Head IT Security

Role & responsibilities:

1. Strategic & Leadership

• Develop and implement the organizations IT security strategy aligned with business objectives.
• Lead, mentor, and manage the IT security team, ensuring skill development and effective performance.
• Serve as the primary security advisor to senior management and the board.

2. Risk Management & Governance

• Identify, assess, and mitigate cybersecurity risks to the organization.
• Develop and enforce security policies, standards, and procedures.
• Ensure regulatory compliance (GDPR in Germany/EU, UAE cyber laws, ISO standards, etc.).

3. Incident Management & Monitoring

• Oversee incident response, investigations, and reporting of security breaches.
• Maintain continuous monitoring of IT infrastructure to detect vulnerabilities and threats.
• Conduct regular security audits, risk assessments, and penetration tests.

4. Technical Oversight

• Evaluate and implement security technologies and solutions (firewalls, SIEM, IAM, cloud security).
• Collaborate with IT and business teams on secure system design and deployment.
• Stay up-to-date with emerging threats, tools, and industry best practices.

5. Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Manage relationships with security vendors and service providers.
• Coordinate with internal departments to align security measures with business needs.

Preferred candidate profile:

1. Experience & Background

• 5 to 10 years in IT security roles, preferably with leadership responsibilities.
• Proven experience in cybersecurity strategy, risk management, and incident response.
• Exposure to enterprise environments, preferably in finance, tech, or multinational companies.

2. Education

• Bachelors degree in Computer Science, IT, Cybersecurity, or Engineering.
• Master’s degree or MBA is a plus.

3. Certifications

• CISSP, CISM, CEH, or ISO 27001 certifications.
• Cloud security certifications (AWS, Azure, CCSP) are advantageous.

4. Skills

• Strong technical knowledge: network security, IAM, cloud security, threat intelligence.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills.
• Ability to communicate security issues to non-technical executives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

5. Behavioral Attributes

• Strategic thinker with business acumen.
• Proactive and decisive in risk mitigation and crisis situations.
• Adaptable, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in dynamic environments.