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Security Assessor/Analyst Lead

Guidehouse

MCLEAN, VAJob$113–188K/yrSeen 6 days agoSeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
$113–188K/yr
Location
MCLEAN, VA
Work Authorization
US work authorization required

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Bachelor's degree

Job overview

The Security Assessment Lead leads security and privacy control assessments for public-sector and regulated environments, providing technical leadership, quality oversight, and supervision of assessment teams. The role evaluates controls and evidence, advises clients on risks and remediation, and oversees assessment documentation. It also supports consistent methodologies, automation, emerging technologies, and development of assessment team members.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Security Control AssessmentCybersecurityInformation SecurityTechnology RiskAuditAuthorizationSecurity DocumentationNIST SP 800-53Risk-Based AssessmentEvidence EvaluationStakeholder InterviewsTechnical FindingsQuality ReviewWritten CommunicationVerbal CommunicationAssessment ManagementRegulated EnvironmentsCMS ComplianceHealthcare ComplianceAssessment and AuthorizationRisk Management FrameworkSecurity Control Assessment ProcessSecurity EngineeringCloud SecurityIdentity and Access ManagementLogging and MonitoringVulnerability ManagementCloud PlatformsAPIsSecurity Monitoring PlatformsAutomationScriptingData AnalyticsGRC PlatformsArtificial IntelligenceBusiness DevelopmentProposal DevelopmentClient Relationship BuildingThought Leadership

Qualifications

5+ Years Professional Experience3+ Years Team LeadershipBachelor's DegreeCISA CertificationCISSP CertificationCISM CertificationCRISC CertificationSecurity+ CertificationCAP/CGRC Certification

Benefits

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Paid Time Off
Parental Leave
401(k) Match
Tuition Assistance

Full job description

Job Family :

Technology Consulting

Travel Required :

Up to 10%

Clearance Required :

None

What You Will Do:

The Security Assessment Lead will lead and support security and privacy control assessments for public-sector and regulated environments, providing technical leadership, quality oversight, and day-to-day supervision of assessment teams. The role will evaluate the effectiveness of security and privacy controls, validate technical and procedural evidence, advise clients on identified risks and remediation considerations, and oversee the development of high-quality assessment documentation.

In addition to assessment delivery, this role will help mature and scale security assessment capabilities through standardized methodologies, automation, emerging technologies, and development of assessment team members. The successful candidate will bring the experience and judgment to independently lead assessment activities, engage effectively with senior client stakeholders, and translate complex technical and compliance issues into clear, actionable findings.

Key job responsibilities include the following:

  • Lead security and privacy control assessments in accordance with established assessment plans, applicable standards, and client requirements.

  • Supervise and provide day-to-day direction to teams of security assessors, including assignment of assessment activities, review of work products, quality assurance, coaching, and professional development.

  • Lead assessment planning, execution, documentation, and reporting activities across multiple systems, workstreams, or client stakeholders.

  • Review security documentation and technical evidence to evaluate the design, implementation, and operating effectiveness of security and privacy controls.

  • Lead and participate in control validation activities, including: Evidence inspection and analysisArchitecture and system documentation reviewInterviews and working sessions with system owners, security personnel, and technical stakeholdersEvaluation of technical configurations and other implementation evidence, as applicable

  • Lead the development and quality review of assessment artifacts, including: System Security Plans (SSPs)Security Assessment Reports (SARs)Independent Security Risk Assessments (ISRAs)Plans of Action and Milestones (POA&Ms)Other risk, compliance, and authorization documentation

  • Clearly articulate control deficiencies, security risks, root causes, and potential remediation considerations to both technical and executive audiences.

  • Maintain appropriate assessment independence, objectivity, and professional judgment.

  • Serve as a trusted advisor to client stakeholders by helping them understand assessment results, risk implications, and opportunities to strengthen security and privacy controls.

  • Establish and promote consistent assessment methodologies, templates, quality standards, and leading practices across assessment teams.

  • Identify opportunities to improve assessment efficiency and quality through standardization, tooling, automation, and enhanced evidence collection and validation techniques.

  • Support the application of data analytics, AI-assisted techniques, and automation to improve assessment analysis, evidence traceability, reporting, and continuous monitoring.

  • Mentor and develop junior and mid-level security professionals and contribute to broader cybersecurity capability development and knowledge sharing.

What You Will Need:

  • Minimum of FIVE (5) years of professional experience.

  • Experience in cybersecurity, information security, technology risk, audit, security control assessment, authorization, or related disciplines.

  • Minimum of THREE (3) years of supervisory or team leadership experience overseeing security assessor teams or security assessment-related personnel.

  • Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university.

  • US Citizenship is contractually required.

  • Demonstrated experience leading or performing security control assessments, audits, risk assessments, or authorization activities.

  • Hands-on experience developing and/or reviewing formal security assessment documentation, including SSPs, SARs, POA&Ms, ISRAs, or equivalent artifacts.

  • Strong working knowledge of NIST SP 800-53 security and privacy controls and risk-based assessment concepts.

