Lead, Security GRC (Governance)

About the Company

Gemini is a global crypto and Web3 platform founded by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss in 2014, offering a wide range of simple, reliable, and secure crypto products and services to individuals and institutions in over 70 countries. Our mission is to unlock the next era of financial, creative, and personal freedom by providing trusted access to the decentralized future. We envision a world where crypto reshapes the global financial system, internet, and money to create greater choice, independence, and opportunity for all — bridging traditional finance with the emerging cryptoeconomy in a way that is more open, fair, and secure. As a publicly traded company, Gemini is poised to accelerate this vision with greater scale, reach, and impact.

The Department: Security Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC)

The Role: Lead, Security GRC (Governance)

Gemini is seeking a Security GRC Lead to own and drive the organization’s security governance programs. This leadership role requires strong program management skills, executive-level communication, and the ability to influence across the enterprise. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in establishing governance frameworks, developing security policies and processes, and ensuring accountability through effective oversight.

The GRC Lead will partner with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to implement and maintain best-in-class governance practices that align with industry frameworks and evolving regulatory expectations. This role demands deep expertise in security governance, including policy creation, governance enforcement, and stakeholder engagement, to ensure the organization consistently adheres to its internal security standards.

This is a full-time leadership position, requiring strategic vision, operational execution, and the ability to mentor and embed governance discipline across the organization.

This role is required to be in person twice a week at either our San Francisco, CA or New York City, NY office.

Responsibilities:

• Governance Ownership
  • Lead the Security Governance function, setting vision, priorities, and operating model.
  • Establish and maintain security policies, standards, and procedures that align with organizational objectives and regulatory frameworks.
  • Oversee governance forums, steering committees, and working groups to ensure decisions and actions align with governance standards.
• Security Governance Oversight
  • Own the lifecycle of security policies and standards, ensuring they are current, practical, and enforceable across the enterprise.
  • Govern alignment of security controls to established policies and standards, maintaining consistency and accountability.
  • Provide oversight of control design, implementation, and reporting, while avoiding duplication of compliance team responsibilities.
  • Lead and execute the enterprise-wide entitlement review process, ensuring proper access governance and accountability.
  • Own and govern the third-party software assessment and approval process, ensuring consistent enforcement of security requirements.
  • Integrate data privacy and data protection frameworks (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) into governance processes, ensuring security and privacy are addressed holistically.
  • Drive process redesign and audit remediation efforts, ensuring governance gaps are closed, controls are strengthened, and improvements are sustainable.
  • Oversee governance aspects of SOX 404 IT General Controls (ITGC), including access management, change management, and audit readiness.
  • Operate effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, managing multiple priorities and stakeholders simultaneously while maintaining governance discipline.
• Cross-Functional Enablement
  • Partner with engineering, IT, and business units to ensure security governance is embedded into projects, processes, and technology modernization.
  • Serve as the governance authority in architecture and program reviews, ensuring accountability for security decisions.
  • Support third-party governance by overseeing the application of policies to vendor security and contractual obligations.
• Oversight and Reporting
  • Define governance metrics, reporting, and dashboards to measure the maturity and effectiveness of security governance.
  • Present governance outcomes, decisions, and escalations to executive leadership.
  • Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on governance priorities and risk-informed decision-making.
• Culture and Leadership
  • Champion a security governance culture that emphasizes accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.
  • Mentor stakeholders and team members on governance best practices.
  • Represent the governance function in regulatory, audit, and external forums as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, information security, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of experience in security governance or related roles in highly regulated industries.
• Demonstrated success in establishing governance frameworks, policies, and oversight mechanisms.
• Strong knowledge of security frameworks and standards (ISO 27001, NIST CSF, SOC 2, PCI DSS, NYDFS).
• Proven ability to influence senior leadership and drive accountability across departments.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
• At least one relevant certification: CISSP, CISM, or relevant cyber certification.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Big 4 or consulting experience in governance design or advisory.
• Experience with GRC platforms (e.g., AuditBoard).
• Familiarity with governance in cloud-native environments (AWS, GCP, Azure).
• Strong executive presence with ability to drive enterprise-wide alignment.

It Pays to Work Here

The compensation & benefits package for this role includes:

• Competitive starting salary
• A discretionary annual bonus
• Long-term incentive in the form of a new hire equity grant
• Comprehensive health plans
• 401K with company matching
• Paid Parental Leave
• Flexible time off

Salary Range: The base salary range for this role is between $129,500 - $185,000 in the State of New York, the State of California and the State of Washington. This range is not inclusive of our discretionary bonus or equity package. When determining a candidate’s compensation, we consider a number of factors including skillset, experience, job scope, and current market data.

In the United States, we offer a hybrid work approach at our hub offices, balancing the benefits of in-person collaboration with the flexibility of remote work. Expectations may vary by location and role, so candidates are encouraged to connect with their recruiter to learn more about the specific policy for the role. Employees who do not live near one of our hubs are part of our remote workforce.

At Gemini, we strive to build diverse teams that reflect the people we want to empower through our products, and we are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. Equal Opportunity is the Law, and Gemini is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. If you have a specific need that requires accommodation, please let a member of the People Team know.