Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Job Description

CAIS is the pioneer in democratizing access to and education about alternative investments and structured products for independent financial advisors, empowering them to engage and transact with leading asset managers and bank issuers on a massive scale through a wide variety of alternative investment products and technology solutions. CAIS provides financial advisors with a broad selection of alternative investment strategies, including hedge funds, private equity, private credit, real estate, digital assets, and capital market solutions including structured notes, market-linked CDs, and hedging strategies for concentrated stock positions. CAIS also delivers industry-leading technology, operational efficiency, and world-class client service throughout the pre-trade, trade, and post-trade experience. CAIS supports over 50,000 advisors who oversee more than $6 trillion in network assets.

CAIS is seeking a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) who pairs deep technical expertise with strategic vision to lead the firm’s cybersecurity program and Operational Risk Management practices. This role will drive security strategy—including AI security strategy—mitigate risks, ensure regulatory compliance, and protect critical financial assets and client data. The CISO will oversee all cybersecurity and operational risk functions while remaining hands-on with architecture, tooling, and incident response, and will ensure third-party and vendor security align with the firm’s risk management framework.

Responsibilities

• Cybersecurity Leadership: Develop and execute a comprehensive security strategy aligned with industry standards (NIST, ISO 27001, CIS Controls) to safeguard sensitive financial data.
• Risk Management & Threat Intelligence: Continuously assess cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and implement proactive security measures.
• Operational Risk Oversight: Lead the firm’s operational risk management framework, including identification, assessment, and mitigation of operational risks across business processes, technology systems, and third-party relationships.
• Regulatory Compliance & Audit: Ensure compliance with financial industry regulations (SEC, FINRA, SOC 2), managing audits and certifications.
• Third-Party & Vendor Security: Evaluate and manage security risks associated with external partners, vendors, and cloud service providers, ensuring compliance with cybersecurity policies.
• Incident Response & Crisis Management: Lead the firm’s response to security incidents, breaches, and fraud, ensuring swift resolution and recovery.
• Technology & Infrastructure Security: Lead secure architecture design, cloud security, endpoint protection, and network security—personally engaging in design reviews, tooling evaluations, and technical decision-making.
• AI Security Strategy: Develop and implement security policies and governance frameworks for AI and machine learning systems, ensuring responsible AI deployment, data integrity, model security, and compliance with emerging AI regulations.
• Cybersecurity Operations: Direct and actively participate in day-to-day cybersecurity functions, including security monitoring, threat hunting, vulnerability management, and detection engineering.
• Data Protection & Privacy: Implement robust encryption standards, access controls, and data governance policies.
• Leadership & Collaboration: Partner with executive leadership, IT teams, and external stakeholders to align security initiatives with business objectives.
• Employee Education & Awareness: Develop security training programs and promote a culture of cybersecurity across the organization.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in financial services cybersecurity or a regulated industry.
• Experience in information security leadership roles with a strong hands-on technical background (e.g., security engineering, penetration testing, cloud security architecture, or incident response).
• Expertise in risk management, operational risk frameworks, vendor security, cloud security, and encryption protocols.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory compliance frameworks affecting financial institutions.
• Experience developing AI security strategies, governance frameworks, and risk assessments for AI/ML systems.
• CISSP, CISM, or CISA certifications preferred.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with an ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• A leader who thrives at the intersection of strategy and execution—equally comfortable presenting to the Board and working through a security incident hands-on.

CAIS is consistently recognized as a Best Place to Work, and our culture is at the heart of our success. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where employees can be their most authentic selves and feel inspired and supported to bring their voice forward to drive community, growth, and innovation. We are an equal opportunity employer, and do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law.  Learn more about our culture, benefits, and people at https://www.caisgroup.com/our-company/careers.

CAIS’ compensation package includes a market competitive salary, a performance bonus, and exceptional benefits. If you are located in New York, New York, the base salary range for this role is $270,000 - $320,000. Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific office location.

CAIS offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes generously subsidized healthcare with 100% employer paid dental and vision insurance, an employer matched retirement plan, wellness programs, and generous PTO and parental leave. Additionally, CAIS offers a flexible, hybrid in-office model; for most roles, we do require a minimum of 3 days in office per week.  For more information on our benefits and career opportunities, please visit our website: https://www.caisgroup.com/our-company/careers.

We use technology, including AI tools, to support parts of our recruitment process such as application screening, interview scheduling, and candidate communications. These tools are used to improve efficiency and consistency, but they do not replace human judgement. All hiring decisions are made by people, and we are committed to fair and unbiased assessment of every candidate.