Cybersecurity
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About the Role
A leading university in Riyadh is seeking a Director of Cybersecurity (CISO-level) to lead cybersecurity strategy, governance, and risk management. The role requires 10+ years of cybersecurity experience with 5+ years in senior leadership, a Bachelor's degree in a related field, and proficiency in English and Arabic.
Key Skills for This Role
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy aligned with university vision and regulatory frameworks
- Establish and oversee cybersecurity governance frameworks, policies, standards, and compliance programs
- Lead enterprise cyber risk management including risk identification, assessment, mitigation, and executive reporting
- Direct incident response, crisis management, and business continuity at an institutional level
- Oversee Security Operations (SOC), threat intelligence, vulnerability management, and protection of critical infrastructure
- Ensure full compliance with regulatory cybersecurity requirements and audit requirements
- Lead secure digital transformation initiatives including cloud security, IAM, and zero trust architecture
- Build and lead high performing cybersecurity teams, manage vendors, contracts, and programs
- Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders and foster a culture of cybersecurity awareness
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Information Security, Computer Science, IT, or related field from a globally recognized institution
- 10+ years of experience in cybersecurity or information security
- 5+ years in a senior leadership role (CISO, Head of Cybersecurity, or Director of Information Security)
- Proven experience in regulated environments (government, higher education, or large scale enterprise)
- Strong skills in cybersecurity governance, enterprise risk management, incident response leadership, and compliance
- Hands on understanding of SIEM, SOC operations, IDS/IPS, EDR, and cloud security solutions
- Professional proficiency in English and Arabic
Full Job Posting
Position Overview
- A leading university in Riyadh is seeking a Director of Cybersecurity to lead and govern the institution's cybersecurity strategy, risk posture, and digital trust ecosystem at a strategic (CISO level) level.
- The role reports to Vice President / Executive Leadership.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and execute a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy aligned with the university vision, regulatory frameworks (NCA ECC, CSCC), and international frameworks (ISO 27001, NIST, COBIT).
- Establish and oversee cybersecurity governance frameworks, policies, standards, and compliance programs across the institution.
- Lead enterprise cyber risk management — risk identification, assessment, mitigation, and executive reporting.
- Direct incident response (IR), crisis management, and business continuity (BCP/DR) at an institutional level.
- Oversee Security Operations (SOC), threat intelligence, vulnerability management, and protection of critical infrastructure and data assets.
- Ensure full compliance with regulatory cybersecurity requirements and audit requirements (internal and external).
- Lead secure digital transformation initiatives, including cloud security, identity and access management (IAM), and zero trust architecture.
- Build and lead high performing cybersecurity teams, while managing vendors, contracts, and programs.
- Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders and foster a culture of cybersecurity awareness across academic and administrative units.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Information Security, Computer Science, IT, or related field from a globally recognized institution (QS or Times ranked preferred); Master's strongly preferred.
- 10+ years of experience in cybersecurity or information security, with 5+ years in a senior leadership role (CISO, Head of Cybersecurity, or Director of Information Security).
- Proven experience in regulated environments (government, higher education, or large scale enterprise organizations).
- Strong skills in cybersecurity governance, enterprise risk management, incident response leadership, and compliance.
- Hands on understanding of SIEM, SOC operations, IDS/IPS, EDR, and cloud security solutions.
- Professional proficiency in English and Arabic.
- Demonstrated impact in risk reduction, compliance improvement, or cybersecurity maturity advancement.
Preferred
- Industry certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, or equivalent.
- Experience in higher education, research institutions, or government digital transformation programs.
- Knowledge of emerging threats, threat intelligence, and APT landscapes.
- Experience with Zero Trust Architecture, Identity Governance, and cloud security frameworks.
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