Senior Director, Governance and Risk

Senior Director Governance and Risk 

College Board – Risk Management 

Location: This is a remote role. Candidates who live near CB offices have the option of being fully remote or hybrid (Tuesday and Wednesday in office). All CB employees are required to occasionally travel to meet in person for business purposes. 

Role Type: This is a full-time position 

About the Team  

The Information Security Governance Risk and Compliance (ISGRC) team at the College Board works closely with other teams across the organization to assess and certify the security of College Board’s information systems and processes. This dedicated team facilitates information security governance and compliance by assessing College Board’s vendors, reviewing and negotiating contractual commitments to information security, planning for disaster response and recovery, testing system strength using industry-recognized frameworks (ISO 27001, PCI-DSS and SOC2) and obtaining related compliance certifications, implementing information security policies, promoting security awareness and training, and testing the acumen of College Board employees through robust and innovative training and phishing campaigns.      

About the Opportunity   

As the Senior Director, Information Security Governance & Risk, you will operationalize the vision set in collaboration with other Senior Team members and approved by Executive Leadership.  The Senior Director will oversee delivery across Security Policy, Security Awareness, Business Continuity, Vendor Risk Management, and the Information Security Risk Register.  Your role is to ensure execution of Governance and Risk functions through a team of practitioners.  You will work closely with stakeholders from Legal, Procurement, Information Security Office, Privacy, and Business Stakeholders.   

In this role, you will:  

Manage Governance and Risk (50%) 

Security Policy & Governance Operations 

• Ensure policies and standards are maintained, updated, and operationalized by the organization. 

• Oversee policy communication, awareness, and exception processes. 

• Drive consistency in governance practices across the organization. 

Security Awareness Execution 

• Ensure effective delivery of the organization’s security awareness program. 

• Oversee targeted training and campaigns aligned to key risk areas. 

• Monitor engagement and effectiveness metrics. 

Business Continuity Coordination 

• Ensure coordination of Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery governance activities. 

• Oversee execution of BIAs, plan updates, and testing exercises. 

• Track and drive remediation of identified gaps. 

Technology Risk Register 

• Ensure the team maintains an accurate and actionable Information Security Risk Register. 

• Oversee consistent risk identification, assessment, and documentation practices. 

• Drive accountability for timely risk remediation and escalation. 

• Support development of risk reporting for senior leadership consumption. 

Vendor Risk Management (VRM) 

• Ensure consistent, high-quality execution of the third-party risk assessment program. 

• Drive increased assessment throughput and reduced cycle times through team performance and process optimization. 

• Oversee standardized approaches for SOC 2 reviews, control analysis, and risk evaluation. 

• Ensure effective coordination with Procurement and business stakeholders. 

• Experience with or exposure to continuous monitoring capabilities (e.g., external risk signals, ongoing vendor posture tracking) to enhance third-party risk visibility is a plus. 

Process Optimization & Automation (20%) 

• Identify and prioritize opportunities to scale Governance and Risk processes using automation and AI Agents. 

• Ensure successful implementation of tooling and workflow improvements (e.g., OneTrust, KnowBe4). 

• Drive reduction of manual effort across assessments, evidence review, and reporting. 

• Promote a culture of continuous improvement within the team. 

• Establish and monitor KPIs/KRIs to track team performance and program effectiveness. 

• Identify gaps and ensure implementation of scalable, sustainable improvements. 

Team Leadership (20%) 

• Manage and lead a team of four that is responsible for Security Policy, Security Awareness, Business Continuity, Vendor Risk Management, and the Information Security Risk Register.  

• Ensure you:  

• Set vision and priorities for the team, track and manage progress to goals, and provide coaching and support to ensure team members meet and exceed goals, remain engaged, and contribute meaningfully to our mission and impact. 

Negotiate Security Reviews (10%) 

• Review Data Security language in critical procurement contracts. 

• Review security requirements in RFPs. 

• Develop risk language for state contracts. 

About You  

• 8-10+ years of progressive experience leading Governance and Risk functions.  

• CRISC certification required.  All other security certifications (e.g., CISM, CISSP) optional and preferred. Bachelor’s degree required.  Preference will be given to advanced degrees. 

• Proven ability to support and deep practical knowledge of Security Policy, Security Awareness, Business Continuity, Vendor Risk Management, and Information Security Issue Management.   

• Comfortable with change, a strong people leader and operator who can build structure, drive accountability, and increase program capacity through disciplined execution, process improvement, and the use of automation and AI. 

• Ability to work effectively across technical and non-technical teams, including Legal, Procurement, Information Security, Privacy, engineering, operations, and business stakeholders, building trust and alignment while driving agreement on risk decisions, ownership, and remediation.  

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex security risks, audit findings, and control gaps to both technical audiences and senior leadership in a clear, concise manner.  

• Strong planning, prioritization, and execution skills, capable of managing multiple concurrent audit timelines, remediation efforts, and control dependencies in fast-paced, evolving environments.  

•  Ability to communicate the value of governance and risk work in clear business terms, helping stakeholders understand how strong risk practices reduce organizational exposure, support resilience, protect trust, and advance College Board’s mission. 

• A strategic and inclusive leadership style: you set clear priorities, build effective team structures, plan for future needs, and foster a culture of belonging. 

• A proven ability to drive performance and growth: you set high expectations, deliver real-time, evidence-based feedback, and coach team members to take smart risks, stretch their skills, and achieve meaningful impact. 

All roles at College Board require: 

• A passion for expanding educational and career opportunities and mission-driven work grounded in our Operating Principles and Manager Expectations. 

• Curiosity and enthusiasm for emerging technologies, with a willingness to experiment with and adopt new AI-driven solutions and comfort with learning and applying new digital tools independently and proactively.  

• Clear and concise communication skills, written and verbal 

• A learner's mindset and a commitment to growth: welcoming diverse perspectives, giving and receiving timely, respectful feedback, and continuously improving through iterative learning and user input. 

• A drive for impact and excellence: solving complex problems, making data-informed decisions, prioritizing what matters most, and continuously improving through learning, user input, and external benchmarking. 

• A collaborative and empathetic approach: working across differences, fostering trust, and contributing to a culture of shared success 

• The ability to travel 3-4 times a year to College Board offices or on behalf of College Board business. 

• Authorization to work in the United States 

About Our Process   

• Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. This role is expected to accept applications for a minimum of 5 business days. 

• While the hiring process may vary, it generally includes: resume and application submission, recruiter phone/video screen, hiring manager interview, performance exercise, a panel interview, a conversation with leadership and reference checks.    

What We Offer 

At College Board, we offer more than a paycheck- we provide a meaningful career, a supportive team, and a comprehensive package designed to help you thrive. We’re a self-sustaining nonprofit that believes in fair and competitive compensation grounded in your qualifications, experience, impact, and the market. 

A Thoughtful Approach to Compensation 

• The hiring range for this role is $ 120,000 – 175,000 

• Your exact salary will depend on your location, experience, and how your background compares to others in similar roles at the College Board. 

• We aim to make our best offer upfront, rooted in fairness, transparency, and market data. 

• We adjust salaries by location to ensure fairness, no matter where you live. 

You’ll have open, transparent conversations about compensation, benefits, and what it’s like to work at College Board throughout your hiring process. Check out our careers page for more. 

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