Information Systems Security Manager in McLean, Virginia at Merlin International Inc
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Job Description
About Merlin Group
Merlin Group operates at the intersection of cyber innovation, national security, and technology-driven transformation. With a mission to accelerate the adoption of high-impact technologies across the U.S. public sector and regulated commercial markets, Merlin is uniquely structured around three core tenets – Invest, Enable, and Scale – each designed to address a specific stage of the technology lifecycle. Together, our affiliates – Merlin Ventures, CGC, and Merlin Cyber – form a flywheel that builds enduring capability for customers, partners, and the broader cyber ecosystem, operationalizing technological advancement into mission-ready, enterprise-grade solutions.
At Merlin, we believe our strength lies in our people. Team members are encouraged to be creative, collaborative, and nimble, pursuing paths to deliver the cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions that our customers rely on. From next-generation cyber defense to secure cloud and AI, we are united by one purpose – transforming innovation into mission impact.
The Opportunity
We are looking for an Information System Security Manager (ISSM) to own the day-to-day security compliance and continuous monitoring activity that keeps our FedRAMP authorization current. You will coordinate access authorization, vulnerability scanning, POA&M management, change control, and the recurring compliance calendar, while tracking changes to the FedRAMP program itself. The role is as much about people as process: you will explain security and compliance requirements to customers, including ones who are frustrated or under pressure, and raise risks to leadership early, clearly, and in writing.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities
- Coordinate access authorization for the environment, keeping requests, approvals, and quarterly access reviews tracked and current
- Maintain the Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) with current status, owners, and due dates, and coordinate remediation plans with the teams closing findings
- Perform vulnerability scanning, analyze results, and produce reporting for stakeholders and leadership
- Manage the Change Control Board (CCB) as concierge for change requests, and populate Security Impact Assessments (SIAs) for proposed changes
- Coordinate significant change requests through the required review and approval process
- Track the recurring compliance calendar, including the Incident Response and Contingency Plan (IRCP), contingency plan testing, quarterly access reviews, and Rules of Behavior (ROB) management
- Coordinate Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) submissions with the teams that own them and keep reviews on schedule
- Manage the Learning Management System (LMS) for security awareness training, tracking completion and following up on gaps
- Monitor changes to the FedRAMP program, including Rev 5, 20x, CR26, and other RFCs, and assess their impact on the environment
- Explain security and compliance requirements clearly to customers and stakeholders, including in difficult or high-pressure conversations
- Report risks to leadership early, before they become critical, with enough detail to support a decision
- Apply project management discipline throughout: sequencing work, tracking status, and keeping owners and deadlines visible
Qualifications
- 5+ years as an ISSM working directly with Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) in FedRAMP authorized environments
- Direct, hands-on experience with FedRAMP Rev 5, 20x, and CR26 requirements, and the ability to translate controls into actionable items for engineering and SOC teams
- Hands-on knowledge of vulnerability management, POA&M processes, and change control in a regulated environment
- Strong organizational discipline across a large recurring compliance calendar, with deadlines held rather than dropped
- Sound judgment on when to raise risks, escalating early instead of after issues become critical
- Ability to work across technical, customer, and leadership audiences, including calm, plain-language communication with frustrated customers
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience taking CSPs through the FedRAMP Authorization to Operate (ATO) process
- Project management experience or certification (PMP, CSM, or equivalent) CISSP certification
Success Attributes
- Commitment to personal and professional integrity and respect for others.
- Roll-up-your-sleeves attitude and low-ego approach.
- Commitment to teamwork and professional relationship development.
- Passion for lifelong learning, growth, and development.
- Flexible and nimble; comfortable with ambiguity and rapid change.
- Strong communication and functional project management skills.
- Desire to innovate, try new things, and creatively explore novel solutions to business challenges.
- Professional and respectful approach to the diversity of thought, action, identity, and attributes.
Benefits & Perks
We want to empower and inspire employees to be and do their best. Our workdays are dynamic, collegial, and fun. Our office features multiple places to work unconstrained by typical office barriers. Our wellness package provides access to an on-site gym and includes medical, dental, and vision insurance along with options for FSA and EAP. We offer 401(k) with employer match, unlimited PTO, and a culture respectful of the reality that not everything in one’s personal life is guaranteed to happen only after hours.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local, or international law.