GRC Roles and Responsibilities: Who Does What?

You’re building a GRC program—or maybe evolving one that’s already in motion.

The policies are there. The risks are mapped. The frameworks are familiar. But here’s the quiet friction that slows everything down:

Who does what?

Without clear roles and responsibilities, even the best strategy can stall. Teams hesitate. Controls get missed. Audit prep becomes a scramble. Not because people don’t care—but because no one’s quite sure where their role begins and ends.

This guide is here to change that.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the core GRC roles that make a program work—from governance leaders to risk analysts to control owners—and show you how to give each one clarity and purpose.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining a mature function, you’ll find practical tools to build ownership, momentum, and trust.

Let’s bring clarity to your GRC program—together.

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TL;DR: What are the core roles and responsibilities in a GRC program?

The core roles in a GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) program include the Governance Lead, who sets the strategy; the Risk Manager, who identifies and mitigates risks; the Compliance Officer, who ensures legal adherence; the Control Owners, who manage specific controls; the Audit Manager, who tracks audits; the Legal Counsel, who interprets regulations; and IT/Security Teams, who maintain technical controls.

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Why GRC Roles Matter More Than You Think

Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) is often seen as a function. But in reality? It’s a shared commitment.

"If you’re new to GRC and want to understand its fundamentals, check out our Beginners Guide to GRC."

When roles are fuzzy, even the best frameworks falter:

• Controls get skipped.
• Risks go unreviewed.
• Everyone assumes someone else is on it.

But with clearly defined responsibilities:

• Decisions move faster.
• Audit prep becomes smoother.
• And teams work with purpose, not guesswork.

That’s the kind of clarity we’re building here.

In fact, 70% of corporate risk and compliance professionals have noticed a shift from check-the-box compliance to a more strategic approach in recent years.

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The 7 Core GRC Roles (and What They Own)

GRC teams look different depending on company size, maturity, and structure.

But the core roles tend to show up in every successful program.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining a mature function, you’ll find here are the 7 Core GRC roles—and what they’re responsible for.

"Need a roadmap for building your own GRC program? Check out our step-by-step guide."

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1. Governance Lead (CRO, CCO, or Head of GRC)

The Governance Lead sets the strategic direction for the GRC program, ensuring alignment with business objectives and executive support.

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What is the role of a Governance Lead in a GRC program?

• Define and oversee the GRC strategy
• Ensure executive alignment and sponsorship
• Develop and enforce governance policies

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How Does a Governance Lead Impact Your GRC Program?

When the Governance Lead is clear in their direction:

• The entire GRC program aligns with business goals.
• GRC efforts are supported at the highest levels, ensuring the program gets the attention and resources it needs.

Without it...

• The GRC program may lack focus and struggle to gain traction.

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What Skills and Qualities Does A Governance Lead Have?

• Strong strategic thinking
• Excellent communication and influence skills
• Ability to build executive buy-in

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Real-World Example

"When I worked with a rapidly growing financial firm, the Governance Lead played a pivotal role in shaping the GRC strategy. Without their clear vision, risk, compliance, and security stayed siloed and didn’t align with the company's long-term goals.”

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2. Risk Manager or Risk Analyst

The Risk Manager identifies, assesses, and monitors risks, ensuring mitigation strategies are in place to protect the organization from potential disruptions.

"For more in-depth information on risk management and how to get it right, read my complete guide to risk management."

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What is the role of a Risk Manager/Analyst in a GRC program?

• Identify, assess, and prioritize risks
• Develop and maintain the risk register
• Communicate risk levels to leadership and make recommendations for mitigation

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How Does A Risk Manager/Analyst Impact Your Program

When the Risk Manager is proactive:

• Risks are identified and mitigated before they disrupt business operations.
• Leadership is always informed about current risks and their potential impact.

Without it...

• The business may face avoidable disruptions or compliance failures.

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Skills and Qualities

• Analytical mindset
• Strong communication skills for reporting
• Ability to work cross-functionally with different teams

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Real-World Example

"I helped a healthcare provider identify and mitigate their top five cyber risks. By bringing attention to a specific risk early, we saved them from a potential data breach.”

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3. Compliance Officer

The Compliance Officer ensures the organization adheres to all relevant laws, regulations, and internal policies, helping minimize legal risks and maintain trust.

"For more in-depth information on compliance management and how to get it right, read my complete guide on compliance."

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What is the role of a Compliance Officer In A GRC Program?

