Compliance Program Strategist

We are seeking an experienced Compliance Strategist, FedRAMP to lead, coordinate, and deliver our organization’s compliance authorization journey, starting with FedRAMP. This role will own the strategy end-to-end—driving planning, execution, and ongoing management of the program across internal teams, external vendors, and government stakeholders.

The successful candidate will be accountable for achieving initial FedRAMP authorization (targeted for 2026-2027) and ensuring the organization remains compliant through a sustainable, phased approach. This is a high-visibility role requiring strong program management expertise, deep knowledge of FedRAMP and similar frameworks, experience working with Public Sector & Federal Government teams, and the ability to operate across technical, compliance, and business domains.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Program Leadership & Ownership

• Serve as the primary owner of the organization’s compliance/certification program, accountable for strategy, execution, and ongoing maintenance.
• Act as a central liaison between executive leadership, security/compliance teams, product/engineering, operations, vendors, auditors, and government agencies.
• Partner with additional internal teams such as legal, finance, sales, and marketing.

Project Delivery & Execution

• Develop and manage a detailed roadmap from program initiation through FedRAMP authorization of the first module in 2026/7, then subsequent modules or future certifications.
• Lead cross-functional project execution, ensuring coordination between internal and external stakeholders.
• Implement a phased, milestone-driven approach ensuring program milestones are clearly defined, tracked, and delivered on time.
• Effectively communicate progress, roadblocks, and outcomes to senior leadership and stakeholders.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Apply deep knowledge of cybersecurity compliance frameworks, and public sector compliance requirements to guide program activities.
• Identify, assess, and manage risks throughout the program lifecycle, ensuring transparency and proactive mitigation.
• Ensure security and compliance activities align with organizational goals and regulatory expectations; partnering with CISO compliance organization.

Business & Financial Stewardship

• Partner with Finance and Business leaders to build business cases, forecast costs, and track program to budget spend.
• Provide scenario planning and financial oversight to ensure cost-effective delivery.
• Regularly report on program status, risks, and financial health to leadership.
• Future-proof cost-benefit analysis by designing playbook of pursuing and implementing strategic compliance certifications.

Continuous Improvement & Sustainment

• Establish processes for continuous monitoring, documentation, and renewal of authorization.
• Drive lessons learned and best practices into ongoing compliance efforts.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on public sector compliance strategy, supporting business development and customer-facing teams as needed.
• Evaluate current and future compliance needs of Fortra’s customers, products, and platform.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Proven experience leading FedRAMP (or similar certification) authorization efforts from initiation through authorization and/or continuous monitoring.
• Strong program management skills with a track record of delivering complex, cross-functional initiatives.
• Expertise in NIST frameworks, FedRAMP processes, and public sector compliance requirements. Knowledge of like frameworks such as SOC2, ISO, etc., a plus.
• Strong ability to operate at both strategic and tactical levels, driving execution while providing executive-level reporting and insights.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong business acumen with a pragmatic approach to decision making and data-gathering

Preferred

• Bachelor’s Degree or relevant certification equivalent.
• Experience working with government agencies, 3PAOs, and cloud service providers.
• Background in risk management, compliance operations, or security program management.
• Strong financial acumen and experience managing program budgets.

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