Director of Cyber Risk Consulting

PURPOSE   

The Director of Cyber Risk Consulting role is responsible for growing and leading a team of cybersecurity experts who continually and strategically improve cybersecurity maturity of Ascend’s clients across diverse industries and technologies. This role oversees the development, execution, and innovation of vCISO and Security Awareness services to ensure effective governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) consulting, cybersecurity framework alignment, risk assessments, and security awareness and phishing simulation programs. The Director demonstrates the effectiveness of the team through key performance indicators (KPIs), team development and retention, and client satisfaction.  
 

RESPONSIBILITIES   

• Supervise and develop a team of vCISOs, GRC Consultants, and Security Awareness Consultants, providing ongoing coaching, mentorship, professional development, and performance feedback to foster a high-performing team  

• Track and report on key performance indicators (KPIs), contractual requirements, client satisfaction, and team member satisfaction to measure the effectiveness of risk consulting services 

• Continually develop and enhance service delivery strategies to ensure alignment with evolving cybersecurity standards, regulations, and emerging threats 

• Lead initiatives to improve service effectiveness through service onboarding/offboarding, quality assurance initiatives, and tool/process migrations, integrations, and automation 

• Serve as an escalation point for issue scoping and resolution of risk consulting services 

• Collaborate with key stakeholders to support service marketing and sales enablement  

• Provide direct cyber risk consulting services for select, strategic clients to develop and execute cybersecurity strategies 

• Maintain, develop, and document service runbooks for consistent, high-quality risk consulting services ensuring regular updates to reflect industry best practices and latest standards 

• Other duties as assigned 

MINIMUM SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE   

• One or more of the following certifications: CISSP, CISA, CISM, or equivalent 

• At least 7 years’ experience working as a CISO/vCISO 

• At least 7 years’ experience preparing for compliance audits including one or more of the following SOC2, CMMC, FDIC, HITRUST, PCI DSS, etc. 

• At least 7 years’ experience in conducting assessments and risk remediation strategies that align with industry best practices such as NIST CSF, CIS Controls, NIST 800-171, ISO/IEC 27000 series, HIPAA Security Role, etc. 

• At least 3 years’ experience consulting for cybersecurity services for an MSP/MSSP 

• Demonstrable track record of accomplishment and success.  

• Excellent problem solving, communication and team building skills.  

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.  

• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.  

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.  

• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.  

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.  

• Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.  

• Strong and proven leadership skills and experience.  

• Ability to shift gears and tackle high priority issues.  

PREFERRED SKILLS, EDUCATION OR EXPERIENCE 

• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity or IT related field 

• Experience in maturing cybersecurity programs for HIPAA regulated entities 

• Ensuring continuity of cybersecurity services during mergers and acquisitions  
   

Compensation starting at $155k annually

At Ascend Technologies we firmly believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are not only fundamental values but also powerful drivers of innovation, growth, and success. We are committed to fostering an environment where every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered.  

CORE VALUES  

We are seeking highly motivated individuals who have the willingness and ability to demonstrate Ascend core values:    

• Committed to Client Success: Our actions and our words always align with the best interest of the client.  

• One Team: We work collaboratively to overcome challenges with humility and respect and do what it takes to find innovative solutions.  

• Integrity: We are unquestionably committed to doing the right thing even when it is hard.  

• Accountability: We hold ourselves and each other accountable for keeping our commitments to our clients, our communities, and one another.  

• Transparency: We create open lines of communication with each other and our clients, fostering relationships founded on candor and trust.  

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:   

Must be able to sit, stand, and bend for the duration of shift. The position is mainly sitting, with occasional lifting up to 50 lbs, such as laptop, server equipment, and, driving to the work site to meet with client(s).