Executive Leadership
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Recruiting
The executive accountable for the security program, its budget and how cyber risk is reported to the CEO and the board.
About the role
The CISO owns the organization's security strategy and is the person the board, regulators and customers look to when they ask how cyber risk is being managed. The job has moved well beyond running a technical team. Today's CISO translates threats into business terms, defends a budget, works with legal on disclosure obligations and leads the response when an incident becomes public.
Because the role sits so close to the board, a CISO search is as much about judgment, communication and credibility as it is about technical depth. The right candidate for a high-growth SaaS company is often not the right candidate for a regulated bank or a manufacturer with operational technology on the factory floor.
Typical responsibilities
- Set the security strategy and multi-year roadmap and tie it to business risk
- Own the security budget, headcount plan and vendor portfolio
- Report cyber risk to the executive team and the board in plain business language
- Lead incident response at the executive level, including regulatory and customer communication
- Build and develop the security leadership team beneath them
- Oversee compliance with frameworks and regulations relevant to the business, such as NIST CSF, ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI DSS, HIPAA or SEC disclosure rules
What we assess in candidates
- Board-level communication: can they explain risk, spend and tradeoffs to non-technical directors
- A track record of building or maturing a program, with measurable before-and-after outcomes
- Incident leadership under pressure, including how they handled a real event
- Fit with the company's stage, industry and regulatory exposure
- How they hire, retain and develop security leaders
How we search for a CISO
CISO searches are run as confidential, retained engagements. We start with a working session with the CEO or hiring executive to define what the board expects in the first 12 to 24 months, then map sitting CISOs and proven deputies in comparable industries. Candidates go through structured interviews on strategy, incident leadership and board communication before they reach your team, and we manage references, compensation discussions and the offer through to acceptance.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a CISO search usually take?
Most CISO searches take 60 to 120 days from kickoff to accepted offer. Notice periods, board interviews and equity negotiations are usually what decide where a search falls in that range.
Should a CISO report to the CEO or the CIO?
It depends on the company's risk profile and regulatory exposure. Many organizations now have the CISO report to the CEO or COO to keep security independent from IT delivery, but a strong partnership with the CIO matters in either model. We help you define the reporting line before the search starts so candidates know exactly what they are stepping into.
Related functions
Start a search
Looking for a CISO?
Tell us about the role and the team. We will reply within one business day.