At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic initiatives in cybersecurity and drive commercial success.
- Company: Join ISTARI, a pioneering cybersecurity advisory firm with a bold vision.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development, and a chance to shape the future of cybersecurity.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of innovation and make a real impact in the cybersecurity landscape.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in cybersecurity with strong commercial acumen.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for mentorship and career growth.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 ÂŁ 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:
As a Partner at ISTARI, you are more than a senior leader; you are a practice owner and a market maker. We are seeking world-class, entrepreneurial leaders to own the commercial success and strategic direction of our business, helping us scale up ISTARI’s global presence and brand. This is an opportunity to operate at the intersection of cybersecurity, strategy, and innovation across our ecosystem. You will build our most critical C-suite relationships and develop new markets. You will be at the forefront of helping us scale our Advisory practice. You will serve as the primary engine of revenue generation while simultaneously owning the end-to-end delivery and commercial success of the engagements you sell. For this role, we are looking for a particular strength in Governance and Strategy.
What You’ll Do (Key Responsibilities)
- Commercial Leadership & Building Market Presence
- Ownership: Take accountability for the strategic direction, financial health, and commercial success of your area, owning revenue and margin targets.
- Strategic Origination: Move beyond transactional sales to orchestrate large-scale, multi-year transformational deals. Leverage ISTARI’s ecosystem by integrating advisory expertise with our portfolio company solutions to create differentiated client value propositions.
- Land & Expand: Drive the systematic expansion of strategic accounts, turning initial engagements into long-term, high-value partnerships that span the full breadth of ISTARI’s capabilities.
- Client Value & Delivery Oversight
- CxO Intimacy: operate as a peer to C-suite executives and Board members, serving as their strategic counsel on complex cyber risk imperatives rather than just a service provider.
- End-to-End Delivery Governance: Maintain quality assurance and oversight for complex cyber programs. Ensure engagements not only meet contractual deliverables but generate measurable business value for the client.
- Client Advocacy: ensuring ISTARI’s innovation pipeline and service offerings evolve to meet our customers’ future needs.
- Practice Development & Thought Leadership
- Intellectual Capital Creation: Pioneer new methodologies, blueprints, and service lines that define the market standard for cyber resilience. Lead the development of specific practice capabilities that differentiate ISTARI globally.
- Market Eminence: actively build ISTARI’s reputation by defining the industry agenda. Represent ISTARI through high-profile speaking engagements, published white papers, and active participation in elite industry forums.
- Talent Stewardship & Culture
- Start-up / Ownership Mentality: Bring experience, energy, creativity and resourcefulness to help scale ISTARI in your own area and beyond.
- Talent Pipeline Development: Sponsor the next generation of leadership. Mentor Principals and Directors, providing the coaching and opportunities necessary for them to advance to Partner.
- Inclusive High-Performance Culture: Foster an environment that balances high commercial demands with collaboration, psychological safety, and continuous learning.
What You'll Bring (Candidate Profile)
We are looking for established leaders who have operated at the highest levels of the cybersecurity and professional services industries.
Target Backgrounds:
- Start-Ups / Scale-Ups: Senior leaders from early-stage, specialised strategic cyber firms.
- Strategy Consulting and Big 4: Partners / Senior Directors from Cybersecurity practices who have led major sectors or territories.
- Industry Leaders: Former CISOs or CSOs of Global 2000 companies who have successfully transitioned into commercially focused advisory roles.
Proven Commercial Track Record:
- Demonstrated success in originating and leading multi-year, multi-million dollar transformation programs. Must be able to evidence a personal established network of C-suite and Board relationships within the Global 2000.
- Practice Leadership: Experience not just in delivering work, but in building a practice—hiring teams, defining methodologies, and managing a P&L.
- Expertise in Governance and Strategy: within various industry backgrounds (Financial Services less critical for this role).
- Former practitioner: ideal candidate would have spent some time (perhaps seconded) in a practitioner role.
Core Competencies:
- Board and C-Suite-Level Fluency: The ability to translate complex technical cyber risks into strategic business imperatives for non-technical Boards and Audit Committees.
- Commercial Orchestration: Mastery of complex deal shaping. The ability to integrate diverse capabilities—advisory, technical, and portfolio solutions—into a cohesive, high-value client proposition.
- Start-up/Ownership Mentality: resourceful, creative and accountable, you’ll roll up your sleeves and help us build and scale.
- Recognised Expertise: You shape trends through published thought leadership and active participation in industry forums.
- Talent Attraction: A reputation that attracts top-tier talent. Proven ability to mentor Principals and Directors into future Partners, creating a leadership pipeline.
Education & Professional Recognition
- Education: Bachelor’s/Master’s degree is required. An advanced degree (MBA or equivalent) is preferred to ensure broad business acumen beyond cyber.
- Recognition: Recognised Fellow status in leading industry bodies (e.g., ISC2, ISACA) or equivalent industry awards/recognition is preferred.
How We Measure Success (KPIs)
- Commercial (Financial): Sales Origination (Total revenue booked). Managed Revenue (Revenue recognized within your team). Engagement Gross Margin (Profitability of delivered work).
- Client (Quality & Growth): Client Net Promoter Score (NPS) / CSAT. Account Expansion Rate (Cross-sell/Up-sell penetration in owned accounts).
- People (Talent & Culture): Retention and promotion rates within mentor group. Team engagement scores.
- Eminence (Market Impact): Measurable contribution to recognized thought leadership (tier-1 publications, keynote speaking).
If you are a builder and ready to be part of a team shaping the future of a growing global practice, we encourage you to apply.
Partner in City of London employer: ISTARI
Contact Detail:
ISTARI Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Partner in City of London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry leaders, attend events, and engage in discussions. Building relationships can open doors to opportunities that aren’t advertised.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! Create content that highlights your knowledge in cybersecurity and strategy. Whether it’s a blog post or a LinkedIn article, let your voice be heard in the industry.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by understanding ISTARI’s mission and values. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their vision of building a resilient cybersecurity ecosystem.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t just apply; engage! When you submit your application through our website, follow up with a personal message expressing your enthusiasm for the role. It shows initiative and can set you apart from the crowd.
We think you need these skills to ace Partner in City of London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for cybersecurity and strategic leadership shine through. We want to see how your experiences align with our mission at ISTARI and how you can contribute to building a resilient ecosystem.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to highlight your relevant experience in governance and strategy. We’re looking for specific examples of how you've driven commercial success and built strong relationships with C-suite executives.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to tell us why you’re the perfect fit for the Partner role. Share your vision for the future of cybersecurity and how you plan to scale ISTARI’s presence globally. Keep it engaging and personal!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, you’ll find all the details about the role and our company culture there!
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. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with ISTARI's mission of building collective resilience and how you can contribute to their strategic direction.
✨Showcase Your Commercial Acumen
Prepare examples of how you've driven revenue and built market presence in previous roles. Highlight any multi-year transformational deals you've orchestrated, as this will resonate well with the expectations for a Partner at ISTARI.
✨C-Suite Connections Matter
Be ready to talk about your established network of C-suite and Board relationships. Share specific instances where you've acted as a strategic counsel to executives, demonstrating your fluency in translating complex cyber risks into business imperatives.
✨Demonstrate Thought Leadership
Bring along any published work or presentations you've done in the cybersecurity space. Discuss how you've shaped industry trends and contributed to thought leadership, as this is crucial for building ISTARI's reputation and market eminence.