Fractional Chief Information Security Officer

We are seeking an experienced Fractional CISO to provide hands‑on security leadership as we evolve our security function to support continued growth and European expansion. This is a permanent fractional engagement reporting directly to the CTO. You will own our information security strategy, maintain our ISO 27001 certification, build our security roadmap, and prepare the organisation for SOC 2 readiness in 2026‑2027. This role requires someone who can operate both strategically and tactically — developing policy one day and reviewing cloud configurations the next.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy & Governance
  • Develop and own the Information Security strategy aligned with ApprovalMax's business objectives and European expansion plans
  • Maintain and continuously improve the Information Security Management System (ISMS)
  • Create, review, and maintain core security policies, standards, and procedures
  • Establish and chair a cross‑functional Security Working Group (Engineering, Architecture, IT, HR)
  • Build and present a multi‑year security roadmap with clear milestones, resource requirements, and priorities
  • Serve as the central authority on risk assessment, risk treatment, and risk acceptance decisions
  • Assess and provide guidance on secure AI adoption across the organisation, including AI‑powered product features and internal AI tooling
• Compliance & Certification
  • Maintain ISO 27001 certification and prepare for the 2027 recertification audit
  • Lead SOC 2 Type II readiness programme (target: 2026‑2027), including gap analysis and control mapping
  • Ensure compliance with GDPR and data protection requirements across EU/UK/US/AU/NZ/CA/ZA jurisdictions
  • Collaborate with external DPO support provider on privacy‑related matters and customer security questionnaires as needed
• Cloud & Technical Security
  • Provide security oversight across Azure, AWS, and Google Workspace environments
  • Conduct access reviews and advise on identity and access management best practices
  • Evaluate and guide implementation of security tooling (SIEM, vulnerability management, endpoint protection)
  • Oversee VMware Workspace ONE MDM deployment and device security policies
  • Advise engineering teams on secure SDLC practices, DevSecOps integration, and application security principles
• Operational Security
  • Develop and maintain incident response plans and procedures
  • Lead incident response tabletop exercises and post‑incident reviews
  • Provide guidance on business continuity and disaster recovery planning
  • Advise on vendor security assessments and third‑party risk management
• Awareness & Culture
  • Design and deliver company‑wide security awareness training programmes
  • Mentor and upskill internal staff on security best practices
  • Foster a security‑first culture across all departments
  • Act as a trusted advisor to leadership on emerging threats and security trends
• Stakeholder Engagement
  • Report regularly to the CTO on security posture, risks, and programme progress
  • Prepare board‑level security presentations as required (infrequent)
  • Support commercial teams by contributing to customer security discussions when escalated

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive experience in information security, with at least 3 years in a CISO, Head of Security, or senior security leadership role
• Demonstrated experience in B2B SaaS environments, ideally in fintech, finance software, or similarly regulated industries
• Proven track record of achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 certification
• Experience preparing organisations for SOC 2 Type II certification
• Hands‑on experience securing cloud environments (Azure and/or AWS required; GCP a plus)
• Experience with Google Workspace security configuration and administration
• Background working with distributed, remote‑first engineering teams

Technical Knowledge

• Strong understanding of cloud security architecture, identity management, and zero‑trust principles
• Familiarity with secure software development lifecycle (SDLC) and DevSecOps practices
• Knowledge of MDM solutions (VMware Workspace ONE experience preferred)
• Understanding of API security and integration risk management
• Practical experience with security tooling: SIEM, vulnerability scanners, endpoint protection, etc.
• Awareness of AI/ML security risks, including secure AI adoption practices and emerging AI governance frameworks (desirable)

Compliance & Regulatory

• Deep knowledge of ISO 27001:2022 requirements and audit processes
• Familiarity with SOC 2 Trust Service Criteria (Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Privacy)
• Understanding of GDPR, UK Data Protection Act, and international data protection regulations