Risk Analyst

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

The Risk Analyst will support the Public Safety department by identifying, assessing, and mitigating potential risks. This role is responsible for identifying and monitoring security threats, and analyzing trends that may impact campus safety, university operations, or reputation. The analyst will work closely with Public Relations, IT Security, Student Affairs, and other offices to support crisis response, threat assessment, and proactive risk management strategies.

Responsibilities

Monitoring & Threat Detection

• Conduct real-time monitoring using open-source intelligence and other sources to identify physical and cyber security threats and reputational risks.
• Identify and escalate urgent concerns.

Threat Assessment & Risk Analysis

• Evaluate the credibility and severity of threats impacting campus security.
• Work with other Public Safety officers, IT security, and emergency response teams to provide intelligence on potential threats.
• Prepare risk assessment reports and recommend mitigation strategies to Public Safety leadership.

Collaboration & Crisis Response

• Support Public Safety in emergency response efforts by providing real-time and relevant intelligence.
• Coordinate with IT Security to detect and prevent cyber threats targeting students, faculty, and university infrastructure.
• Work with Legal and Compliance teams in ensuring compliance with university policies and applicable laws and regulations.
• Provide threat and risk assessment information to aid in event security planning for large campus gatherings and major campus activities.

Reporting & Documentation

• Develop and maintain a dashboard to track key indicators.
• Prepare detailed reports on security trends, emerging threats, and response recommendations.
• Maintain records of incidents and responses for investigative and legal purposes.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Criminal Justice, Intelligence Studies, Cybersecurity, Risk Management, Communications, or a related field.
• 3 - 5 years related experience required.
• Experience in threat intelligence, risk analysis, or digital security.
• Strong analytical skills to assess the credibility of potential threats from a variety of sources.
• Familiarity with relevant analytics and threat detection tools (e.g., Brandwatch, Sprinklr, Talkwalker, Meltwater).
• Understanding of campus security principles, emergency management, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant field.
• Experience working in law enforcement, intelligence, or university campus safety.
• Knowledge of FERPA, Title IX, Clery Act, and other higher education regulations.
• Background in cybersecurity or threat intelligence analysis.

Other Requirements

• Availability to monitor and respond to urgent risks outside of standard working hours, including evenings, weekends and holidays as necessary.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.