Technology/Cyber RCSA Lead, Sr Associate

Santander Bank•Miami, FL

17d

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Associate to join our Technology & Risk Management team (Second Line of defense) with a focus on Risk and Control Self-Assessment (RCSA) validation. This role will be responsible for coordinating and executing in-depth validations of technology and cybersecurity risk/control assessments, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and compliance with internal and regulatory standards. The Senior Associate will act as a central coordinator for validation activities, working closely with technology and cyber stakeholders, and control testers, while applying strong analytical and project management (PMO) skills.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Risk Management, or related field.
Overall professional experience of 5-10 years or more in in Technology Risk Management, Cybersecurity Risk, IT Audit, or Operational Risk within financial services.
Demonstrated hands-on experience in testing and validating technology and cyber controls within the RCSA framework.
Exposure to coordinating risk/control assessment activities and project management practices (PMO experience a plus).
Experience within a highly regulated environment such as the financial services industry
Experience performing process assurance activities
Strong knowledge of IT and cybersecurity risks, including IT general controls, identity and access management, network security, cloud, and application security.
Familiarity with industry frameworks and standards such as NIST, ISO 27001, COBIT, ITIL, CIS Controls.
Understanding of regulatory expectations related to technology and cyber risk (e.g., OCC, FFIEC, PRA, EBA, DORA).
Structured, detail-oriented, and analytical, with the ability to balance execution and coordination.
Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, capable of interfacing with both technical and non-technical teams.
Proactive and organized, able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Strong risk, process, and control validation and/or assessment skills.
Advanced knowledge of technical risk management best practices and how to implement them.
A team player who can coordinate and drive consensus among different teams and stakeholders having varying view points
Ability to convey a sense of urgency and drive issues/projects to closure.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree in related disciplines.
Professional certifications are strongly desirable: CISA, CRISC, CISSP, CISM, CCAK, or PMP.
Established work history or equivalent demonstrated through a combination of work experience, training, military service, or education.

Responsibilities

Technology & Cyber RCSA Validation : Execute and coordinate independent validation of technology and cybersecurity RCSAs, including IT general controls, infrastructure, application, and cyber-specific controls.
Review and challenge control design, test results, and effectiveness assessments
Provide guidance and oversight to the team performing validations, ensuring technical accuracy and adherence to methodology.
Stakeholder Coordination & Engagement: Partner with technology teams, cyber risk/control owners, and first-line functions to coordinate RCSA second line validation activities.
Ensure validation findings and control gaps are documented, communicated, and addressed in a timely manner.
Support engagement with senior technology and risk stakeholders to escalate material findings.
Structured Delivery & PMO Support: Apply structured project management skills to plan, monitor, and track validation activities.
Develop and maintain validation schedules, manage dependencies, and ensure deliverables are completed on time.
Contribute to playbooks, templates, and methodologies specific to technology and cyber RCSA Second line validation.
Governance & Reporting: Support the preparation of reporting, dashboards, and metrics on validation activities.
Ensure validation documentation is complete, accurate, and audit-ready.
Provide insights and updates to risk committees, governance forums, and management.