At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead operational success in cybersecurity advisory, ensuring high-quality client outcomes.
- Company: ISTARI, a strategic cybersecurity advisory company with a bold vision.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, performance bonuses, comprehensive benefits, and hybrid working model.
- Other info: Opportunity to work with senior stakeholders and evolve service portfolios.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team shaping the future of cybersecurity resilience.
- Qualifications: Experience in cybersecurity or advisory, strong commercial acumen, and governance skills.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
About Us
ISTARI is a strategic cybersecurity advisory company with a bold vision: to curate the defining cybersecurity ecosystem of our time - uniting enterprise, academia, government, and innovators to build collective resilience. At the heart of this mission, ISTARI helps clients achieve lasting organisational cyber resilience by convening and applying world-class talent, expertise, and innovation through a uniquely powerful network - with ISTARI as the central orchestrator.
The Opportunity
This is the operational and governance engine room of our Advisory practice and a hands-on role. You will build the frameworks, not just oversee them. You will own the end-to-end operational success of Advisory engagements across ISTARI internally and in collaboration with portfolio companies and strategic partners, ensuring disciplined execution, strong commercial performance, and consistent high-quality client outcomes. You will also own the governance, lifecycle management, and continuous evolution of ISTARI's Advisory capabilities, service catalogue, and associated roadmaps - keeping services current, relevant, and differentiated.
What You’ll Do:
- Governance: Implement and enforce QA frameworks across the full advisory lifecycle, from opportunity scoping to final delivery. Maintain ISTARI's governance standards and protect the reputation of the practice.
- Advisory Delivery & Engagement Management: Coordinate internal teams, portfolio companies, and strategic partners to ensure seamless execution, knowledge transfer, and a consistently strong client experience.
- Traffic Control & Resourcing: Manage global allocation of internal FTEs, partners, and portfolio resources. Balance demand, specialist capability, and commercial objectives across all engagements.
- Expert Network Stewardship: Oversee onboarding, vetting, and governance of subcontractors and specialist partners. Ensure all third parties meet ISTARI standards on delivery quality, commercial terms, and client engagement.
- Commercial Hygiene: Monitor project budgets in real time. Ensure all engagements are properly scoped and priced to protect profitability.
- Service Catalogue & Capability Lifecycle: Own the Advisory Service Catalogue end to end. Ensure services are clearly defined, costed, packaged, and continuously refreshed to reflect new IP, regulatory developments, emerging threats, and market demand.
- Advisory IP, Knowledge & Industry Intelligence: Capture and curate advisory IP, methodologies, and client insights. Maintain a central, current knowledge base that underpins ISTARI's Advisory offering.
- Operational Reporting: Provide regular reporting to the Global Head of Advisory and ExCo on delivery performance, utilisation, margin, pipeline alignment, and service catalogue maturity.
What You'll Bring
Experience in a cybersecurity, risk, technology, or professional services advisory environment, with a strong understanding of how high-value services are structured, delivered, and evolved. Proven ability to govern and evolve service portfolios and capability frameworks in fast-moving markets. Strong commercial acumen, fluent in margin management, utilisation, and partner cost dynamics. Metrics-driven and operationally disciplined, able to build structured governance in a scaling environment. Confident working with senior stakeholders across leadership, partners, and portfolio companies, able to challenge constructively and maintain alignment. Experience with CRM/PSA and knowledge management platforms (e.g. Salesforce, Confluence or similar). Scale-up mindset, comfortable building and running frameworks simultaneously as structures evolve.
Compensation and Benefits
Competitive base salary, benchmarked against industry practice in our hub locations. Performance-related annual bonus, linked to individual contribution. Comprehensive benefits: medical and dental cover, pension contributions, and life insurance. Hybrid working model - with willingness to travel for client engagements.
Advisory Operations Director, Cybersecurity in City of London employer: ISTARI
Contact Detail:
ISTARI Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Advisory Operations Director, Cybersecurity in City of London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the cybersecurity field. Attend industry events, webinars, or even local meetups. The more you engage with others, the better your chances of landing that Advisory Operations Director role.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, make sure to highlight your experience in governance and operational success. Share specific examples of how you've improved service delivery or managed resources effectively.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job openings to pop up. Reach out directly to companies like ISTARI through our website. Express your interest in the Advisory Operations Director position and share how you can contribute to their mission.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of current cybersecurity trends and challenges. Be ready to discuss how you would manage the lifecycle of advisory capabilities and ensure high-quality client outcomes. Confidence is key!
We think you need these skills to ace Advisory Operations Director, Cybersecurity in City of London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Cybersecurity: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for cybersecurity shine through. We want to see how your experience aligns with our mission at ISTARI and how you can contribute to building a resilient cybersecurity ecosystem.
Tailor Your CV and Cover Letter: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Advisory Operations Director role. Highlight relevant experiences that demonstrate your ability to govern and evolve service portfolios, as well as your commercial acumen. We love seeing candidates who take the time to connect their skills to our needs!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application clear and to the point. Use bullet points where appropriate and avoid jargon unless it’s relevant to the role. We appreciate straightforward communication, so make it easy for us to see why you’re a great fit!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at ISTARI!
How to prepare for a job interview at ISTARI
✨Know Your Cybersecurity Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the latest trends and challenges in cybersecurity. Understand how advisory services are structured and delivered, as well as the importance of governance and quality assurance frameworks. This will show that you're not just familiar with the industry but also passionate about it.
✨Showcase Your Operational Skills
Be ready to discuss your experience in managing operations and governance in a fast-paced environment. Prepare examples of how you've successfully overseen projects, managed resources, and ensured high-quality client outcomes. This is your chance to demonstrate your metrics-driven approach and operational discipline.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Highlight your ability to work with senior stakeholders and partners. Think of specific instances where you've had to challenge constructively or align different teams towards a common goal. This will illustrate your confidence and communication skills, which are crucial for this role.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Tools
Since the role involves using CRM/PSA and knowledge management platforms, make sure you're comfortable discussing tools like Salesforce or Confluence. If you have experience with these, be prepared to share how you've used them to enhance operational efficiency and client engagement.