Cyber Security
Head of Cyber Security Jobs & Careers
Looking for your next Head of Cyber Security opportunity?
HOK Consulting connects experienced cyber security leaders with organisations strengthening security strategy, operations, resilience and technical capability across permanent, contract and interim opportunities.
Whether your experience covers security engineering, cloud security, governance and risk, incident response, security operations or enterprise security leadership, explore current opportunities or upload your CV to join HOK’s technology talent network.
Current Head of Cyber Security Jobs
Explore current Head of Cyber Security opportunities available through HOK Consulting.
Can’t see the right Head of Cyber Security role?
If there are currently no suitable Head of Cyber Security vacancies listed, upload your CV and tell us what you’re looking for. Our team can contact you when a relevant permanent, contract or interim opportunity becomes available.
What Does a Head of Cyber Security Do?
A Head of Cyber Security leads an organisation’s cyber security function, setting direction for how systems, applications, infrastructure and information are protected against security threats and operational risks.
The role typically combines strategy and leadership with oversight of security operations, engineering, architecture, risk, resilience and incident response.
Heads of Cyber Security work closely with technology leaders, security specialists, risk teams and senior stakeholders to define priorities, manage cyber risk and ensure security capability develops alongside wider business and technology objectives.
Head of Cyber Security Skills & Experience
Head of Cyber Security roles require broad security knowledge alongside strong leadership, strategic and stakeholder management experience. Relevant areas commonly include:
- Cyber Security Leadership
- Information Security
- Security Engineering
- Security Architecture
- Security Operations Centres
- Incident Response
- Cloud Security
- Network Security
- Identity and Access Management
- Application Security
- Governance, Risk and Compliance
- Vulnerability Management
- Threat Intelligence
- Operational Resilience
- Security Strategy
- Risk Management
- Stakeholder Management
- Security Transformation
The balance between technical expertise and strategic leadership varies between organisations, but senior cyber leaders typically need enough technical understanding to challenge decisions, assess risk and provide direction across multiple security disciplines.
Strong communication and leadership skills are particularly important when presenting cyber risk to senior stakeholders, coordinating specialist teams and ensuring security priorities support wider organisational objectives.
Typical Head of Cyber Security Responsibilities
- Defining and delivering the organisation’s cyber security strategy
- Leading cyber security teams and specialist security functions
- Managing cyber security risks and improvement priorities
- Providing oversight of security operations and incident response
- Leading security engineering and architecture capability
- Overseeing cloud, network, application and identity security
- Managing vulnerability management and security improvement programmes
- Supporting governance, assurance and compliance requirements
- Strengthening cyber resilience and response capability
- Reporting cyber security risks and performance to senior stakeholders
- Managing security suppliers, partners and specialist services
- Ensuring cyber security remains aligned with wider technology and business strategy
Responsibilities vary depending on the size of the organisation, maturity of the security function and whether the role covers cyber security alone or wider information security, risk and resilience responsibilities.
Head of Cyber Security Salary Expectations
Head of Cyber Security salaries vary according to experience, location, sector, team responsibility and the scale and complexity of the organisation’s security environment.
Permanent Head of Cyber Security
Around £85,000 per year
UK median advertised salary
Contract Head of Cyber Security
Around £875 per day
UK median contract rate
Experienced cyber security leaders working within financial services, highly regulated industries, large enterprises or major security transformation programmes may command substantially higher salaries or contract rates.
Salary information is provided as a general UK market guide and can vary significantly between individual roles. Current contract data for this senior job title is based on a relatively small market sample.
Head of Cyber Security Career Progression
Head of Cyber Security is already a senior leadership position and can lead into broader information security, technology risk and executive security roles.
Typical Head of Cyber Security Career Path
Alternative Career Paths
Experienced Heads of Cyber Security may also move into senior roles such as:
- Chief Information Security Officer
- Head of Information Security
- Security Director
- Cyber Security Programme Director
- Technology Risk Director
- Security Architecture Director
- Fractional CISO
The right progression depends on whether you want to remain focused on cyber security leadership, move into executive security responsibility or broaden into technology risk, resilience and wider technology strategy.
Your Next Move
Looking for Your Next Head of Cyber Security Opportunity?
If you’re considering your next permanent position, contract assignment or interim leadership opportunity, send HOK Consulting your CV.
Tell us about the security functions you’ve led, the sectors and environments you’ve worked across and the type of leadership opportunity you’re looking for.
Specialist Recruitment
Cyber Security Recruitment
Cyber Security Leadership forms part of HOK Consulting’s wider Cyber Security recruitment expertise, connecting organisations with specialists and leaders across security engineering, architecture, operations, cloud security, governance, risk and information security.
Hiring?
Recruiting a Head of Cyber Security?
HOK Consulting supports organisations looking for experienced cyber security leaders across permanent, contract and interim requirements.
Whether you’re building a security function, strengthening cyber resilience, delivering a security transformation programme or need experienced leadership across complex technology and risk environments, speak to HOK about your requirements.