Chief Information Security Officer Job Description

What is the job description of a Chief Information Security Officer? What are the duties and responsibilities of a Chief Information Security Officer? What does a Chief Information Security Officer do?

Job description of a Chief Information Security Officer

The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is responsible for establishing and maintaining a corporate-wide information security management program to ensure that information assets are adequately protected.A key element of the CISO's role is working with executive management to determine acceptable levels of risk for the organization.

This Chief Information Security Officer job description example includes the list of most important Chief Information Security Officer duties and responsibilities as shown below. It can be modified to fit the specific Chief Information Security Officer profile you're trying to fill as a recruiter or job seeker.

Chief Information Security Officer Duties and Responsibilities

Chief Information Security Officer job description should contain a variety of functions and roles including:

  • Develop, implement and monitor a strategic, comprehensive enterprise information security and IT risk management program
  • Work directly with the business units to facilitate risk assessment and risk management processes
  • Develop and enhance an information security management framework
  • Understand and interact with related disciplines through committees to ensure the consistent application of policies and standards across all technology projects, systems and services
  • Provide leadership to the enterprise's information security organization
  • Partner with business stakeholders across the company to raise awareness of risk management concerns
  • Assist with the overall business technology planning, providing a current knowledge and future vision of technology and systems

Chief Information Security Officer Requirements / Skills / Qualifications

Chief Information Security Officer job description should include these common skills and qualifications:

  • Degree in business administration or a technology-related field required. 
  • Professional security management certification
  • Minimum of 8 to 12 years of experience in a combination of risk management, information security and IT jobs
  • Knowledge of common information security management frameworks, such as ISO/IEC 27001, and NIST.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills and high level of personal integrity
  • Innovative thinking and leadership with an ability to lead and motivate cross-functional, interdisciplinary teams
  • Experience with contract and vendor negotiations and management including managed services.
  • Specific experience in Agile (scaled) software development or other best in class development practices.
  • Experience with Cloud computing/Elastic computing across virtualized environments

As a hiring manager, recruiting an ideal Chief Information Security Officer starts with crafting a good job description. Use this Chief Information Security Officer job description template to save yourself time and help you attract the most qualified candidates. Feel free to revise it to meet your specific needs.

Job seekers interviewing for the role of a Chief Information Security Officer may also reference it in preparation for the interview.