A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering SOC 2 for General Managers Driving Compliance Strategy
A structured path to own the design, coordination, and long-term evolution of SOC 2 compliance in complex client environments.
$199 one-time
24-hour access provisioning
30-day money-back guarantee
Hand-built implementation playbook
12 modules. 12 chapters per module. 144 chapters total.
12 modules, each with 12 chapters (144 chapters total), text-based, plus downloadable templates and a hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Who this is for
Senior compliance and governance leaders in global services firms who must align cross-functional teams on compliance deliverables without direct reporting lines.
Who this is not for
Junior auditors, individual contributors focused on checklist completion, or practitioners without decision-coordination responsibilities.
What you walk away with
- Lead SOC 2 scoping sessions with confidence and clarity
- Own control design decisions with documented rationale
- Coordinate input from technical, legal, and operations teams efficiently
- Present structured compliance roadmaps to client stakeholders
- Build reusable compliance artefacts that scale across engagements
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Foundations of SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria
Understand the five TSC categories at a practitioner level, with real-world mappings to service organization capabilities.
12 chapters in this module
- Overview of SOC 2 scope and purpose
- Security principle deep dive
- Availability and system uptime expectations
- Processing integrity defined
- Confidentiality controls in practice
- Privacy and PII handling standards
- Differences between Type I and Type II
- Common misconceptions about SOC 2
- How regulators interpret TSC
- Relationship to ISO 27001 and other frameworks
- Client expectations by industry
- First-hand examples from recent audits
Module 2. Scoping Compliance Across Distributed Teams
Define boundaries that hold under audit scrutiny while accounting for cloud, third parties, and shared responsibility.
12 chapters in this module
- Identifying in-scope systems and services
- Managing cloud provider dependencies
- Defining organizational boundaries
- Documenting shared responsibility
- Involving engineering and product teams
- When to include vendor systems
- Avoiding common scoping pitfalls
- Using data flow diagrams effectively
- Client-specific scope adjustments
- Handling global data residency
- Versioning scope over time
- Internal alignment before audit begins
Module 3. Control Design with Audit Outcomes in Mind
Build controls that are both operationally viable and auditor-acceptable from day one.
12 chapters in this module
- Mapping controls to TSC criteria
- Designing for evidence collection
- Selecting automated vs manual controls
- Integrating with existing ITGCs
- Vendor management control patterns
- Change management within scope
- Incident response integration
- Access review frequency guidelines
- Logging and monitoring requirements
- Using ServiceNow for control tracking
- Tailoring Azure AD policies
- Control ownership assignment
Module 4. Building the Internal Evidence Pipeline
Establish a reliable, low-friction process for gathering audit-ready evidence across teams.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining evidence types per control
- Automating log exports from AWS
- Scheduling access reviews in SailPoint
- Documenting policy attestations
- Capturing change records in Jira
- Exporting user reports from Workday
- Validating backup procedures
- Time-stamping incident records
- Centralizing evidence storage
- Using Power BI for control dashboards
- Versioning control documentation
- Preparing evidence packages
Module 5. Coordinating Cross-Functional Input
Lead teams without authority by building structured collaboration rhythms.
12 chapters in this module
- Identifying key stakeholder roles
- Creating RACI for compliance tasks
- Running effective kickoff meetings
- Setting evidence deadlines
- Escalation paths for delays
- Managing legal team input
- Incorporating security findings
- Aligning with privacy officers
- Engaging external counsel
- Tracking open items across teams
- Using Jira for task management
- Reporting upward without alarm
Module 6. Writing the System Description Narrative
Turn technical reality into a coherent, defensible written account of your control environment.
12 chapters in this module
- Structuring the SOC 2 narrative
- Describing infrastructure components
- Mapping controls to system functions
- Writing the service organization section
- Documenting third-party arrangements
- Including SOC 3-level summaries
- Using diagrams to clarify design
- Avoiding overstatement pitfalls
- Referencing control numbers
- Versioning the description
- Reviewing for consistency
- Final approval workflow
Module 7. Selecting and Managing the Auditing Firm
Make informed choices about audit partners and manage the relationship for optimal results.
