Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) Project Manager

Responsibilities

The GRC Project Manager leads complex information security initiatives from planning through implementation and operational transition. They coordinate cross-functional teams and manage risks, dependencies, and project documentation to ensure alignment with business objectives.

Requirements

Candidates must have a bachelor's degree and at least five years of project management experience, specifically in delivering information security or cybersecurity projects. Strong communication skills and the ability to translate technical requirements for business stakeholders in a regulated environment are essential.

Skills

• Project management
• Information security
• Risk management
• Compliance
• Governance
• Cross-functional leadership
• Stakeholder management
• Cybersecurity
• Clinical research
• Vendor management
• Change management
• Regulatory compliance
• Technical communication
• Portfolio management
• Data protection

About this role

Join a global Contract Resource Organization (CRO) where innovation meets purpose. At Worldwide Clinical Trials, we're driven by a shared commitment to improving lives through high-quality clinical research. Our teams are empowered to think creatively, take ownership, and deliver meaningful work that helps bring life-changing therapies to patients around the world.

With more than 4,000 professionals across the globe, we foster a collaborative and inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued, growth is encouraged, and every contribution makes an impact. Whether you're building your career or bringing years of experience, you'll have the opportunity to learn, grow, and help shape the future of clinical research.

SUMMARY: The Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) Project Manager is a key member of the Governance, Risk and Compliance team, reporting to the Sr. Director of Governance, Risk and Compliance function. This role is responsible for working with the Office of the CISO (OCSIO) team and for leading complex information security initiatives from planning through implementation and operational transition. The role combines disciplined project management with practical security and technology knowledge to deliver outcomes that reduce risk, strengthen security capabilities, and support Worldwide Clinical Trials’ business objectives. Working with limited oversight, the Project Manager will establish project structure, coordinate cross-functional teams, manage dependencies and risks, and provide clear reporting to technical teams, business leaders, and executives. Success requires prior experience delivering information security projects, the ability to translate between technical terminology and clinical research organization business requirements, and a highly collaborative approach that builds accountability without relying on direct authority.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Tasks may include but are not limited to:
Project leadership: Independently lead information security projects from initiation through closure, including defining objectives, scope, deliverables, milestones, resource needs, success measures, and acceptance criteria.
Security delivery planning: Convert security strategies, risk treatment plans, audit findings, regulatory commitments, and operational needs into executable project plans with clear ownership, dependencies, and timelines.
Hands-on project management: Maintain schedules, action logs, decision records, risk and issue registers, budgets, status reports, and project documentation. Facilitate working sessions, remove obstacles, and follow through on commitments rather than serving only as a meeting coordinator.
Cross-functional coordination: Bring together Information Security, Information Technology, Privacy, Legal, Quality, Vendor Management, Procurement, Clinical Operations, and other business functions to achieve agreed outcomes in a matrixed environment.
Technical engagement: Work effectively with security architects, engineers, analysts, and technology owners; understand technical designs, implementation constraints, control requirements, and operational impacts sufficiently to challenge assumptions and keep delivery on track.
Risk, issue, and dependency management: Identify risks to delivery and security outcomes early, assess their impact, establish mitigation and contingency actions, and escalate material decisions with clear options and recommendations.
Governance and assurance: Ensure projects follow applicable Office of the CISO governance, security, privacy, quality, change-management, and documentation requirements. Coordinate required reviews, approvals, evidence, and readiness activities before implementation.
Executive communication: Provide concise, accurate updates on progress, decisions, risks, financials, and expected outcomes. Tailor messages and presentations for executives, technical teams, project sponsors, and business stakeholders.
Business translation: Explain security and technology matters in practical business terms and connect project decisions to patient, sponsor, regulatory, operational, and client considerations within a clinical research organization.
Vendor delivery: Coordinate third parties supporting security initiatives, including deliverables, dependencies, performance, security obligations, and issue resolution, in partnership with accountable business and commercial owners.
Change and adoption: Plan stakeholder engagement, communications, training, implementation readiness, and transition to operations so that delivered capabilities are adopted, supported, and sustainable.
Portfolio visibility: Maintain reliable project data and contribute to Office of the CISO portfolio dashboards, capacity planning, prioritization, and leadership reporting.
Continuous improvement: Apply lessons learned, improve delivery practices and templates, and help establish consistent project management standards across the information security portfolio.

Perform other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed above are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

· Independent delivery: Establishes structure, makes sound day-to-day decisions, and advances complex work with limited direction while escalating matters that require sponsor or leadership action.
· Security fluency: Understands information security principles, common technologies, controls, threats, and delivery considerations well enough to manage technical work and engage credibly with specialists.
· Collaboration and influence: Builds trust across functions, creates shared accountability, and resolves disagreements constructively in environments where team members may not report directly to the role.
· Communication: Communicates with precision in writing and conversation, listens actively, asks effective questions, and adjusts the level of detail to suit technical, business, an...

About Worldwide Clinical Trials

Research Services · 1,001-5,000 employees · headquartered in Research Triangle Park, NC