• Monitor changes to relevant regulations and laws
• Develop compliance programs and conduct training
• Conduct gap assessments and track compliance status

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How Does A Compliance Officer Impact Your Program

When the Compliance Officer is effective:

• The organization avoids legal penalties and maintains customer trust.
• Employees are educated on compliance matters, reducing the chance of accidental violations.

Without it...

• The organization risks penalties, reputational damage, and legal action.

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Skills and Qualities

• Deep knowledge of regulations and industry standards
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to engage and educate employees

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Real-World Example

"I worked with a mid-sized tech firm that had a weak compliance program. The Compliance Officer helped streamline the process, focusing on practical, role-specific compliance tasks. It resulted in fewer audit findings and a more engaged workforce.”

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4. Control Owners (Business Unit Representatives)

Control Owners are responsible for executing and maintaining specific compliance or security controls within their department, ensuring consistent application across the organization.

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What is the role of a Control Owner in a GRC program?

• Implement and document assigned controls
• Provide evidence during audits
• Report risks or issues to the GRC team

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How Does A Control Owner Impact Your Program

When control ownership is clear:

• Controls are effectively maintained, ensuring compliance and security across the organization.
• Risk is managed at the department level, reducing gaps in coverage.

Without it...

• Controls may be missed or inconsistently applied, leaving the organization vulnerable to non-compliance or security breaches.

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Skills and Qualities

• Organizational skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to collaborate across functions

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Real-World Example

"In a large company, department leads didn’t fully grasp their control ownership responsibilities. Once we clarified their roles, audit prep became much smoother, and internal collaboration improved.”

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5. Audit Manager or Internal Auditor

The Audit Manager plans, executes, and tracks audits, ensuring the organization’s controls are effective and compliance is continuously maintained.

"If you’re looking for a deep dive into audit management, check out my complete guide to audit management."

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What is the role of a Audit Manager / Auditor in a GRC program?

• Develop and execute audit plans
• Conduct internal reviews and risk assessments
• Report findings and ensure remediation efforts are tracked

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How Does An Audit Manager / Auditor Impact Your Program

With an effective audit function:

• The organization remains continuously audit-ready and is able to spot and address compliance gaps early.
• Provides confidence to senior management and auditors.

Without it...

• The organization could face unexpected audit findings or compliance issues that could result in penalties or reputational damage.

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Skills and Qualities

• Analytical and investigative mindset
• Strong reporting and communication skills
• Independence and objectivity in evaluations

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Real-World Example

"I worked with a manufacturing client who had an inconsistent audit process. By strengthening their internal audit function, we identified critical vulnerabilities in their cybersecurity framework before they became a bigger issue.”

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6. Legal Counsel or Privacy Lead

The Legal Counsel interprets legal and regulatory requirements, guiding the organization through compliance challenges and minimizing legal risks.

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What is the role of Legal Counsel in a GRC program?

• Interpret and apply relevant laws and regulations
• Advise the GRC team on legal and compliance matters
• Review policies, contracts, and incidents

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How Does Legal Counsel Impact Your Program

When Legal Counsel is involved early:

• The organization remains legally compliant, reducing the risk of lawsuits, fines, and reputational harm.
• Policies and procedures align with legal requirements, protecting the business.

Without it...

• The organization could face legal challenges or fines due to non-compliance with changing laws.

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Skills and Qualities

• In-depth knowledge of laws and regulatory frameworks
• Strong advisory and negotiation skills
• Ability to anticipate legal risks and recommend preventative actions

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Real-World Example

"A fintech company didn’t involve their legal team early enough in a vendor contract review. It resulted in a compliance gap that they later had to fix under pressure.”

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7. IT and Security Teams

Build and maintain technical controls.

What is the role of IT and Security in a GRC program?

• Monitor infrastructure for risk and noncompliance: Ensure that the organization's IT systems are secure, and risks are identified early.
• Respond to security incidents: Take swift action when a security breach occurs, minimizing damage and ensuring that systems are restored as quickly as possible.
• Enforce identity and access controls: Control who has access to what data and systems, ensuring compliance with security protocols.

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How Does IT and Security Impact Your Program

When IT and Security Teams are proactive:

• Potential risks are mitigated early, preventing data breaches, compliance issues, and downtime.
• Strong security measures are in place, safeguarding sensitive information and preventing incidents that could harm the organization.

Without it...

• The organization is vulnerable to cyberattacks, data leaks, and compliance violations related to IT systems.
• Security gaps and noncompliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA could lead to significant reputational and financial damage.