12 chapters in this module
- Evaluating audit firm specialties
- Understanding AICPA credentials
- Comparing audit timelines
- Reviewing auditor methodology
- Selecting partner vs national firms
- Setting expectations upfront
- Coordinating auditor access
- Handling document requests
- Managing walkthroughs efficiently
- Responding to auditor findings
- Tracking audit progress
- Preparing for final review
Module 8. Preparing for Auditor Fieldwork
Run a tight, professional fieldwork cycle that minimizes team disruption.
12 chapters in this module
- Creating the auditor onboarding packet
- Scheduling walkthrough sessions
- Preparing system access
- Briefing team members
- Anticipating common questions
- Organizing evidence repositories
- Running internal pre-audits
- Mock walkthrough facilitation
- Handling evidence gaps transparently
- Tracking open auditor requests
- Daily fieldwork syncs
- Maintaining professional tone
Module 9. Responding to Findings and Deficiencies
Turn auditor feedback into constructive action without losing credibility.
12 chapters in this module
- Categorizing deficiency types
- Assessing severity and root cause
- Assigning corrective action owners
- Creating remediation timelines
- Documenting compensating controls
- Evaluating materiality impact
- Presenting fixes to auditors
- Avoiding overcommitment
- Negotiating deficiency language
- Updating control documentation
- Retesting procedures
- Finalizing management response
Module 10. Maintaining Compliance Between Audits
Keep your system description current and ready for unannounced scrutiny.
12 chapters in this module
- Setting control monitoring frequency
- Updating system changes formally
- Versioning the system description
- Running quarterly control checks
- Automating evidence collection
- Tracking policy refresh cycles
- Managing organizational changes
- Handling M&A impacts
- Updating third-party documentation
- Revising scope when needed
- Internal audit preparation
- Continuous improvement cycle
Module 11. Extending SOC 2 to Other Frameworks
Leverage SOC 2 work to accelerate ISO 27001, HIPAA, or other compliance initiatives.
12 chapters in this module
- Mapping SOC 2 to ISO 27001
- Reusing control evidence
- Aligning audit calendars
- Consolidating documentation
- Building multi-framework playbooks
- Training teams on dual compliance
- Marketing compliance convergence
- Reducing client audit fatigue
- Extending to GDPR readiness
- Supporting HIPAA projects
- Integrating with NIST CSF
- Positioning as a unified offering
Module 12. Positioning Yourself as the Compliance Authority
Turn technical mastery into consistent influence across engagements and leadership.
12 chapters in this module
- Documenting your methodology
- Creating internal training assets
- Publishing compliance playbooks
- Mentoring junior staff
- Presenting at practice forums
- Advising on go/no-go decisions
- Shaping vendor selection
- Influencing product roadmaps
- Getting invited to strategy calls
- Becoming the reference expert
- Owning compliance narrative
- Scaling your impact
How this maps to your situation
- During initial audit scoping
- When coordinating cross-functional teams
- Before auditor fieldwork begins
- After receiving findings report
Before vs. after
Before
Reactive coordination, fragmented evidence, last-minute scrambles, inconsistent control application.
After
Proactive leadership, structured workflows, audit-ready posture, and recognized authority on compliance design.
What's included with your purchase
- 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters)
- Downloadable templates and worked examples for every module
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Delivery and format
- Course and learning environment access provisioned within 24 hours of purchase
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
Format: Text-based modules and chapters in the Art of Service learning environment, plus downloadable templates and worked examples for every chapter, plus the hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Time investment: Approximately 45, 60 hours total, designed to be completed in parallel with active compliance work.
If nothing changes
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How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic compliance overviews or certification prep courses, this program is tailored to senior practitioners leading real-world SOC 2 engagements in services firms, focusing not on passing a test, but on owning the process from start to finish.
Frequently asked
Is this course suitable for someone who doesn’t perform audits?
Yes. This course is designed for leaders who coordinate, design, and oversee SOC 2 compliance, not for auditors conducting examinations.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Will this help with ISO 27001 or other frameworks?
Yes. Module 11 shows how to extend SOC 2 work to ISO 27001, HIPAA, and other standards, maximizing your return on compliance effort.
$199 one-time. Approximately 45, 60 hours total, designed to be completed in parallel with active compliance work..
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.
30-day money-back guarantee·
144 chapters·
Hand-built playbook included·
Account access within 24 hours