluate, and track risks across the organization.

• Support our annual SOC2 audit by helping to gather evidence, coordinate with stakeholders, and track findings.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of the GRC program to ensure it aligns with our business objectives.

• Help promote a culture of security and risk awareness through clear communication and collaboration.

• Utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to automate routine tasks, identify patterns, and enhance the efficiency of governance, risk, and compliance processes.

• Conduct internal audits of systems, processes, etc

• Take on ambiguous or unfamiliar problems as they arise, ask the right questions to get oriented quickly, and build the skills needed to solve them.

Role Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent practical experience.

• 1-2+ years of experience in a GRC, risk, or compliance role.

• Experience with third‑party/vendor risk management processes, including conducting due diligence and assessments.

• Familiarity with creating or maintaining policies, standards, and procedures.

• Understanding of risk assessment methodologies and the ability to help identify and evaluate risks.

• Experience supporting compliance audits, such as SOC2, by gathering evidence and coordinating with teams.

• Strong organizational and communication skills.

• Excellent verbal and written english language skills

• Demonstrated versatility — comfortable moving between tasks, tools, and priorities, and willing to stretch into work outside your immediate comfort zone.

• A track record of asking good questions rather than guessing when something is unclear; you know the difference between productive independence and working in the dark.

• Intellectual curiosity about risk, compliance, and security, with a genuine interest in understanding the "why" behind a process, not just the "how."

Nice to Have:

• Familiarity with AI and use cases within business settings.

• A solid understanding of AWS or other cloud structures

Compensation:

Annual Targeted Salary: $85,000 - $108,000 USD

Annual Target Bonus: 10%

At Forward Financing, we're committed to fair and transparent compensation. We believe in providing a compensation package that recognizes your skills, experience, and the unique value you bring to our team. We take a market-basedapproach to pay, regularly reviewing benchmark data to ensure our compensation remains competitive, equitable, and aligned with our performance‑driven culture.

Final offers are determined by a variety of factors, including the candidate's qualifications, relevant experience, specific skills, and internal equity. This approach ensures that our compensation is competitive and equitable. Your recruiter will provide specific details on the expected base and variable earnings as it pertains to this specific role.