Security Analyst

Akaasa Technologies; Virginia; Remote; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Akaasa Technologies seeks a Security Analyst to lead governance, risk, and compliance activities across Virginia operations. This role emphasizes risk assessment, policy development, and collaboration with system owners and vendors to strengthen security controls.

The position supports continuity, incident response, and audit readiness, with flexible remote work and periodic on-site meetings within 120 miles of Richmond.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of cybersecurity governance, risk management, compliance, privacy, third-party risk, and audit practices.
• Knowledge of security frameworks and standards such as NIST 800-53, VITA SEC530, CIS Controls, CJIS and VCIN requirements, HIPAA, PCI, FERPA, FTI, and related Commonwealth requirements.
• Ability to analyze technical and business information, identify risk, distinguish control gaps from acceptable residual risk, and recommend clear, defensible actions.
• Ability to develop and maintain professional DOCumentation, including assessment reports, risk registers, security plans, policies, procedures, executive briefings, and audit evidence.
• Ability to manage multiple complex assignments, prioritize work under deadlines, and follow through on actions involving many stakeholders.
• Ability to communicate effectively with executives, technical teams, vendors, auditors, and nontechnical business partners.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with sound judgment, discretion, and a service-oriented approach.

Responsibilities

• Conduct and coordinate security risk assessments, Business Impact Analyses, data classifications, privacy reviews, control assessments, and security feasibility reviews for new and existing systems, applications, services, integrations, and technology initiatives.
• Maintain risk registers, assessment records, corrective-action plans, exceptions, evidence repositories, and follow-up activities in Archer GRC and other approved agency tools. Track remediation commitments, due dates, residual risk, and required executive decisions.
• Apply and interpret Commonwealth and agency requirements, including VITA SEC530, NIST guidance, CIS Controls, DoD STIGs, CJIS and VCIN requirements, and applicable HIPAA, PCI, FERPA, FTI, privacy, and contractual obligations.
• Partner with system owners and data owners to establish ownership, classify information, document security plans and controls, complete periodic reviews, and maintain evidence needed for authorization, audit, and ongoing compliance.
• Review vendor and third-party security documentation, including SOC reports, security questionnaires, architecture and data-flow information, contracts, MOUs, MOAs, NDAs, and other interconnection documentation. Identify conditions, gaps, compensating controls, and escalation needs.
• Support interconnection and data-sharing governance by reviewing MOUs and related agreements for security, privacy, least-privilege, data-handling, access-control, incident-notification, and annual-review requirements.
• Coordinate audit, assessment, and oversight activities; collect and validate evidence; respond to inquiries; document findings; and manage corrective actions through closure with internal audit, VITA, and other authorized reviewers.
• Develop, maintain, and communicate security policies, standards, procedures, guidelines, templates, and governance processes. Recommend practical improvements that strengthen compliance and reduce risk.
• Support the agency security awareness and training program, including targeted compliance training, acknowledgements, tracking, reporting, and education for system owners, technical staff, and other stakeholders.
• Perform governance reviews for emerging technology and artificial intelligence initiatives. Evaluate business purpose, data sensitivity, privacy, security, human oversight, vendor assurances, risks, and required approvals; document outcomes and handoffs.
• Assist with security planning for continuity, incident response, disaster recovery, business continuity, audit logging, configuration and hardening, access reviews, vendor management, and other control areas.
• Prepare accurate executive, management, and Commonwealth reporting on governance workload, system inventory, risks, findings, remediation progress, compliance status, metrics, and program priorities.
• Provide clear security guidance to project teams, operational IT, procurement, business units, and vendors. Facilitate meetings, communicate requirements professionally, and escape unresolved risk or noncompliance through established channels.
• Participate in incident and post-incident governance activities as assigned, including documentation review, control-gap identification, privacy or regulatory coordination, and corrective-action tracking.
• Perform other related duties and special projects in support of the IT Security Governance program.

Skills

Cybersecurity governance

Risk management

Compliance

Privacy

Audit practices

Third-party risk

NIST 800-53

Archer GRC

CJIS/VCIN

HIPAA/PCI/FERPA/FTI

Communication with executives

Documentation practices

Tools

Archer GRC

Job description

Security Analyst

This is a remote role. However, DOC has requested that candidates reside in Virginia within 120 Miles of Richmond in the event they need to report on site. They may have them report on site for meetings as needed. The statements below describe the principal duties of the position and are not intended to be all-inclusive.

