Discover what a fractional CISO is and the services they provide. Explore the advantages of hiring them and how to hire one through Go Fractional.
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Unlock executive level IT leaders without the overhead. Transform your team with pre-vetted, industry leading CISOs in as little as 3 days.
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Hire a fractional CISO to secure your IT infrastructure and manage cybersecurity risks—at a fraction of the cost of a full-time CISO.
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Nathan Keeter Trader Joe's
Dimension Data
City of Hope
Expert in IT & Cybersecurity with 30+ years experience offering Fractional CISO/CTO services for startups, excelling in system management.
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VGS
Arizona Auditor General
Healthcare compliance expert, excelling in privacy, cybersecurity, AI, and fractional risk management strategies.
Hire Channin GladdenSteve Cooke Chewy
HomeServe EMEA
HomeServe USA
Experienced IT executive with proven abilities in fractional IT strategies. Expertise in infrastructure, security, and cloud computing.
Hire Steve CookeDaniel Gerow WayfairAtWork
Nuance Communications
dataxu
Experienced Cloud Executive and Mentor with robust knowledge in fractional tech solutions, software development, and client relations.
Hire Daniel GerowLuke Whitesides Epic
University of Virginia
Teladoc Health
Senior Product Manager at Teladoc, expert in fractional agile methods & telehealth solutions for enterprise customers.
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What is a Fractional CISO?
A fractional CISO (chief information security officer) is an executive IT leader who provides the same services as a full-time CISO—but without the full-time salary commitment. Instead, fractional CISOs work with organizations on a part-time or contract basis. So they can tackle specific projects, deliver ongoing expertise, and scale their involvement as needed.What does a Fractional CISO do?
Just like full-time CISOs, fractional CISOs can:
Develop robust cybersecurity strategies
These experienced executives can build out and optimize your current security plan, and work with other leaders to make sure these strategies align with overall business goals.
Assess cybersecurity risks
They can identify blind spots in information security and take actions to mitigate risks ahead of time.
Manage cybersecurity budgets
As IT leaders, fractional CISOs can help streamline costs and better allocate resources to boost security without breaking the bank.
Improve compliance
Fractional CISOs can help organizations meet specific regulations and keep their systems updated to maintain compliance.
Prepare for mergers and acquisitions
When it’s time to integrate two different tech stacks, fractional CISOs can take charge, creating an inventory of new assets and monitoring risks for a smooth and seamless process.
Lead security awareness training
Fractional CISOs can train teams on topics like phishing awareness, authentication, and data privacy to improve cybersecurity across the organization.
Build vendor relationships
Pulling from their vast networks, fractional CISOs can take the initiative to communicate with security vendors and determine if they’re the right fit.
The benefits of hiring a Fractional CISO
Fractional CISOs are ready to provide on-demand IT leadership and quickly make an impact. By hiring a fractional CISO, you can access:
Cost Savings
Gain executive-level guidance without having to pay annual salaries, benefits, bonuses, stock options, and relocation fees. So you can put more money towards growing your business.
Diverse Experience
Fractional CISOs come with a broad range of experience from working with companies across industries and verticals. And they’re ready to apply that experience to new challenges and opportunities.
Flexibility
Let your fractional CISO know exactly what you need, and bring them on board to start working right away. Looking for different services as your company evolves? Scale their involvement up or down based on your seasonal changes or specific projects.
Fresh perspectives
As external hires, fractional CISOs can spot roadblocks and opportunities that internal teams might miss, bringing a fresh perspective to help solve strategic issues.
How to hire a Fractional CISO
No more juggling job boards and sorting through pools of unqualified applicants. Hiring a fractional CISO is easy with Go Fractional.
Here’s how it works:
Set your goals
Specify the type of candidate you need, including their industry experience, skills, and availability.
Find your match
Search our curated network of thoroughly vetted CISOs. Don’t worry, we’ve already put them through a rigorous screening process to make sure they meet the highest standards.
Hash out the details
Set up an interview or discussion with your top candidates to go over the details and ensure it’s a good fit.
Draft the proposal
We’ll take it from here. Once everyone is on board, Go Fractional will craft a detailed proposal for your fractional CISO, giving you and your stakeholders an opportunity to review it thoroughly.
Get started
Once you’ve reviewed and approved the proposal, we’ll send the contracts. And your fractional CISO can get to work.
