Assistant General Counsel - Cybersecurity

Citizens Financial Group•Johnston, RI

7d•$176,000 - $227,000

About The Position

Citizens is seeking an experienced, solutions-oriented Cybersecurity Attorney to join its Legal Cyber and Privacy team. The Assistant General Counsel will serve as a key legal advisor on cybersecurity, data security, incident response, technology risk, and related regulatory matters. The role partners with colleagues across Cyber Defense, Technology, Information Security, Risk, Compliance, Privacy, Communications, and the business to provide practical, business-focused legal advice, identify and mitigate legal and regulatory risk, and support Citizens’ cybersecurity and operational resilience objectives. The ideal candidate brings significant cybersecurity and technology legal experience, strong judgment and technical fluency, and the ability to provide clear, actionable counsel to senior leaders during complex, time-sensitive matters. The position provides strategic legal counsel on cybersecurity and data-security incidents, regulatory matters, technology risk, third-party services, software, and commercial agreements. It supports enterprise crisis management, incident-response readiness, cybersecurity testing, and the Bank’s Red Team and Open Source Office. The role also monitors evolving laws, regulations, guidance, and supervisory expectations and advises stakeholders on their implications for Citizens’ operations, technology environment, and risk-management practices. This is a full-time role with a 40-hour work week. The salary range is $176,000–$227,000 per year, plus an opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. Actual pay depends on factors including budget, work location, and relevant skills and experience.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
Active license to practice law and membership in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
At least six years of relevant legal experience, including significant experience in cybersecurity, data security, privacy, technology law, cyber incident response, or a related area.
Experience advising on cyber incident response, including legal and regulatory materiality assessments, notification and disclosure obligations, regulatory engagement, and supervisory expectations.
Strong knowledge of cybersecurity laws, regulations, regulatory guidance, and recognized cybersecurity and data-protection frameworks.
Experience drafting and maintaining cybersecurity policies, incident-response procedures, standards, governance documents, or playbooks.
Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills, particularly involving technology services, cybersecurity, data protection, software, cloud services, and third-party risk.
Demonstrated ability to assess complex legal and regulatory risks and provide practical, business-focused advice.
Excellent written, verbal, and analytical skills, with the ability to communicate complex legal and technical matters clearly to senior and executive leadership.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and operate effectively in a fast-paced environment, including during significant cybersecurity incidents and other time-sensitive matters.

Nice To Haves

Experience advising a financial institution or other highly regulated organization on cybersecurity, technology, data-security, or incident-response matters.
Familiarity with cybersecurity technologies and control environments, including logging and monitoring, endpoint security, identity and access management, cloud environments, vulnerability management, threat detection, and security-testing platforms.
Experience supporting cybersecurity regulatory examinations, supervisory inquiries, internal investigations, or remediation programs.
Experience supporting crisis-management activities and internal and external communications relating to cybersecurity or data-security events.
Experience advising on open-source software licensing, governance, development, and distribution.
Experience working with cybersecurity testing teams, Red Teams, penetration testers, or similar technical functions.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic legal counsel on cybersecurity, data security, incident response, technology risk, and related regulatory matters.
Serve as a primary legal advisor during cyber and data-security incidents, partnering with Cyber Defense, Technology, Information Security, Communications, Compliance, Risk, Privacy, and senior leadership.
Advise on incident escalation, legal and regulatory materiality assessments, regulatory notifications, disclosure obligations, regulatory engagement, and related internal and external communications.
Monitor and interpret evolving cybersecurity laws, regulations, regulatory guidance, and supervisory expectations, and advise stakeholders on their impact on Citizens’ operations, technology environment, and risk-management practices.
Support enterprise crisis-management activities, including escalation, response coordination, internal governance, regulatory engagement, and communications during significant events.
Draft, review, and maintain cybersecurity and incident-response policies, standards, procedures, governance documents, and playbooks.
Provide legal guidance for cyber tabletop exercises, readiness assessments, and cross-functional simulations intended to strengthen incident-response capabilities and operational resilience.
Serve as legal advisor to the Bank’s Red Team, providing practical, risk-based guidance regarding penetration testing, adversarial simulations, threat-emulation activities, and other cybersecurity testing.
Advise on cybersecurity and data-security requirements applicable to third-party service providers and technology integrations, including contractual protections, due diligence, incident-notification requirements, vendor oversight, and regulatory expectations.
Serve as legal advisor to the Bank’s Open Source Office, providing guidance on the use, development, modification, licensing, and distribution of open-source software, including software used or provided by third-party vendors.
Draft, review, and negotiate technology, cybersecurity, data-security, cloud, software, and related commercial agreements.
Partner with business and control functions to identify legal risks and develop practical, business-aligned solutions that support Citizens’ strategic and operational objectives.

Benefits

Competitive pay
Comprehensive medical coverage
Dental coverage
Vision coverage
Retirement benefits
Maternity leave
Paternity leave
Flexible work arrangements
Education reimbursement
Wellness programs
Paid time off exceeding mandatory paid sick or paid time-away policies in every U.S. local and state jurisdiction
Opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus