Senior Vendor Risk Analyst

Senior Vendor Risk Analyst

Location: Hybrid – Candidates must be based in one of the following areas Naperville, IL / Birmingham, AL / Atlanta, GA. You will work out of the client site closest to your location three days per week, with an expectation of four days per week later in 2026.

Compensation: $100,000 - $130,000 per year, depending on experience and qualifications. Employment Type: Full-Time Travel: Less than 15%, occasional travel for industry collaboration or professional development

What You Can Expect As The Senior Vendor Risk Analyst At Fortress

The Senior Vendor Risk Analyst plays a pivotal role within the Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) team, leading third-party vendor risk assessments and shaping how a major energy organization manages supply chain cyber risk. Working directly with vendor relationship owners and cross-functional stakeholders across Legal, Supply Chain, Cybersecurity, and Technology, this role drives continuous improvement of the Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) program and directly influences leadership-level business decisions. This position provides meaningful exposure to critical infrastructure protection under NERC CIP standards and offers a mission-driven opportunity to help secure systems that society depends on. This is an ideal role for an experienced risk professional seeking broad organizational influence, visibility, and impact. This role offers the opportunity to work closely with a major energy sector client in a highly integrated capacity. Based on performance, business needs, and client discretion, there may be future opportunities to transition into direct employment with the client organization.

Job Responsibilities

• In coordination with the customers vendor relationship owners, manage assessments of vendors' security controls to identify shortfalls.
• Communicate remediation options to the vendors
• Collaborate with TPRM team members and business partners to complete assessments and determine risk mitigation strategies
• Become an expert of the TPRM platform to identify and direct necessary customizations, enhancements, and record maintenance to a vendor-supported platform that enable relevant reporting and Program maturation
• Develop an appreciation and understanding of various business units while employing your knowledge of security fundamentals to effectively communicate customer risk resulting from assessment findings
• Proactively propose and implement changes to customer Program policy/practice to ensure a risk-informed approach to vendor/supply chain management
• Collaborate across Supply Chain, Legal, Cybersecurity, and the Technology Organizations to create a shared picture of supplier risk
• Support cross-functional teams to investigate, analyze, and make recommendations to leadership or process owners regarding technology solutions, security architecture, or security vulnerabilities
• When appropriate, collaborate across Cyber org to identify compensating controls for significant vendor-specific risks to the company and its customers
• Review vendor-proposed modifications to Master Service Agreements or Application Service Provider Agreements on behalf of customer to identify any unacceptable security risks associated with new language
• Understand, relate, and transform regulatory requirements into information security policy, standards, procedures, and guidelines
• Maintain current knowledge of information security concepts, technologies, and practices
• Apply deep cybersecurity expertise to assess vendors' security controls, identify cyber risk gaps, and translate technical findings into actionable business recommendations.

Required Qualifications

• United States citizenship is required
• 7-10 years experience in security risk assessment, risk management, compliance or auditing
• Strong knowledge of cybersecurity control frameworks (e.g., NIST SP 800-53, ISO/IEC 27001:2013), with direct cybersecurity experience conducting or overseeing security assessments, control design reviews, or cybersecurity audits
• Ability to communicate clearly, confidently, and knowledgeably to internal and external stakeholders regarding the Program and assessment results
• Demonstrated history of critical, independent, and creative thinking to enable continuous improvement or business success within the constraints of security imperatives
• Ability to holistically assess the risk of a third party engagement, considering control gaps, the nature of the vendor relationship, and the way a vendor's products/services are leveraged
• Must have demonstrated history of critical, independent, and creative thinking with high attention to detail; this will enable continuous improvement and ensure auditable record trail for all assessment data
• Prior experience overseeing one or more people in support of a technology solution or program
• Demonstrated ability to work with and in cross-functional teams
• One or more of the following certifications: TPCRA, C3PRMP, CTPRA CISSP, CASP, CISA, CISM, GIAC, PMP
• Must be able to pass NERC CIP and Insider Threat Program background screening due to access to sensitive critical infrastructure and information regarding security capabilities
• Occasional travel for industry collaboration/influence or professional development is expected
• This is a hybrid role but three days per week in the office (Naperville, IL, Birmingham, AL or Atlanta, GA) is expected initially but will grow to four days per week in office during 2026. In-office expectations may change over time depending on organizational policy and supervisor's requirements.
• Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a related field required

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a highly regulated industry
• Prior experience advocating security policies, practices, controls, and standards to business and IT teams
• Familiarity with basic requirements for architecting secure information systems
• Familiarity with NERC's Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards
• Experience with non-IT risk such as operational, financial, Compliance and Regulatory, Strategic Risk, Legal Risk, and ESG risk (Environmental, Social, and Governance)

Employee Benefits

• Remote and Hybrid working environment
• Competitive pay structure
• Medical, dental, vision plans with employees covered up to 90% with highly progressive options for dependents and families
• Company paid life, short- and long-term disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k) match
• Flexible Paid Time Off
• Parental Leave

Employment Perks

• We provide each employee with professional growth opportunities through succession planning, up-skilling, and certifications
• Tuition and certification reimbursement
• Employee Referral Programs
• Company Sponsored Events

Foretress is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employees and applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Fortress Information Security takes part in the E-Verify process for all new hires. For positions located in the US, the following conditions apply. If you are made a conditional offer of employment, you will have to undergo a drug test. ADA Disclaimer: In developing this job description care was taken to include all competencies needed to successfully perform in this position. However, for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) purposes, the essential functions of the job may or may not have been described for purposes of ADA reasonable accommodation. All reasonable accommodation requests will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.