Chief Information Security Officer

**CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER**   **THE POSITION IN A NUTSHELL**   Sciens is seeking a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), who will be responsible for establishing and operating a right-sized, risk-based cybersecurity program that protects the company, supports growth initiatives, and aligns with value-creation objectives. This role balances hands-on execution with strategic oversight, ensuring security enables business performance and mergers & acquisitions (M&A) activity. The key objectives of the role will be to: * Reduce cyber risk that could impact valuation * Establish repeatable, scalable security controls across the company * Support due diligence, integrations, and audits * Build a roadmap that will improve cyber maturity without enterprise-level cost or complexity * Provide clear, board-level visibility into risk posture * Deliver measurable reduction in critical vulnerabilities and incident risk * Perform successful audits and customer security assessments * Improve/reduce cyber insurance terms and premiums **WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING (and doing well!)**  **1\. Security Strategy & Governance** * Develop and maintain a pragmatic cybersecurity strategy and roadmap aligned to business objectives * Define security policies, standards, and procedures appropriate for a fast growing SMB environment * Establish cybersecurity governance, risk appetite, and reporting mechanisms * Present cyber risk updates to executive leadership and private equity (PE) stakeholders in plain business terms **2\. Risk Management & Compliance** * Identify, assess, and prioritize cyber risks using a risk-based approach * Oversee vulnerability management, penetration testing, and remediation efforts * Lead compliance initiatives, such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIST, CMMC, HIPAA, PCI-DSS * Ensure third-party and vendor risk management processes are in place **3\. Incident Response & Resilience** * Own the incident response plan, tabletop exercises, and breach readiness * Lead response to security incidents, ransomware events, or data breaches * Coordinate with legal, insurance, forensics, and external advisors as needed * Oversee backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning **4\. Technology & Operations** * Oversee core security tooling (IAM, endpoint security, SIEM/MDR, email security, cloud security) * Ensure secure configuration of cloud, SaaS, and on-prem environments * Partner closely with IT and operations teams to embed security into operations * Make cost-effective build vs. buy decisions **5\. M&A Support** * Support cybersecurity due diligence for acquisitions * Assess security posture of acquisition targets and provide risk summaries * Lead or advise on post-acquisition security integration and remediation * Align security maturity with PE exit strategy (strategic buyer or IPO readiness) **6\. Culture & Awareness** * Build a security-aware culture through training and phishing simulations * Act as a business-friendly security advisor * Educate leadership on cyber risk, insurance implications, and regulatory exposure **WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT YOU** * Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field (or equivalent work experience). * 10+ years in information security, IT risk, or cybersecurity leadership * Experience in SMB, PE-backed, or high-growth environments * Strong working knowledge of: * Cloud security (AWS, Azure, GCP, SaaS) * Identity & access management * Endpoint and network security * Incident response and ransomware defense * Proven ability to communicate cyber risk to non-technical executives and investors * Experience with at least one recognized security framework (NIST, ISO, CIS) * Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills. * Strong communication and interpersonal abilities. * Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment. **PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS** * Prior experience supporting private equity portfolios or M&A * Experience standing up a security program from scratch * CISSP, CISM, or equivalent certification **WHAT WE’RE BRINGING TO THE TABLE**  * Competitive salary based on qualifications. * Paid time off plan and holidays. * 401(k) matching. * Short term and long-term disability. * Medical, dental, and vision plans with options. * Life insurance. * Company laptop. * Professional career development opportunities. * Tuition reimbursement program.