Vice President – Cybersecurity

Confidential Careers; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Careers seeks an experienced Vice President – Cybersecurity to lead enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategy, governance and risk management across a large organisation in Abu Dhabi, UAE. You will oversee security architecture, threat management, incident response and regulatory compliance to protect critical systems and information assets.

You will drive cybersecurity programs, manage SOC and third-party providers, and collaborate with regulators and authorities to ensure robust

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity or a related discipline.
• Minimum 12 years of direct cybersecurity experience, including at least 8 years in a significant leadership role.
• Professional cybersecurity certification, preferably CISSP.
• Demonstrated expertise in cybersecurity strategy, architecture, operations, governance and risk management.
• Strong knowledge of cybersecurity standards and frameworks, including ISO 27001, ISO 22301, NESA, NIST, COBIT, SOC 2, PCI DSS, GDPR, OWASP ASVS, CSA STAR.
• Experience managing third-party SOC providers, incident response and vulnerability management.
• Strong technical understanding of IT infrastructure, network security, cloud security, SD-WAN and SASE.
• Experience overseeing cybersecurity audits, including NESA and PCI DSS compliance.
• Proven experience leading cybersecurity programmes across complex environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategy, frameworks, policies and technology roadmap.
• Lead cybersecurity operations, including threat detection, prevention, incident response and recovery.
• Oversee cybersecurity architecture, infrastructure security, vulnerability assessments, penetration testing and digital forensics.
• Manage Security Operations Centre (SOC) capabilities, including third-party service providers.
• Establish and maintain cybersecurity governance, risk management and regulatory compliance frameworks.
• Oversee security audits, remediation plans and compliance with applicable national and international standards.
• Provide cybersecurity risk assessments and technical security guidance for major IT initiatives.
• Lead security architecture and controls across cloud, network and hybrid environments, including SD-WAN and SASE.
• Advise executive leadership on cybersecurity risks, emerging threats and mitigation strategies.
• Lead, develop and mentor cybersecurity teams while promoting organisation-wide security awareness.
• Collaborate with regulators, government authorities and external cybersecurity stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Cybersecurity strategy

Governance & risk

Cloud & network security

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Vice President – Cybersecurity to lead enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategy, operations, governance and risk management within a large, complex organisation.

The role will oversee cybersecurity architecture, threat management, incident response and regulatory compliance, ensuring the protection of critical systems, infrastructure and information assets.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategy, frameworks, policies and technology roadmap.
• Lead cybersecurity operations, including threat detection, prevention, incident response and recovery.
• Oversee cybersecurity architecture, infrastructure security, vulnerability assessments, penetration testing and digital forensics.
• Manage Security Operations Centre (SOC) capabilities, including third-party service providers.
• Establish and maintain cybersecurity governance, risk management and regulatory compliance frameworks.
• Oversee security audits, remediation plans and compliance with applicable national and international standards.
• Provide cybersecurity risk assessments and technical security guidance for major IT initiatives.
• Lead security architecture and controls across cloud, network and hybrid environments, including SD-WAN and SASE.
• Advise executive leadership on cybersecurity risks, emerging threats and mitigation strategies.
• Lead, develop and mentor cybersecurity teams while promoting organisation-wide security awareness.
• Collaborate with regulators, government authorities and external cybersecurity stakeholders.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity or a related discipline.
• Minimum 12 years of direct cybersecurity experience, including at least 8 years in a significant leadership role.
• Professional cybersecurity certification, preferably CISSP.
• Demonstrated expertise in cybersecurity strategy, architecture, operations, governance and risk management.
• Strong knowledge of cybersecurity standards and frameworks, including:
• ISO 27001, ISO 22301
• NESA, NIST, COBIT
• SOC 2, PCI DSS, GDPR
• OWASP ASVS, CSA STAR
• Experience managing third-party SOC providers, cybersecurity incident response and vulnerability management.
• Strong technical understanding of IT infrastructure, network security, cloud security, SD-WAN and SASE.
• Experience overseeing cybersecurity audits, including NESA and PCI DSS compliance.
• Proven experience leading cybersecurity programmes across complex environments combining legacy and modern technologies.

Desirable Qualifications & Experience

• Additional certifications such as CISM, CRISC or CISA.
• Experience in penetration testing, digital forensics, IT investigations and eDiscovery.
• Knowledge of disaster recovery, business continuity and enterprise risk management.
• Experience engaging with government regulators, law enforcement and external security authorities.
• Background in highly regulated or critical infrastructure environments.

Leadership Competencies

• Strong strategic thinking combined with hands-on technical understanding.
• Proven ability to lead large teams, transformation initiatives and external delivery partners.
• Excellent stakeholder management and executive-level communication skills.
• Ability to translate complex cybersecurity risks into clear business recommendations.
• Sound judgement, decision-making and crisis management capabilities.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to balance cybersecurity requirements with business priorities.