Job Description: Fractional CISO (12-Month Contract)

Location: Remote
Contract Duration: 12 Months
Industry: SaaS (Education Space)

Position Overview

Our client, a rapidly growing tech company in the SaaS Education space, is seeking an experienced Fractional Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for an 12-month contract. The selected CISO will be responsible for guiding the organization through a full SOC 2 Type 2 cycle, ensuring that all necessary security and compliance measures are in place to pass the audit. This role will involve overseeing the implementation and management of security policies, risk management frameworks, and driving internal teams to ensure continuous compliance with industry standards and SOC 2 requirements. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in driving security programs within fast-paced tech organizations and guiding teams through SOC 2 audits successfully.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the organization through the full SOC 2 Type 2 audit cycle, ensuring all controls are established, documented, and compliant with SOC 2 criteria.

• Conduct a gap analysis of current security and compliance practices against SOC 2 requirements and recommend necessary policy and procedural updates.

• Design and implement a security framework in alignment with SOC 2 requirements, ensuring continuous improvement of internal processes and controls.

• Coordinate and guide internal teams in preparing evidence, policies, and procedures required for the audit process.

• Ensure effective risk management practices are implemented and that risks are continuously monitored, documented, and mitigated.

• Act as the primary point of contact for all questions, challenges, and decisions during the SOC 2 audit process.

• Collaborate closely with key stakeholders across IT, engineering, legal, and compliance teams to ensure alignment with security objectives and SOC 2 requirements.

• Provide strategic direction on data security, privacy, and incident management practices, ensuring adherence to industry standards.

• Educate and train internal teams on best practices for security, compliance, and audit readiness.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Proven experience as a CISO, with a strong track record of successfully leading organizations through SOC 2 audits (Type 1 and Type 2) and other security compliance initiatives (e.g., ISO 27001, HIPAA, NIST CSF, PCI-DSS).

• Deep understanding of SOC 2 criteria and the full audit cycle, including controls design, documentation, and evidence gathering.

• Strong expertise in information security management, risk management, data privacy, and cloud security with a focus on SaaS environments.

• Experience in building and managing security frameworks and leading organizations through compliance assessments and audits.

• Knowledge of best practices for vulnerability management, incident response, third-party risk management, and continuous monitoring.

• Familiarity with NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) and its application in SaaS environments.

• Hands-on experience in developing security policies, risk assessments, data protection practices, and operational security controls.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work cross-functionally and translate technical security concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and drive the security program across the organization.

• Previous experience in SaaS or technology-driven companies, ideally in education technology, preferred.

This is a remote contract role with a flexible work schedule, but candidates should be available for regular check-ins and milestone reviews throughout the 8-month engagement. If you have the experience to lead an organization through a successful SOC 2 audit and possess the expertise required to drive security and compliance in a fast-paced tech environment, we encourage you to reach out today.