A Day in the Life of the Head of Information Security

Head of Information Security 240x160Moving into a senior position in your auditing company or the auditing division of your company takes commitment and dedication. Information security jobs are becoming more popular and roles in this sector are highly sought after. They carry a high level of responsibility and confidentiality issues are rife but moving into the IT Security sector can be highly rewarding. The role of Head of Information Security at any company is an important one and carries a wide range of responsibilities.

 

Responsibilities of the Head of Information Security

Finding an information security job is the first step towards a rewarding career in the sector. Becoming Head of Information Security means your responsibilities increase and may include:

  • Developing, planning and controlling the financial and operational goals of your company. Managing these goals through other team members and delegating work as necessary
  • Providing leadership, coaching and support for the other senior information security staff
  • Developing policies and procedures regarding the company’s information security operations
  • Developing strategies to limit the impact of viruses, phishing and other web-based threats to security
  • Working with the legal and compliance departments to ensure their information security processes are in line with the rest of the business
  • Ensure proper data and information security training is given to all employees who require it

A Day in the Life

The Head of Information Security is blessed with a job that changes daily. The aim of their role is to ensure the company’s information, in all its forms, is protected securely and that business can run smoothly. Information security goes beyond simply IT or computer security and also involves information assurance and maintaining data across the company.

The Head of Information Security can delegate a large amount of the day to day work to be carried out by information security officers. The role of the Head of Security is to ensure all information security tasks are completed without error and that all team members are completing their assigned tasks to the best of their abilities.

The Head of Information Security will spend much of their day liaising with other departments to ensure all controls in place are being adhered to, but at any time the day can be disrupted by a breach of security or a risk that needs to be further analysed and investigated. When there is evidence of a breach the Head of Information Security is essentially at the heart of all activity, as it’s their department which has to find and fix any security breaches.

The role of the Head of Information Security isn’t all about troubleshooting. There is a definite need to remain constantly up to date with any new viruses, IT issues and concerns even if they’re not directly related to your industry. Continuing professional development cannot be underestimated in this sector and ensuring you’re up to date with all the latest trends and changes in the IT sector may help you get that promotion to head of department sooner rather than later.

Information security jobs aren’t necessarily the most frequently advertised IT or IT audit roles but it’s a fascinating and challenging sector to work in that would suit many risk analysts looking for a change.

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