How long does a CISO search take?

Our median CISO search closes in 111 days. The candidate pool is small and well-mapped, which speeds source-to-shortlist, but reference depth requirements often extend the close timeline.

What is the difference between a CISO and a VP of Security?

A CISO is a C-suite peer who owns security as a board-level concern. A VP of Security runs the security organization operationally. Smaller companies combine the roles; once security becomes a strategic risk on the board agenda, you need both.

IT, Security & Risk Executive Search

Security leaders built for high-stakes strategy

Onboard resilient CISOs, Chief Risk Officers, or Heads of IT prepared to deliver rigorous, quarterly corporate oversight. Partner-led execution from intake to placement.

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85% Return Rate

4.9 out of 5 rating

108 median days to close

98% Placement Rate

The Function

IT, Security & Risk
executive search

Security moved onto the board agenda and has not left. Following the SEC's 2024 disclosure rule, 81% of public-company boards now expect quarterly security briefings, which changes what the job actually is: the CISO has to manage an incident at three in the morning and then explain it to the audit committee in the language of capital allocation. AI added attack surfaces that did not exist three years ago, from model security to training-data provenance, and the leaders who have built against them firsthand are a smaller pool than the demand suggests.

Source: ON Partners Widening Gap, 2026, Deloitte Global Cyber Executive Briefing 2025

Role in this function

The different layers of security leadership

A sample of the security seats we fill, from a company's first dedicated security executive to the CISO who answers to the board. Our partners can tell you which scope your business actually needs.

The Role

Chief Information Officer & CISO

The CIO builds the platform; the CISO defends it. They draw from different talent pools and answer different board questions, but the companies that get technology leadership right hire them as a pair, with mandates that fit together instead of overlap. We've placed both seats, from global public companies to PE-backed platforms, and we know which hire your risk actually calls for first.

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A sample of our work in this area

The Role

Vice President Positions

Whether the seat is IT, enterprise applications, or information security, this is where the platform actually gets run: the systems, the integrations, the controls, and the response when something breaks. Each draws from a distinct talent pool, and the right profile depends on what your technology leader needs lifted first. Our recent placements span all three, from enterprise applications leaders at global manufacturers to IT security heads inside software companies.

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A sample of our work in this area

Our clients

Companies trust ON Partners

In their words

What clients say after the placement.

1 / 3

“

OnPartners team was enthusiastic to work with and they quickly understood our mission, who we are as a company and what we are looking for.

Cybersecurity Product

Head of Human Resources

Common Questions

What leaders may ask before a search

When should a SaaS company hire its first CISO?

Most commonly when enterprise customers begin requiring security attestations (SOC 2, ISO 27001), when the company crosses meaningful scale, or when a board with public-market sophistication requires it. Before that, a strong VP of Security typically suffices.

What does a PE-backed CISO own?

A PE-backed CISO owns security posture across the portfolio company and increasingly across the fund's full portfolio. The role has shifted from compliance and audit toward strategic risk management, board-level reporting, and incident readiness.

Does an AI company need a different kind of CISO?

Increasingly yes. AI-native companies face emerging risk surfaces (model security, training-data provenance, AI supply chain) that traditional CISOs may not have built against. The right hire has either lived through it or has deep curiosity about it.

What's the difference between a CFO and a Chief Accounting Officer?

The CFO owns strategic finance: fundraising, board, capital allocation. The CAO owns the close, the audit, and accounting policy. In smaller companies the CFO does both; once you cross ~$50M revenue or near a public offering, you may require both.

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Hire the security leader who protects what comes next.

A conversation is all it takes to know if we're the right fit. Tell us about the role, and we'll tell you what the market looks like. You'll speak directly with the partner who would lead your search.

85% of clients search with us again

4.9 / 5 client satisfaction rating

Partner-led from kickoff to close

98% placement rate

Security leaders built for high-stakes strategy

IT, Security & Risk
executive search

The different layers of security leadership

Chief Information Officer & CISO

Vice President Positions

Meet the experts

See the same depth
in your market

Companies trust ON Partners

What clients say after the placement.

Leaders recently placed

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What leaders may ask before a search

Hire the security leader who protects what comes next.

Security leaders built for high-stakes strategy

IT, Security & Risk executive search

The different layers of security leadership

Chief Information Officer & CISO

Vice President Positions

Meet the experts

See the same depthin your market

Companies trust ON Partners

What clients say after the placement.

Leaders recently placed

CardFlight Appoints Inaugural Chief Revenue Officer

LiveOak Fiber Announces Additions to Board of Directors

StarCompliance Strengthens Executive Leadership Team with Chief Revenue Officer Appointment

ExperCARE Appoints New Chief Operating Officer

NVIDIA Appoints New Vice President, Global Events + Experiences

Avio USA Appoints New Senior Vice President, Engineering

What leaders may ask before a search

Hire the security leader who protects what comes next.

IT, Security & Risk
executive search

See the same depth
in your market