• Conduct and coordinate security risk assessments, Business Impact Analyses, data classifications, privacy reviews, control assessments, and security feasibility reviews for new and existing systems, applications, services, integrations, and technology initiatives.
• Maintain risk registers, assessment records, corrective-action plans, exceptions, evidence repositories, and follow-up activities in Archer GRC and other approved agency tools. Track remediation commitments, due dates, residual risk, and required executive decisions.
• Apply and interpret Commonwealth and agency requirements, including VITA SEC530, NIST guidance, CIS Controls, DoD STIGs, CJIS and VCIN requirements, and applicable HIPAA, PCI, FERPA, FTI, privacy, and contractual obligations.
• Partner with system owners and data owners to establish ownership, classify information, document security plans and controls, complete periodic reviews, and maintain evidence needed for authorization, audit, and ongoing compliance.
• Review vendor and third-party security documentation, including SOC reports, security questionnaires, architecture and data-flow information, contracts, MOUs, MOAs, NDAs, and other interconnection documentation. Identify conditions, gaps, compensating controls, and escalation needs.
• Support interconnection and data-sharing governance by reviewing MOUs and related agreements for security, privacy, least-privilege, data-handling, access-control, incident-notification, and annual-review requirements.
• Coordinate audit, assessment, and oversight activities; collect and validate evidence; respond to inquiries; document findings; and manage corrective actions through closure with internal audit, VITA, and other authorized reviewers.
• Develop, maintain, and communicate security policies, standards, procedures, guidelines, templates, and governance processes. Recommend practical improvements that strengthen compliance and reduce risk.
• Support the agency security awareness and training program, including targeted compliance training, acknowledgements, tracking, reporting, and education for system owners, technical staff, and other stakeholders.
• Perform governance reviews for emerging technology and artificial intelligence initiatives. Evaluate business purpose, data sensitivity, privacy, security, human oversight, vendor assurances, risks, and required approvals; document outcomes and handoffs.
• Assist with security planning for continuity, incident response, disaster recovery, business continuity, audit logging, configuration and hardening, access reviews, vendor management, and other control areas.
• Prepare accurate executive, management, and Commonwealth reporting on governance workload, system inventory, risks, findings, remediation progress, compliance status, metrics, and program priorities.
• Provide clear security guidance to project teams, operational IT, procurement, business units, and vendors. Facilitate meetings, communicate requirements professionally, and escape unresolved risk or noncompliance through established channels.
• Participate in incident and post-incident governance activities as assigned, including documentation review, control-gap identification, privacy or regulatory coordination, and corrective-action tracking.
• Perform other related duties and special projects in support of the IT Security Governance program.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of cybersecurity governance, risk management, compliance, privacy, third-party risk, and audit practices.
• Knowledge of security frameworks and standards such as NIST 800-53, VITA SEC530, CIS Controls, CJIS and VCIN requirements, HIPAA, PCI, FERPA, FTI, and related Commonwealth requirements.
• Ability to analyze technical and business information, identify risk, distinguish control gaps from acceptable residual risk, and recommend clear, defensible actions.
• Ability to develop and maintain professional DOCumentation, including assessment reports, risk registers, security plans, policies, procedures, executive briefings, and audit evidence.
• Ability to manage multiple complex assignments, prioritize work under deadlines, and follow through on actions involving many stakeholders.
• Ability to communicate effectively with executives, technical teams, vendors, auditors, and nontechnical business partners.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with sound judgment, discretion, and a service-oriented approach.

Desired Qualifications

These qualifications would strengthen a candidate's application but would not be mandatory.

• Archer GRC: 3+ years of experience using Archer or comparable governance, risk, and compliance platforms.
• VITA SEC530: 2+ years of experience applying Commonwealth of Virginia information security requirements.
• Third-Party Risk Management: 3+ years reviewing vendor security documentation, SOC reports, and security questionnaires.
• Business Impact Analysis: 3+ years conducting BIAs, data classification reviews, and security feasibility assessments.
• Regulatory Compliance: 3+ years working with CJIS, VCIN, HIPAA, PCI DSS, FERPA, or FTI requirements.
• Privacy and Data Sharing: 2+ years reviewing data-sharing agreements, MOUs, and security/privacy obligations.
• Incident Response and Continuity Governance: 2+ years supporting incident response, disaster recovery, or business continuity compliance.
• AI and Emerging Technology Governance: 1+ year assessing security, privacy, and compliance risks associated with emerging technologies.
• Executive Reporting: 3+ years preparing security metrics, compliance reports, risk summaries, and management briefings.