Head of Cyber Security

Head of Cyber Security

Location: Irvine, CA

Employment Type: Full-Time

Salary Range: $175,000 – $200,000 USD

About the Role

We are seeking a Head of Cybersecurity to define and lead the organization’s enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategy. This role is responsible for protecting critical systems, customer data, proprietary technologies, and operational infrastructure across a highly technical and regulated environment. The ideal candidate brings deep cybersecurity leadership experience, strong business acumen, and the ability to build resilient security programs that enable innovation while ensuring compliance and operational integrity.

This is a senior leadership position requiring close collaboration with executive leadership, engineering, legal, compliance, and IT teams.

What You’ll Do

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute a multi-year cybersecurity strategy aligned with business objectives and regulatory requirements
• Lead cybersecurity initiatives across cross-functional and multi-stakeholder teams
• Establish governance frameworks to assess risk, measure maturity, and track program effectiveness
• Communicate cybersecurity posture, risk, and incidents to executive leadership and external stakeholders
• Champion a security-first culture across the organization

Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management

• Own cybersecurity policies, processes, and enterprise risk management activities
• Lead cross-functional risk assessments, mitigation planning, and roadmap execution
• Ensure compliance with NIST 800-171, CMMC, and other applicable regulatory frameworks
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, Engineering, and IT to align security with operational and regulatory needs

Infrastructure & Security Architecture

• Oversee secure cloud, hybrid, and edge computing environments
• Provide leadership over the security aspects of IT infrastructure, including servers, cloud platforms, networks, and end-user systems
• Guide implementation of zero-trust architecture and advanced threat detection capabilities
• Ensure protection of systems, sensitive data, and personally identifiable information
• Oversee security for IoT devices, telemetry systems, and real-time data platforms

Security Operations & Incident Response

• Build and lead a cybersecurity team capable of 24x7x365 monitoring, detection, and response
• Define KPIs and performance metrics for security operations and vulnerability management
• Lead incident response, crisis management, root cause analysis, and remediation efforts

Culture & Enablement

• Hire, mentor, and develop a high-performing cybersecurity organization
• Establish security training and awareness programs for all employees
• Foster continuous learning, accountability, and innovation within the security team

Business Partnership

• Support business development initiatives while maintaining security integrity
• Enable secure collaboration with partners, suppliers, and external stakeholders
• Manage relationships with external security vendors and service providers

What We’re Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 10–15 years of progressive information security experience
• 5 years in a senior security leadership or management role
• Active CISSP, CISM, or equivalent professional certification
• Proven success building and scaling cybersecurity programs in complex technical environments
• Deep expertise in enterprise security technologies (SIEM, EDR, IAM, DLP, vulnerability management, etc.)
• Strong background in cloud security, DevSecOps, and infrastructure protection
• Ability to obtain a U.S. government security clearance (Top Secret)
• Exceptional communication skills, including presenting to executive leadership and boards

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree (MBA, MS in Cybersecurity, or Engineering)
• Experience in aerospace, defense, aviation, or other highly regulated industries
• Prior experience with CMMC certification or similar compliance initiatives
• Knowledge of OT/IT convergence and industrial control system security
• Experience with government contracting and security clearance processes
• Strong incident response and crisis management leadership experience