Fractional CISO - M&A Due Diligence

Fractional CISO – M&A Due Diligence

Location: Remote Type: Contract / Hourly (Part-Time or As-Needed Basis)

Reports To: Head of M&A / Corporate Development / CISO

Role Overview:

We are seeking a seasoned Security Consultant to support cybersecurity due diligence for mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments. This remote, hourly-paid role involves assessing the security posture of target companies, identifying critical risks, and advising on remediation and post-close integration planning. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, technically strong, and comfortable working independently with minimal oversight.

Key Responsibilities:

Perform security due diligence assessments for M&A targets across various industries and maturity levels.

Review and evaluate:

• Security policies, procedures, and governance frameworks
• Infrastructure and network architecture (cloud/on-prem/hybrid)
• Application and cloud security posture (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Identity and access management (IAM) practices
• Data protection and encryption strategies
• Vulnerability management and incident response capabilities
• Compliance with standards such as ISO 27001, SOC 2, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, etc.
• Analyze provided documentation: network diagrams, risk assessments, audit reports, penetration test results, and security controls inventories.
• Conduct interviews with key personnel (security, IT, DevOps, GRC, etc.) to validate practices and identify risks.
• Provide concise written deliverables, including: Detailed security diligence reports Risk register with severity ratings and business impact 30/60/90/180-day remediation plans
• Collaborate with legal, technical, and integration teams to support informed decision-making. Work flexibly based on diligence timelines and deal schedules.

Required Qualifications:

15+ years of experience in cybersecurity or information security, with 2+ years in security due diligence or third-party risk assessments. Strong working knowledge of security frameworks: NIST CSF, ISO 27001, CIS Controls, SOC 2. Familiarity with securing cloud-native and SaaS environments. Ability to assess security risk holistically across technical, organizational, and compliance domains. Excellent written communication skills; able to summarize complex findings in an executive-friendly format. Self-starter comfortable with ambiguity and fast-paced deal environments.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience in a consulting, private equity, venture capital, or corporate M&A environment. Certifications such as CISSP, CISA, CISM, CCSP, or OSCP. Prior work with high-growth startups or tech/SaaS companies. Experience using security assessment tools (e.g., Nessus, Qualys, Burp, Wiz, etc.) is a plus.