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Full-time, on-site security leadership for 3-12 month assignments. Respond to breaches, achieve compliance, drive security programmes. Not part-time consulting.
An Interim CISO is a full-time Chief Information Security Officer hired for a fixed period—typically 3-12 months. They work exclusively for your organisation during critical security periods: breaches, compliance deadlines, leadership gaps, or major security programme buildouts.
This is NOT part-time consulting or fractional work. Interim CISOs are in your office 5 days a week, leading your security team, responding to incidents, managing audits, and driving security initiatives—just like a permanent hire, but for a defined period.
Based on 5-day weeks. Crisis response (active breaches) may command premium rates. Rates typically decrease for longer assignments (6+ months).
Active breach or incident requiring full-time crisis management and remediation.
Your CISO has left and you need immediate security leadership while recruiting.
Major compliance requirements (SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS) with tight deadlines.
Complete overhaul of security programme requiring dedicated leadership.
Preparing for acquisition or investment with intensive security scrutiny.
Rebuilding security posture after a significant incident.
Active security breach or recent incident. Need immediate crisis leadership: forensics coordination, stakeholder communication, ICO reporting, remediation planning. High pressure. 3-6 months.
Achieving SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, or regulatory compliance with tight deadline. Requires dedicated focus to implement controls, manage audits, achieve certification. 4-9 months.
Your CISO departed. You need immediate security leadership while recruiting. Interim maintains security posture, leads team, manages vendors and tools. 3-6 months.
Building security function from scratch or major uplift. Hiring team, selecting tools, implementing processes, establishing governance. 6-12 months.
Preparing for acquisition, IPO, or major investment. Security needs to pass due diligence scrutiny. Intensive remediation and documentation. 4-6 months.
Most Interim CISOs have 15-25 years of security experience. You do not start your career as an interim—you transition into it after building deep expertise, especially in high-pressure situations.
Most interim CISOs work 8-10 months per year across 2-3 assignments. Between assignments they do security advisory work, penetration testing reviews, or board advisor roles.
| Feature | Interim CISO | Fractional CISO | Full-Time CISO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commitment | Full-time (temporary) | 1-3 days/week | Full-time (permanent) |
| Duration | 3-12 months | Ongoing (6+ months typical) | Permanent |
| Cost | £8,000-£12,000/week | £3,000-£6,000/week | £150,000-£250,000/year + benefits |
| Focus | Gap-fill or transformation | Strategic + operational | All responsibilities |
| Flexibility | Fixed term contract | Scale up/down as needed | Limited flexibility |
| Best For | Leadership gaps, major transitions | Growing companies, specific expertise needs | Large orgs with full-time need |
Tell us about your situation. We'll help you determine if you need a full-time interim or part-time fractional CISO—and connect you with the right person.