Head of Cybersecurity – CISO: role and missions 

Cybersecurity Functions

Cybersecurity Director

The cybersecurity director is a senior executive responsible for defining the cybersecurity strategy to meet the organisation’s challenges and ensure its compliance with the regulations in force in the countries in which it operates.

He leads the cybersecurity function and may lead a network of Information Systems Security Managers (ISSMs) to cover the entire perimeter of the organisation. He defines the strategic and managerial indicators that measure his level of maturity in cybersecurity and reports to Executive Management and the Audit Committee.

Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM)

The CISO steers the cybersecurity approach within an organisational and/or geographical perimeter within the organisation. He/she defines or implements the strategy – depending on the size of the organisation and its IS security policy (prevention, protection, detection, resilience, remediation) – and ensures that it is applied. He/she provides advice, assistance, information, training and warnings, in particular to the business line managers and/or the management within his/her remit. They implement solutions and operational processes to protect and secure data. Depending on the size of the organisation, you may play an operational role in the IS security policy or manage a team.

Security architect

This professional ensures that the technical and technological choices made for IT and business projects comply with the organisation’s security requirements. They define security models, act as the technical authority on security architectures and support their development within the IS, in line with the organisation’s IT strategy and security policies.

Head of SOC (Security Operation Center)

The SOC (Security Operation Centre) manager plans and organises the day-to-day operations of the SOC in order to assess the level of vulnerability and detect suspicious or malicious activity. Main tasks:

• Setting up a security incident detection service;
• Proper execution of the supervision and management of security events;
• complete and accurate reporting of key indicators;
• defining and steering the SOC’s service improvement plan.

Head of CSIRT (Computer Security Incident Response Team)

The head of the CSIRT (Computer Security Incident Response Team) or CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team) is responsible for a team responding to security incidents that target the organisation’s IS . It ensures that investigations are carried out properly and that the parties involved are coordinated during an incident. It contributes to the organisation’s preparedness to ensure an effective response. During high-impact incidents, the CSIRT manager will interact with the crisis management team.

Business Continuity Plan Manager (BPCM)

It develops and implements in its organisation a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) enabling – as its name suggests – the continuity of the company’s activities in the event of a major disaster. It must take into account resilience scenarios linked to cyber-attacks (cyber-resilience).

An interim manager to improve your cyber security

Improving cyber security has a major impact on business performance. Avoiding a cyber incident or compromise holds a fundamental place in the operational and financial survival of the company, so the consequences of a cyber incident are significant:

• major disruptions to operations, up to and including a total shutdown lasting several weeks;
• direct or indirect financial losses;
• damage to the company’s image;
• theft of data, confidential information and intellectual property;
• breach of data protection regulations (RGPD).

With the risk of cyber-security becoming increasingly likely for all businesses, the expertise of a seasoned interim manager is essential for any organisation, whatever its size or sector.

When should a cyber security manager or interim CISO be called in?

As an executive, there are a number of situations in which you may need to call on the services of an interim management firm:

• an immediate and urgent need for operational expertise in cyber security;
• need for compliance with ISO 27001 ;
• resignation or sick leave of the manager or one of his deputies ;
• Dissatisfaction with the coordination between the cybersecurity department and the various stakeholder departments (IT department, risk department, legal department, Data Protection Officer, HR department…) in your company ;
• Unsatisfactory results in terms of cyber protection, with discoveries of:
  • compromises ;
  • data theft ;
  • security flaws ;
  • technical or regulatory non-compliances ;
  • president fraud.

It is also possible to use an interim manager outside a crisis situation, as part of a crucial security project for your company:

• regulatory compliance;
• ISO 27001 certification;
• strengthening cybersecurity governance;
• A plan to upgrade and strengthen your defences;
• implementation and monitoring of the business continuity plan (BCP).

Who can be an interim cyber security manager or CISO?

What skills?

An important or even essential role in certain sectors and for your company, this professional performs a function at the crossroads of your company’s various businesses and makes an active contribution to risk management and mitigation.

In this respect, the typical profile of a cybersecurity interim manager is characterised not only by specialised technological skills, but also by leadership, analytical skills, good interpersonal skills, a sense of innovation and creativity.

As an entrepreneur, they must have the decision-making skills to manage major cyber security projects, anticipate threats and secure the company.

A cybersecurity manager or interim CISO can therefore be an IS security professional whose career has been enriched by experience in companies of different sizes or in different sectors. Interim managers are expected to be immediately available and operational, as well as highly mobile and versatile.

What are the tasks of the transitional CISO?

On the sharp increase, new cyber threats (cyberthreats) make the role of the transitional CISO essential in protecting your business. In charge of the security of the information system – and therefore of your company – at a key moment in its development, the manager can therefore carry out several types of mission that will contribute to risk management. These include

• defining the cybersecurity strategy to meet your organisation’s challenges ;
• compliance with the regulations in force in the countries where your organisation operates ;
• anticipating risks in cybersecurity ;
• operational cybersecurity management: protecting workstations, the network and infrastructure, implementing an IT security culture among your company’s employees ;
• coordinating cybersecurity work with the IT and Digital teams and uniting employees around a cybersecurity culture ;
• perfect technological mastery of IT infrastructures, standards and security tools, through constant monitoring.

An interim manager tailor-made for your company

Whether it’s your regulatory compliance, ISO 27001 certification, strengthening your cybersecurity governance, upgrading and strengthening defences or implementing and monitoring your business continuity plan (BCP), with Procadres you’ll find the professional immediately operational to help you.

Interested in becoming a transitional CISO?

Do you have the experience, skills and profile to succeed on assignments as an interim cybersecurity manager? Join Procadres, an interim management firm, to find challenges in France and abroad. Contact us for any request for information about the salary of an interim cybersecurity director, the profiles sought, or the duration of interim management assignments as a cybersecurity director or CISO.