Cisco

Risk Lead, IT Risk Management

Cisco • $155K — $204K *
Information Technology
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 12+ years in IT risk, GRC, audit, or technology risk program management
  • Experience establishing common risk frameworks and enterprise risk registers
  • Skilled in defining RACI, escalation paths, and risk acceptance processes
  • Knowledge in SOX, vulnerability management, disaster recovery, CMMC, or similar domains

Responsibilities

  • Own and define the ITRM standard and methodology for risk assessment
  • Lead the development of AI-enabled risk intelligence models
  • Establish assurance models for critical service outcomes and AI lifecycle safeguards
  • Operate a closed-loop risk management model with defined ownership and tracking
  • Provide technical leadership on AI and risk management best practices

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) plan with matching contributions
  • Paid parental leave, short and long-term disability coverage
  • Flexible vacation policies for exempt employees
  • Paid time off for personal wellness and volunteering opportunities
Full Job Description
The application window is expected to close on: 10/15/2026

  • The role is listed as remote and can be performed from anywhere in the US
  • NOTE: Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.


Your Impact

You will lead ITRM as an expert practitioner at the leading edge of AI-enabled risk management. You will define the standard and methodology, use AI and agentic tools to turn fragmented signals into risk intelligence, and build the assurance model that tests resilience, control effectiveness, and AI safeguards. You will guide where AI can safely detect, prioritize, act, test, and verify; challenge disaster-recovery capability with evidence rather than accepting plans at face value; and ensure the organization confirms that remediation held. This role combines deep risk expertise with hands-on proficiency in AI, agents, automation, telemetry, and the systems that make closed-loop remediation possible.
  • Own the ITRM standard and methodology: risk sensing, aggregation, prioritization, risk appetite, taxonomy, thresholds, and common methods.
  • Lead the AI-enabled risk intelligence model. Define how sub-agents use signals from across AI + IT to prioritize exposure by business impact and support real-time leadership insight.
  • Define the assurance model for critical service outcomes, failure tolerances, resilience, control effectiveness, and AI lifecycle safeguards. Challenge disaster-recovery capability through evidence-based tests of objectives, dependencies, and recovery procedures.
  • Operate the closed-loop model through named owners, action tracking, risk acceptance and escalation paths, and verification that risk reduction actually occurred. Feed incidents, test results, and lessons back into standards and design.
  • Provide technical thought leadership on AI-enabled risk management. Partner with the Software Engineer and leaders across AI + IT, STO, Finance, Security, Compliance, and Resiliency to set guardrails, evaluate agent behavior, enable automation and telemetry, and preserve domain ownership of risk decisions and remediation execution.


Minimum Qualifications
  • 12+ years of experience in IT risk, GRC, audit, control assurance, or technology risk program management.
  • Experience establishing a common risk framework, taxonomy or scoring method, enterprise risk register, and recurring executive review cadence.
  • Experience partnering with executive team members and domain owners to define RACI, escalation paths, risk acceptance, and decision rights.
  • Experience working across at least two of the following domains: SOX or control assurance, vulnerability management, lifecycle management, business continuity or disaster recovery, application resiliency, CMMC, or GRC or audit.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Information Systems, Risk Management, Computer Science, Business, or a related field.
  • Demonstrated experience applying AI, agentic workflows, automation, or sophisticated analytics to technology risk, security, resilience, control assurance, or operations, including guardrails and human-in-the-loop review.
  • Experience leading evidence-based resilience, control-effectiveness, or AI lifecycle testing as systems, models, data, and dependencies evolve.
  • Experience connecting fragmented risk or compliance programs into a common operating model while leaving domain risks and remediation execution with the teams that own them.
  • Experience building closed-loop risk management with named owners, action tracking, verified closure, and measures such as automation coverage, signal-to-action time, or repeat-risk reduction.
  • Fosters candid communication and balanced debate. Acknowledges all perspectives and drives consensus on decisions that improve business outcomes.


Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:

The starting salary range posted for this position is $155,900.00 to $204,600.00 and reflects the projected salary range for new hires in this position in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including incentive compensation*, equity, or benefits.

Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training. The full salary range for certain locations is listed below. For locations not listed below, the recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.

U.S. employees are offered benefits, subject to Cisco's plan eligibility rules, which include medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability coverage, and basic life insurance. Please see the Cisco careers site to discover more benefits and perks. Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time.

U.S. employees are eligible for paid time away as described below, subject to Cisco's policies:
  • 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees
  • 1 paid day off for employee's birthday, paid year-end holiday shutdown, and 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco
  • Non-exempt employees** receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees
  • Exempt employees participate in Cisco's flexible vacation time off program, which has no defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use (subject to availability and some business limitations)
  • 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, and up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward from one calendar year to the next
  • Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members
  • Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer


For non-sales roles, employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco's policies.

Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components, subject to the applicable Cisco plan. For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows:
  • .75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota;
  • 1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%;
  • 1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and
  • Once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation.


For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay 0% up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.

The applicable full salary ranges for this position, by specific state, are listed below:

New York City Metro Area:
$187,800.00 - $283,200.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:
$167,200.00 - $252,100.00

* For quota-based sales roles on Cisco's sales plan, the ranges provided in this posting include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined.

** Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non-exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements.

About Cisco

Cisco Careers

Join the vibrant team at Cisco, a global leader in networking and cybersecurity solutions, where innovation and leadership thrive. Cisco offers a plethora of job opportunities that cater to a range of skills and experiences, making it an ideal place for both seasoned professionals and those seeking an internship to jumpstart their career. Work You’ll Do At Cisco, you’ll be part of a culture that values diversity, leadership, and professional growth. Engage in work that matters with a team that combines technology, creativity, and the power of human connection to redefine networking. Cisco’s commitment to innovation isn’t just about technology, but also about transforming the way we work and collaborate. Cisco’s employment philosophy supports career advancement and nurtures a leadership pipeline that is equipped with diversity training and opportunities for growth. Whether you’re applying your skills to drive our latest innovations or using our vast networking capabilities to solve complex problems, at Cisco, every role is impactful. Join Our Dynamic Team Explore job opportunities in areas ranging from engineering to marketing, sales to cybersecurity. Cisco is hiring individuals who are passionate, curious, and ready to drive change. Positions at Cisco offer competitive benefits, a supportive culture, and the chance to work with cutting-edge technology. Internship Programs Kickstart your career with a Cisco internship. Gain invaluable industry experience, enhance your resume, and build professional networks that last a lifetime. Our internships provide hands-on experience and the chance to work on projects that matter. Leadership and Development Cisco is committed to fostering leadership skills and providing employees with the training needed to succeed. Our leadership programs help you develop new skills, manage teams effectively, and lead with confidence. Cisco’s commitment to professional development ensures that your career path is as dynamic as our technologies. Benefits and Culture Cisco understands the importance of a balanced life. Our benefits package is designed to ensure that our team members are healthy, happy, and secure. At Cisco, you’ll find a supportive culture that encourages open communication, teamwork, and mutual respect. Stay Connected Join Cisco’s Talent Network Stay informed about new positions that match your skills and interests. At Cisco, we value the curiosity and unique perspectives of our team members. Subscribe to receive personalized job alerts and insider tips directly from our hiring managers. Explore Cisco Jobs Ready to advance your career at Cisco? Search open positions, prepare your resume, and get ready for an interview that could lead to your next big opportunity. At Cisco, we’re not just filling positions—we’re investing in leaders. Keep Up to Date Stay ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. READ CAREERS BLOG Job Alert Emails Customize your subscription to receive job alerts, the latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Discover the exciting and rewarding career opportunities that await you at Cisco.
Learn more about Cisco
Size
79,500 employees
Market Cap
$194.5 billion
Industry
Net Income
$10.1 billion
Founded
2014
5 Year Trend
+1.4%
Revenue
$48 billion
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