Cyber Lead Auditor / Test Lead

<p>Ardent is seeking a Cyber Lead Auditor / Test Lead to join our team. </p> <p>This is a remote position with frequent travel expected to Tallahassee, FL - candidates from Florida and nearby states are preferred.</p> <p><strong><u>Position Description:</u></strong></p> <p>Ardent is seeking a Cyber Lead Auditor / Test Lead to provide independent technical and assurance leadership for a cybersecurity assurance program for the state of Florida. This role converts OCIG objectives into audit-defensible testing strategies and step-by-step procedures, supervises evidence collection and analysis, and verifies that factual findings are sufficiently supported and traceable to applicable criteria across a potentially broad multi-agency environment.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Responsibilities and Duties:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>Lead ingestion and analysis of agency documentation, including risk assessments, remediation plans, prior findings, corrective actions, inventories, and strategic plans.</li> <li>Direct development of the Agency Risk Understanding Memorandum, including environmental summaries, agency-specific risks, assumptions, documentation gaps, and impacts on testing priorities.</li> <li>Design the Ground-Truth and Ad Hoc Testing Strategies and approve detailed procedures defining objectives, systems, controls, access points, tools, sampling, scripts, evidence, thresholds, stop conditions, and escalation paths.</li> <li>Map procedures and results to NIST CSF DE.AE, DE.DP, PR.AC; Rule 60GG-2, F.A.C.; and the applicable approved criteria.</li> <li>Ensure testing remains within written OCIG authorization, avoids duplication of operational testing, and complies with agency-specific Rules of Engagement.</li> <li>Review evidence for relevance, reliability, sufficiency, attribution, timestamps, chain of custody, and reproducibility.</li> <li>Validate that reports accurately state procedures performed and factual results without an audit opinion; ensure advisory recommendations are distinctly labeled.</li> <li>Conduct independent QA reviews of technical deliverables not authored solely by the reviewer and document sign-off.</li> <li>Lead technical briefings, workshops, job aids, and knowledge transfer so OCIG and OIG staff can understand and reuse procedures.</li> <li>Support urgent analysis of logs, timelines, after-action reports, remediation evidence, and incident-specific control issues when directed.</li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Requirements:</strong></span></p> <ul> <li>Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, information assurance, audit, information systems, or related discipline.</li> <li><span data-teams="true">Proof of relevant professional certifications such as CISSP, CISA, PMP, CEH, or other relevant certifications.</span></li> <li>10 years of progressive cybersecurity experience, including security operations, incident response, vulnerability management, intrusion analysis, adversary simulation, technical assessment, or audit support.</li> <li>5 years supporting or conducting audits, compliance reviews, independent assessments, or assurance work in government or similarly regulated environments.</li> <li>Demonstrated ability to design defensible test procedures, evaluate control performance, distinguish fact from opinion, and communicate technical results to senior stakeholders.</li> <li>Working knowledge of professional auditing or assurance standards and evidence requirements.</li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Preferred Qualificati