Cybersecurity Advisor

Job Summary:

Abacus is seeking a Cybersecurity Advisor to join its cybersecurity consulting and vCISO team in the UK. This role supports a variety of clients, primarily those within the financial sector, by providing practical cybersecurity guidance, helping mature information security programs, and advising on security strategies aligned to business needs, technical environments, and relevant UK and EU regulatory expectations.

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Cybersecurity Advisor to join our world-class cybersecurity consulting (vCISO) team at Abacus Group. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of information security strategies suitable for small and mid-size businesses within the financial services sector coupled with the technical expertise to guide and advise on implementation efforts. 

Responsibilities (including but not limited to):

• Act as the primary security advisor for multiple clients, providing strategic guidance and oversight on all aspects of their cybersecurity programs.
• Develop and implement security strategies, policies, and procedures for varying client environments.
• Conduct operational risk assessments and develop risk management plans to address identified gaps and risks within complex environments.
• Design and advise on the implementation of secure architectures and solutions tailored to client needs.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, understanding their unique security challenges and providing tailored solutions.
• Collaborate with Abacus teams to translate assessment findings, penetration testing results, and technical risks into practical remediation roadmaps for clients.
• Prepare clear, client-ready documentation, including cybersecurity roadmaps, risk summaries, policy recommendations, executive updates, and remediation guidance tailored to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Support the delivery of vCISO services across multiple client environments, working with internal SMEs on complex strategic, regulatory, or technical matters as appropriate.
• Research and stay current on cybersecurity, privacy, and operational resilience requirements relevant to UK, EU, and UAE financial services clients, including FCA, UK/EU GDPR, DORA, FSRA, DFSA, and other client-specific regulatory frameworks.
• Serving as the designed Cloud Officer for vCISO clients with a requirement under CSSF.
• Occasional travel within the UK and EU to industry-specific conferences or major client meetings (less than 10% travel).

Skills:

• Proven expertise on the administration, security, and configuration of Microsoft Azure, AWS, and/or GCP.
• Proven expertise in the realm of identity and access management (IAM) leveraging solutions such as Privileged Identity Management (PIM) and conditional access policies.
• Strong attention to detail and well organized.
• Excellent verbal communication and written communication skills, especially when communicating complex concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Experience advising on or reviewing security tools and controls such as endpoint detection and response, email security, data loss prevention, vulnerability management, identity governance, security awareness, logging/monitoring, and cloud security controls.
• Highly motivated to continuously learn and grow to remain on the bleeding edge of cybersecurity best practices from both a technological and regulatory perspective.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Software Development, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.

Experience:

• 5+ years of progressive technology experience with a blend of technical knowledge and a customer-focused mindset including:
• 2+ years of technology leadership experience; demonstrated ability to recruit, mentor, coach, and develop individual contributors
• 3+ years of experience with major cloud hosting service providers, with focus on Azure or AWS
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to carry tasks and projects to completion
• Experience with AI Governance programs preferred.

Certifications:

• Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CCSP, MS-500, MS-100 or AWS Certified Security Specialty or similar.

You'll love this job if you:

• Value, integrity, and honesty above all else in a non-negotiable way
• Have a passion for the information security industry and helping people
• Capable of managing time efficiently and meeting deadlines with multiple concurrent projects
• Able to work within constraints and to challenge the status quo
• Ability to self-direct work, orient to action, and truly own the position
• Have a collaborative attitude and mindset with colleagues and team members
• Have the heart of a teacher with the ability to guide both technical and non-technical stakeholders in a collaborative way

The benefits package consists of:

•  Generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time working hours apply)
•  Gym discount
•  Life insurance
•  Comprehensive travel insurance for you and your family in line with scheme rules
•  Confidential well-being and counselling support
•  Competitive Compensation
•  Contributory pension scheme
•  Company events
• Private Medical and Dental Insurance

If you feel you have the necessary experience to go forward for this role, please apply now. We'd love to see your CV.