  • Experience evaluating technical and procedural evidence to determine control effectiveness and identify security or compliance gaps.

  • Experience leading interviews, assessment discussions, and working sessions with technical personnel, system owners, security teams, and other client stakeholders.

  • Ability to translate complex technical and security issues into clear, concise, and defensible findings and recommendations.

  • Demonstrated experience reviewing the work of other assessors and maintaining quality and consistency across assessment deliverables.

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with technical and senior client stakeholders.

  • Ability to manage multiple assessment activities, priorities, and deliverables in a client-service environment.

What Would Be Nice To Ha ve:

  • Experience supporting federal, state, local, healthcare, or other highly regulated environments.

  • Experience with CMS, healthcare, or public-sector security and privacy compliance frameworks.

  • Deep familiarity with Assessment & Authorization (A&A), Risk Management Framework (RMF), Security Control Assessment (SCA), or similar risk and compliance processes.

  • Relevant professional certifications such as CISA, CISSP, CISM, CRISC, Security+, CAP/CGRC, or similar.

  • Experience with security engineering, cloud security, identity and access management (IAM), logging/monitoring, vulnerability management, or system implementation.

  • Familiarity with modern technology architectures, including cloud platforms, IAM solutions, APIs, security monitoring platforms, and how security controls are implemented and assessed within these environments.

  • Experience with automation, scripting, data analytics, or Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) platforms supporting assessment or compliance activities.

  • Experience applying AI, automation, or data-driven techniques to improve audit readiness, evidence analysis, compliance monitoring, assessment execution, or reporting.

  • Experience supporting business development, growth, capture, proposal development, or client account expansion within cybersecurity, technology risk, or related consulting services.

  • Experience identifying emerging client needs and helping develop new cybersecurity services, methodologies, accelerators, intellectual property, or other firm capabilities.

  • Experience contributing to proposal development, solutioning, oral presentations, demonstrations, marketing materials, white papers, or other go-to-market activities.

  • Experience building relationships with clients, industry partners, technology vendors, or other ecosystem organizations to support growth and capability development.

  • Interest in helping grow and differentiate a cybersecurity assessment practice through thought leadership, innovation, market awareness, and development of repeatable service offerings.

The annual salary range for this position is $113,000.00-$188,000.00. Compensation decisions depend on a wide range of factors, including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, security clearances, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs.

What We Offer :

Guidehouse offers a comprehensive, total rewards package that includes competitive compensation and a flexible benefits package that reflects our commitment to creating a diverse and supportive workplace.

Benefits include:

  • Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance

  • Personal and Family Sick Time & Company Paid Holidays

  • Position may be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus

  • Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance

  • 401(k) Retirement Plan

  • Basic Life & Supplemental Life

  • Health Savings Account, Dental/Vision & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts

  • Short-Term & Long-Term Disability

  • Student Loan PayDown

  • Tuition Reimbursement, Personal Development & Learning Opportunities

  • Skills Development & Certifications

  • Employee Referral Program

  • Corporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach

  • Emergency Back-Up Childcare Program

  • Mobility Stipend

About Guidehouse

Guidehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer–Protected Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.

Guidehouse will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law or ordinance including the Fair Chance Ordinance of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

If you have visited our website for information about employment opportunities, or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Guidehouse Recruiting at 1-571-633-1711 or via email at [email protected] . All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodation.

All communication regarding recruitment for a Guidehouse position will be sent from Guidehouse email domains including @guidehouse.com or [email protected] . Correspondence received by an applicant from any other domain should be considered unauthorized and will not be honored by Guidehouse. Note that Guidehouse will never charge a fee or require a money transfer at any stage of the recruitment process and does not collect fees from educational institutions for participation in a recruitment event. Never provide your banking information to a third party purporting to need that information to proceed in the hiring process.

If any person or organization demands money related to a job opportunity with Guidehouse, please report the matter to Guidehouse’s Ethics Hotline. If you want to check the validity of correspondence you have received, please contact [email protected] . Guidehouse is not responsible for losses incurred (monetary or otherwise) from an applicant’s dealings with unauthorized third parties.

Guidehouse does not accept unsolicited resumes through or from search firms or staffing agencies. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of Guidehouse and Guidehouse will not be obligated to pay a placement fee.

How this job compares

Set against the 2,923 open Cybersecurity jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 7, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$113–188K/yr
  • Virginia median$131–203K/yr197 salary ranges
  • US median$135–215K/yr2,256 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $151K, is 8% below the Virginia median midpoint ($164K) — in the middle half of Cybersecurity salary ranges in Virginia.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 235 open Cybersecurity jobs in Virginia and 2,923 across the US. 4% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Virginia
Experience
This posting asks for at least 5 years of experience; Cybersecurity postings that state a minimum ask for 6 years at the median (2,435 postings).
Education
This posting asks for a bachelor's degree; 1,325 of the 2,923 open Cybersecurity jobs (45%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 7, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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