Chief Information Security Officer

CDH Professionals Inc; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 165,000 - 248,000; Part time

Job summary

CDH Professionals Inc. seeks an experienced Freelance Interim CISO to provide strategic security leadership during a 6‑month transitional period. You will own the information security strategy, governance, and day-to-day operations, leading a team and partnering with senior leadership across the organisation.

You will drive security maturity, oversee risk and compliance, and ensure reporting to executives while enabling business objectives. Immediate start and Amsterdam on-site work are required.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in information security with leadership experience.
• Proven track record building and growing security teams.
• Strong knowledge of governance, risk, and compliance frameworks.
• Experience reporting to executives and senior stakeholders.
• On-site Amsterdam availability 24–32 hours weekly.
• Exposure to OT, medical tech, or critical infrastructure environments.
• Certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CRISC or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to the Information Security team.
• Develop and execute a strategic information security roadmap.
• Oversee governance, risk management, and internal audits.
• Collaborate with IT and operations to mature security controls.
• Report security posture to senior management and stakeholders.
• Lead incident preparedness and business continuity exercises.
• Support hiring and onboarding of security staff.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and reporting.

Skills

Security leadership

Team development

Executive stakeholder engagement

Security strategy

Governance, risk & compliance

Regulatory awareness

Education

CISSP/CISM/CRISC or equivalent

Bachelor's degree in Information Security

Tools

None

Job description

A client of ours is seeking an experienced Freelance Interim CISO to provide strategic security leadership and operational oversight during a transitional period.

Hours: 32 hours per week

Duration: 6 months

Start Date: ASAP

About the Role:

As Interim CISO, you will take ownership of the organisation's information security strategy, governance, and day-to-day security operations. You will play a key role in ensuring the continued effectiveness of the security programme while supporting business objectives and regulatory requirements.

You will manage a team of Information Security professionals, partner with senior leadership, and act as the primary point of contact for information security across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and direction to the Information Security team.
• Support the growth of the security function, including hiring and onboarding new team members.
• Maintain compliance with relevant security standards, regulations, and industry best practices.
• Oversee security governance, risk management, and internal audit activities.
• Ensure effective reporting to senior management and key stakeholders.
• Lead security incident preparedness and resilience initiatives.
• Coordinate crisis management and business continuity exercises.
• Drive continuous improvement across security processes, controls, and frameworks.
• Work closely with IT, operational teams, and business stakeholders to enhance security maturity.
• Develop and maintain a strategic information security roadmap.
• Ensure a smooth knowledge transfer and handover at the conclusion of the engagement.

Required Experience:

• 10+ years of experience within Information Security, including leadership-level positions.
• Demonstrable experience leading and developing security teams.
• Strong knowledge of information security frameworks, governance, risk, and compliance.
• Experience engaging with executive leadership and senior stakeholders.
• Proven track record of delivering security initiatives within complex environments.
• Availability to work on-site in Amsterdam for 24-32 hours per week.
• Exposure to operational technology (OT), medical technology, or critical infrastructure environments.
• Professional certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CRISC, or equivalent.
• Experience balancing strategic security objectives with operational delivery.