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 YOULL 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

• Bachelors 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 WERE 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.