Fractional Chief Information Security Officer (fCISO)

Cybersecurity leadership embedded in your business, at the fraction you need

A Fractional Chief Information Security Officer (fCISO) provides embedded cybersecurity leadership at a cadence that suits your operations. Unlike the broader advisory model of a vCISO, an fCISO becomes a hands-on part of your business, operating as an internal security lead across governance, risk, compliance, and technical advisory.

What is the role of a fCISO?

An fCISO is typically engaged on a recurring schedule – one day a week, a few days a month – and is responsible for:

  • Leading your internal security function

  • Running governance forums and security meetings

  • Managing vendor and project security requirements

  • Supporting compliance with standards like ISO 27001, Essential Eight, NIST CSF, and SMB1001

  • Mentoring internal IT or compliance resources

  • Acting as the interface between your exec team, board, and technical teams

Unlike a consultant or auditor who drops in and out, your fCISO becomes part of the operating rhythm of your organisation — maintaining continuity, context, and accountability.

Why engage a fCISO?

You may not need (or be able to justify) a full-time security executive, but that doesn’t mean you can afford to go without leadership. An fCISO model gives you deep, recurring involvement and business context – ideal for navigating security obligations, managing sensitive data, responding to audit demands, or preparing for certification.

An fCISO builds and runs the security function from the inside, balancing strategic and operational responsibilities in a way that external-only models can’t.

Why your fCISO should not be your MSP or MSSP

When your fCISO comes from your MSP or MSSP, you’re asking one party to both build and audit the house – with no independent oversight. This creates a structural conflict of interest:

  • Your provider is unlikely to surface their own misconfigurations or blind spots

  • Risk assessments may be filtered to suit contractual performance metrics

  • Recommendations may lean toward tools and services that benefit the provider, not the business

  • You lose the internal advocacy and objectivity that a true fCISO delivers

Security leadership should never be downstream of service delivery. A true fCISO reports to your business leadership, not to your helpdesk.

Benefits of an fCISO model

  • Continuity and context: Security leadership that knows your business

  • Resource leverage: Scales your internal team’s capabilities

  • Embedded leadership: Direct participation in internal workflows

  • Hands-on execution: More than advice — execution and accountability

  • Budget-friendly expertise: High-skill contribution, limited hours

Designed for growing and mid-sized organisations

You don’t need to be a large enterprise to justify a security leader. The fCISO model is purpose-built for businesses that need ongoing security expertise – but not full-time — and want someone who understands the operational reality of small and mid-market organisations.

Looking for embedded, independent cybersecurity leadership?

If your business needs a security lead who’s part of your team – not part of your provider’s sales pipeline – let’s talk. Our fCISO services give you hands-on leadership and strategic clarity without compromise.