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Skills and Qualities

• Technical expertise in cybersecurity: Strong knowledge of firewalls, encryption, vulnerability assessments, etc.
• Incident response capabilities: Ability to act swiftly in high-pressure situations.
• Knowledge of compliance regulations: Understanding of security regulations like GDPR, SOC 2, and ISO 27001.

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Real-World Example

"In a mid-sized financial firm, the IT team neglected to implement role-based access controls for sensitive data. After a breach exposed customer information, they swiftly worked with the GRC team to implement new protocols and reduce the residual risk."

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What This Looks Like in Real Life

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For Startups: One Hat, Many Jobs

In smaller teams, the CEO or founder often wears the GRC hat.

Control ownership lives with department leads, with each person juggling multiple roles.

When preparing for audits, even in smaller teams, it’s essential to know what to expect. Check out my guide to preparing for internal audits.

The focus in this stage is less about perfection and more on awareness and accountability.

Challenges:

• Limited resources and bandwidth to dedicate to GRC.
• Balancing GRC duties with daily operational tasks.

How to Address:

• Leverage free or low-cost GRC tools: Start with simple risk registers or compliance checklists.
• Establish a GRC culture early: Even in small teams, encourage everyone to be mindful of risk and compliance.

Example:

A SaaS startup I worked with had a founder-led GRC model, where the CEO defined high-level compliance requirements and risk boundaries.

They didn’t have a dedicated compliance officer, but each department lead took on responsibility for their own controls.

The challenge was a lack of documentation, which often led to missed or delayed tasks.

After creating a shared Google Drive with templates and tracking, they reduced oversight gaps and ensured key responsibilities were clearly defined.

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For Mid-Size Teams: Growing Into Structure

As organizations scale, roles begin to specialize—dedicated risk or compliance leads emerge, and documented processes become essential.

Departmental control ownership continues, but with greater formality.

This is where clear role definitions and documentation become crucial.

Challenges:

• Managing growing complexities and increasing risk factors.
• The need for more structured risk and compliance processes.

How to Address:

• Introduce a formal GRC framework: Create more robust risk registers, compliance tracking, and audit processes.
• Use collaborative tools: Implement platforms like Trello or Jira to assign and track responsibilities, making collaboration easier.

Example:

A mid-sized retail company I advised had recently hired a dedicated Compliance Officer.

They moved from basic spreadsheets to a cloud-based platform to track compliance tasks, audits, and risk mitigation actions.

The company had already defined GRC roles, but communication between departments was fragmented.

To address this, they implemented a monthly GRC steering meeting, allowing each department to review their assigned controls and any risk issues.

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For Enterprises: Built for Scale

In large organizations, multiple GRC roles are defined with dedicated teams for each function.

There is specialization in risk management, compliance, audits, and IT/security controls.

GRC platforms help manage evidence collection, controls, and reporting, providing real-time visibility.

Challenges:

• Ensuring cohesion across departments as the program becomes more complex.
• Maintaining real-time visibility and tracking compliance status across different teams.

How to Address:

• Adopt an enterprise-grade GRC platform: Use tools like MetricStream or LogicManager to consolidate risk, compliance, and audit data.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Regularly sync between governance, risk, and compliance teams to ensure alignment.

Example:

A global financial services company I worked with used a cloud-based GRC platform to integrate GRC across departments.

Each business unit had designated Control Owners who were responsible for various aspects of security and compliance.

Despite the scale of operations, they achieved cohesion by using a single GRC platform that provided a centralized risk register.

The platform also helped them track real-time compliance status, ensuring the company was always prepared for audits.

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Common Pitfalls (and How to Fix Them)

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Pitfall 1: Ownership Gaps Create Confusion

Lack of ownership can lead to confusion about who is responsible for what, often resulting in missed tasks or failed responsibilities.

This creates a “pass-the-buck” mentality where team members assume someone else is managing critical aspects of the GRC program.

Over time, these gaps can lead to compliance failures, missed deadlines, and even legal consequences.

Solution:

• Clarify responsibilities: Use a RACI matrix or other role-definition tools to clearly outline each individual’s responsibilities.
• Accountability check-ins: Regularly review who is responsible for each control and ensure that they are following through.
• Involve leadership: Ensure that governance leaders support role clarity and emphasize accountability in the organization’s culture.

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Pitfall 2: Control Owners Don’t Know They’re Owners

Control owners are often not aware of their responsibilities, or they may misunderstand their role in maintaining compliance and managing risks.

This can happen in large organizations where responsibility is spread across multiple departments, or in smaller teams where everyone wears multiple hats.

Without proper awareness and accountability, critical compliance controls can go unchecked.

