Independent Contractor Senior Risk Manager Jobs in Washington, DC

Job Title: Risk Manager
Location: Washington, DC Metropolitan Area (Onsite)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Clearance: ActiveTS or Q level clearance is preferred
Who We Are
Management Solutions, LLC (MSLLC) is an award-winning management consulting firm delivering solutions for our partners' most complex challenges. Since 2002, we have supported federal and commercial clients through expertise in project and program strategy, delivery and implementation, engineering and technical advisory services, workforce solutions, and digital solutions.
We are distinguished by our reputation for managing mission-critical projects and helping organizations improve performance through innovative, people-centered solutions. MSLLC has been recognized as Small Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Department of Energy, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory and has been named one of the Top Employers in the Greater Knoxville area.
Why Join Our Team
At Management Solutions, we believe our people are the foundation of our success. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and caring culture where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to grow. We seek professionals who think critically, solve complex problems, and are dedicated to building and sustaining a high-performing, people-centered organization.
Job Summary
Management Solutions is seeking a Risk Manager to support delivery of mission-critical services within a federal IT and cybersecurity environment. This role is client-facing and supports program leadership in identifying, assessing, monitoring, and mitigating risks associated with large, complex federal initiatives involving cyber operations, IT modernization, and mission systems.
The Risk Manager provides subject matter expertise in enterprise risk management, program risk governance, and strategic planning to help the organization meet mission-critical objectives. This role includes establishing and maintaining risk management processes, facilitating risk-informed decision-making, and supporting program execution in a highly regulated federal environment. The position requires strong analytical skills, technical knowledge, leadership capability, and the ability to engage effectively with senior government stakeholders, including Intelligence Community organizations.
This position is required to be performed onsite within the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
Key Responsibilities:
Risk Management & Client Delivery

• Serve as the Risk Manager supporting delivery of consulting services within a federal IT and cybersecurity environment.

• Provide subject matter expertise in enterprise risk management, operational risk, cyber risk, and program risk management.

• Develop, maintain, and execute comprehensive risk management strategies aligned with program objectives and contractual requirements.

• Facilitate identification, assessment, prioritization, and mitigation of risks impacting mission-critical operations.

• Support government leadership in implementing risk-informed decision-making processes.

• Ensure risk management activities align with client strategic goals and federal mission requirements.

• Maintain consistent billable utilization aligned with organizational and contract expectations.

• Represent the organization professionally in all client engagements.

Risk Governance & Program Execution

• Establish and maintain risk management frameworks, methodologies, and governance processes.

• Lead risk identification and assessment activities across technical, operational, cybersecurity, financial, and organizational domains.

• Develop and maintain risk registers, risk dashboards, and mitigation plans.

• Facilitate recurring risk review boards, governance meetings, and stakeholder working groups.

• Coordinate with project and program leadership to ensure risks are appropriately managed throughout the program lifecycle.

• Monitor emerging threats, vulnerabilities, and operational impacts that could affect program execution.

• Support integration of risk management activities into project planning, scheduling, and execution processes.

• Ensure risk documentation is maintained and aligned with federal requirements and organizational standards.

Governance, Risk & Reporting

• Track and report risk status, mitigation effectiveness, and risk trends across the program.

• Develop executive-level risk briefings, dashboards, metrics, and reporting artifacts.

• Provide periodic risk assessments and strategic recommendations to senior government leadership.

• Conduct qualitative and quantitative risk analyses to support program decision-making.

• Maintain risk governance processes and associated documentation.

• Support audits, inspections, assessments, and compliance reviews related to risk management activities.

• Ensure traceability of risks, mitigation actions, decisions, and residual risk acceptance.

• Support initiatives related to cyber operations, IT infrastructure, cloud services, and mission systems.

• Coordinate with cybersecurity, engineering, and operational stakeholders to identify and mitigate technology-related risks.

• Ensure risks associated with cybersecurity, information assurance, and compliance requirements are appropriately assessed and managed.

• Support risk management activities related to federal cybersecurity frameworks and federal requirements.

• Evaluate impacts of emerging cyber threats and vulnerabilities on mission operations.

• Translate complex cyber and technical risks into actionable insights for non-technical stakeholders and executive leadership.

• Support risk assessments involving classified environments and sensitive mission systems.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Interface with senior government leadership, stakeholders, and clients to support risk-informed decision-making.

• Facilitate risk working groups, executive briefings, and governance meetings.

• Present risk assessments, mitigation strategies, and recommendations to leadership audiences.

• Coordinate across multiple organizations to ensure risk visibility and accountability.

• Support high-visibility communications and executive engagements involving program risk posture.

• Foster collaboration between technical, operational, and leadership stakeholders to address complex risk challenges.

Team Leadership & Oversight

• Lead and coordinate cross-functional teams supporting risk management activities.

• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior staff supporting risk, cybersecurity, and program management functions.

• Support staffing coordination and resource planning related to risk management efforts.

• Ensure timely execution of risk mitigation actions and assigned workstreams.

• Promote adoption of risk management best practices across the program.

• Support continuous improvement initiatives related to governance, risk management, and organizational effectiveness.

• This position may perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in risk management, program management, cybersecurity, enterprise governance, or related disciplines within federal environments.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university in a relevant field.

• A postgraduate degree in a related field may substitute for up to 6 years of required experience.

• Demonstrated expertise in enterprise risk management, governance, risk assessment methodologies, and federal program execution.

• Experience developing and managing risk management frameworks, risk registers, mitigation strategies, and executive reporting.

• Strong understanding of cybersecurity, IT operations, cloud technologies, and federal mission environments.

• Experience supporting federal agencies.

• Demonstrated ability to brief senior government leadership and facilitate executive-level decision-making.

• Proven ability to coordinate across multiple stakeholders in complex operational and technical environments.

• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.

• Ability to operate independently within a complex program structure.

• Hold a Q clearance or TS/SCI clearance.

• Ability to work onsite within the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP), Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Project Management Professional (PMP), or equivalent certification.

• Experience or familiarity with Intelligence Community directives, governance structures, and mission environments.

• Experience supporting federal cybersecurity programs, security operations, or enterprise IT modernization initiatives.

• Knowledge of federal governance and risk frameworks, including NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF), NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), FISMA, FedRAMP, and related standards.

• Experience conducting cyber risk assessments and supporting Authority to Operate (ATO) processes.

• Prior experience in a consulting or professional services environment.

• Possession of an active Top Secret/SCI clearance is strongly preferred.

Work Authorization: U.S. Citizenship required due to federal contract requirements.
Working Conditions: This position is primarily performed in an office environment or a home office setting. Employees will be required to use a computer and other office equipment for extended periods.
What We Offer:
Management Solutions offers a comprehensive benefits package including: Medical, Rx, Dental and Vision Insurance, company paid short-term disability and life insurance, 401k plan with up to a 5% match with immediate vesting, Flexible Spending Accounts, PTO, paid holidays, and more!
Management Solutions is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences.
Disclaimer:
This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position and is not a complete list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with it.
Management Solutions LLC is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. It is the policy of the Company to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.