Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon Portland Community College

Information Security Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) Specialist

  • Title: Information Security Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) Specialist
  • Class: Classified
  • Exempt Status: Non-exempt
  • Grade: 26

Job Summary

Under the direction of management, the incumbent coordinates and performs PCC’s security assessment functions and control testing reporting and activities in accordance with PCC’s Internal Controls compliance, regulatory and departmental policy and procedures. The Information Security Assessment Specialist updates and maintains control matrices and spreadsheets and provides recommendations for management’s consideration. This position ensures compliance with PCC’s internal controls, regulatory and information security policies and procedures. The incumbent works with internal audit, external audit firms, and regulatory agencies to provide supportive documentation as applicable. The Information Security Assessment Specialist takes a lead role in ensuring the security of all protected information collected, used, maintained, or released by PCC.

Typical Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Implements security controls, risk assessment framework, and program that align to regulatory requirements, ensuring documented and sustainable compliance that aligns and advances College business objectives.
  2. Evaluates risks and develops security standards, procedures, and controls to manage risks. Improves PCC’s security positioning through process improvement, policy, automation, and the continuous evolution of capabilities.
  3. Implements processes, such as GRC (governance, risk and compliance), to automate and continuously monitor information security controls, exceptions, risks, testing. Develops reporting metrics, dashboards, and evidence artifacts.
  4. Defines and documents business process responsibilities and ownership of the controls in GRC tool. Schedules regular assessments and testing of effectiveness and efficiency of controls and creates GRC reports.
  5. Updates security controls and provides support to all stakeholders on security controls covering internal assessments, regulations, protecting Personally Identifying Information (PII) data, and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).
  6. Performs and investigates internal and external information security risk and exceptions assessments. Assess incidents, vulnerability management, scans, patching status, secure baselines, penetration test result, phishing, and social engineering tests and attacks.
  7. Documents and reports control failures and gaps to stakeholders. Provides remediation guidance and prepares management reports to track remediation activities.
  8. Assists other staff in the management and oversight of security program functions.
  9. Trains, guides, and acts as a resource on security assessment functions to other departments within the College.
  10. Remains current on best practices and technological advancements and acts as the College’s technical resource for security assessment and regulatory compliance.
  11. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

Work environment includes frequent disruptions and changes in priorities. Work is performed in an office environment or using standard information technology equipment combined with specialized information security products. Working conditions may require various shifts and/or weekends to provide incident response operations, business continuity plans, or disaster recovery operations. There is occasional travel between campuses or to off-site meetings. Position requires routine periods of standing and walking, lifting of equipment (30-50 pounds) and physical agility. Physical skills are required for keyboarding and operating complex network and computing equipment.

Minimum Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent. Associate’s Degree in Computer Information Systems or related discipline. Relevant experience may substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis. Four Years of applied work experience in cyber security programs, audits, assessments, risk, remediation, or cyber security compliance management.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:
  • Applicable information security management, governance, and compliance principles, practices, laws, rules and regulations;
  • Information technology systems and processes, network infrastructure, data architecture, data processes, and protocols;
  • Cyber and cloud security standard frameworks, architecture, design, operations, controls, technology, solutions, and service orchestration;
  • Information systems auditing, monitoring, controlling, and assessment process;
  • Incident response management;
  • Risk assessment and management methodology.
Skills in:
  • Developing and implementing enterprise governance, risk, and compliance strategy and solutions;
  • Researching and locating information related to internal and external organizations using online and other sources;
  • Security project management and planning;
  • Maintaining confidentiality;
  • Troubleshooting and operating a computer and various software packages;
  • Defining problems, collecting and analyzing data, establishing facts and drawing valid conclusions;
  • Using judgment and ingenuity in maintaining objectives and technical standards;
  • Working with diverse academic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds of community college students and staff.
Ability to:
  • Effectively communicate technical issues to diverse audiences, both in writing and verbally;
  • Apply a risk-based approach to planning, executing, and reporting on audit engagements and auditing process;
  • Evaluate and update and/or revise program materials;
  • Learn quickly and apply knowledge to new situations;
  • Handle sensitive and confidential matters, situations, and data;
  • Understand and follow broad and complex instructions;
  • Interact positively with staff, the Board, the public, and regulatory agencies in order to enhance effectiveness and to promote quality service;
  • Comprehend technical language and to confer, analyze and write in an objective, lucid manner;
  • Work independently and prioritize multiple tasks and adapt to needed changes;
  • Remain calm under high pressure/difficult situations.

New: 07/2020