Solution:

• Explicit documentation: Clearly outline control ownership in job descriptions, onboarding materials, and performance reviews.
• Ongoing education: Provide training on the specific controls each owner is responsible for and how they fit into the overall GRC program.
• Role integration: Integrate control ownership responsibilities into daily workflows and ensure that control owners have the tools they need to succeed.

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Pitfall 3: GRC Sits in a Silo

When GRC is treated as a separate entity that doesn’t communicate with other departments, it leads to inefficiencies, missed opportunities for cross-functional collaboration, and disconnected strategies.

This siloing can cause critical risks or compliance issues to go unnoticed until they’re too late.

Solution:

• Foster cross-department collaboration: Create a GRC council or steering committee with representatives from each department (e.g., IT, legal, compliance, risk management).
• Regular syncs: Hold regular meetings to ensure GRC updates are communicated across all business units and that there’s alignment between strategic goals and risk management.
• Shared tools and dashboards: Use integrated tools that provide visibility into risk, compliance, and control performance across all departments.

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Pitfall 4: Risk Is Managed Reactively, Not Strategically

Managing risk reactively means waiting for an incident to occur before taking action. This can lead to crises, inefficiencies, and unnecessary firefighting.

Effective risk management should be proactive, identifying and mitigating risks before they cause disruption.

If risk is only considered as a reaction to an incident, the organization may fail to respond in time or adequately.

Solution:

• Proactive risk reviews: Integrate regular risk assessments into business planning cycles. Ensure that risk management becomes part of the strategic planning process, not just a reactive measure.
• Risk appetite framework: Develop and communicate a clear risk appetite statement that helps leadership and teams understand acceptable risk levels and guide decision-making.
• Technology adoption: Use risk management tools that allow you to predict and track potential risks over time, giving you the foresight to act early.

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Pitfall 5: Inadequate Communication of GRC Updates

Without proper communication of GRC updates, even the best-laid plans can falter.

Stakeholders, including board members and department heads, may not be fully aware of risk levels, compliance statuses, or audit findings.

This lack of communication can lead to poor decision-making, misalignment, and in some cases, legal or financial penalties.

Solution:

• Clear communication protocols: Establish regular updates and briefings for key stakeholders on GRC performance, audits, and risks.
• Leverage dashboards and reports: Create centralized dashboards that track key metrics, audit results, and risk indicators, ensuring that all stakeholders have real-time access to critical information.
• Executive involvement: Ensure leadership is consistently briefed on GRC matters so they can make informed decisions based on up-to-date data.

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Pitfall 6: Focusing Too Much on Compliance, Not Enough on Risk

Many organizations focus too heavily on compliance, often at the expense of proactive risk management.

While compliance is critical, an exclusive focus on it can lead to an overemphasis on checking boxes and missing broader risks.

Risk management should be just as prioritized to ensure that business objectives and operations are protected from unforeseen threats.

Solution:

• Holistic GRC approach: Balance compliance efforts with risk management strategies. Ensure that risk assessments are integrated into your compliance processes, rather than treated as separate entities.
• Continuous improvement: Review both compliance and risk management processes regularly to ensure they are evolving to meet new challenges.
• Incorporate both in culture: Build a culture where compliance and risk are both viewed as critical to the organization’s success and resilience.

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Quick Wins You Can Apply Today

✅ List your current GRC responsibilities by team and person
✅ Identify gaps (e.g. no one owns vendor risk or privacy assessments)
✅ Pick one unclear role and clarify ownership this week
✅ Schedule a 15-minute GRC role alignment meeting with your leadership team
✅ Share this article with your leadership team to start the conversation

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Final Thoughts

GRC Roles Aren’t Just Job Titles — They’re the Engine Behind Execution

A solid GRC strategy means nothing if no one knows who owns what. Confusion breeds delay. Clarity drives momentum.

Here’s how you move from friction to flow:

• 👤 Define ownership — Assign clear roles with documented responsibilities
• 🧱 Build accountability into daily work — Tie control ownership to performance
• 🛠️ Equip your teams — Give them tools, training, and context to succeed
• 🤝 Foster collaboration — Break silos between security, compliance, and ops
• 📣 Communicate regularly — Share updates, metrics, and lessons learned

Don’t wait for audit week to figure out who’s responsible.

Make roles visible. Make expectations clear. And make accountability part of the culture — not just the playbook.

👉 Want more hands-on tools to strengthen your GRC foundation? Subscribe to the GRCMana Newsletter and stay ahead with practical insights and real-world wins.

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