We’ve helped hundreds of organizations Go Fractional
I worked with a Fractional Engineer to bring my MAD landscape project to life - we were able to brainstorm, design, and ultimately ship something great. To work with a trusted engineer brought confidence to the project, and positioned FirstMark to be able to scale this project in the future and into other verticals. I would highly recommend working with them if you need fractional talent.
Matt Turck
PartnerFirstMarkGo Fractional provided Mockingbird with a founder-level engineering leader that helped us out of a huge amount of tech debt, streamlining and modernizing our entire e-commerce stack
Ross Berger
VP of OperationsMockingbirdWorking with Go Fractional has been an absolute pleasure. They connected us with high-quality engineering leaders and filled the role within just 12 days of our first call. After six weeks of fractional work, he joined as our permanent VP of Engineering. Go Fractional’s speed and partnership significantly boosted our team’s productivity, and we are thrilled to have filled the position seamlessly without any gaps.
Victoria Ashton
Vice President of PeopleLobGo Fractional provided a detailed audit of our tech stack with a prioritized list of recommendations while redesigning and launching our app to a new single codebase across all platforms
Nick Kenner
CEO & FounderJust SaladHiring a fractional Head of Data Science has been transformative for our company. At just 50% of the cost of a full-time data scientist, we secured a seasoned data leader with over 12 years of experience in top startups. This strategic move has significantly enhanced our data strategy and execution. The expert leadership has instilled confidence in our data capabilities, driving measurable results for our business.
Khadija Ali
Head of Product#paidWorking with a Fractional COO was a great way to level up our operations, guide our existing team, and overall run things in a more streamlined way. We were lucky to work with someone who had seen and built the things we needed to do before, and brought a wealth of knowledge to where we wanted to go.
David Booth
CEOOnDeckPartnering with Go Fractional allowed Enertiv to bring on Nate Wylie as a fractional Head of Talent streamlining the recruitment process - saving us time and cost. Nate implemented a state-of-the-art ATS, developed customized interview kits and scorecards, and reduced the time-to-fill our roles. This swift process successfully placed top-tier talent, including a Solutions Engineer, a Growth Marketer, and an Onboarding Manager. If you’re a business looking to scale rapidly with elite talent - I strongly recommend you check out Go Fractional.
Connell McGill
Founder & CEOEnertivHiring an executive team is critical to get right. Eric as a Fractional Operator played a key role in helping me screen, interview, and generally think through building out our executive team at ChartHop. He brought an outside perspective from someone that has done it before, and I benefited from the additional horsepower.
Ian White
Founder & CEOChartHopIn just 5 months, working only 1 to 2 days a week, Matt Spangler made a significant impact at the Uniswap Foundation. He led customer research and crafted the foundation’s first-ever brand and marketing strategy. He designed the initial 2024 marketing budget, conducted a successful Marketing Director hiring search sourced from his network. Matt also launched an email marketing campaign strategy that achieved outstanding results, producing open and click rates +15% over the standard in our industry.
Raffi Sapire
COOUniswap FoundationWe had a never-ending backlog of tickets and engineers to hire. We were able to go Fractional and started knocking out tickets immediately
Chris Polk
VP of EngineeringPolyworkI worked with a Fractional Engineer to bring my MAD landscape project to life - we were able to brainstorm, design, and ultimately ship something great. To work with a trusted engineer brought confidence to the project, and positioned FirstMark to be able to scale this project in the future and into other verticals. I would highly recommend working with them if you need fractional talent.
Matt Turck
PartnerFirstMarkGo Fractional provided Mockingbird with a founder-level engineering leader that helped us out of a huge amount of tech debt, streamlining and modernizing our entire e-commerce stack
Ross Berger
VP of OperationsMockingbirdWorking with Go Fractional has been an absolute pleasure. They connected us with high-quality engineering leaders and filled the role within just 12 days of our first call. After six weeks of fractional work, he joined as our permanent VP of Engineering. Go Fractional’s speed and partnership significantly boosted our team’s productivity, and we are thrilled to have filled the position seamlessly without any gaps.
Victoria Ashton
Vice President of PeopleLobGo Fractional provided a detailed audit of our tech stack with a prioritized list of recommendations while redesigning and launching our app to a new single codebase across all platforms
Nick Kenner
CEO & FounderJust SaladHiring a fractional Head of Data Science has been transformative for our company. At just 50% of the cost of a full-time data scientist, we secured a seasoned data leader with over 12 years of experience in top startups. This strategic move has significantly enhanced our data strategy and execution. The expert leadership has instilled confidence in our data capabilities, driving measurable results for our business.
Khadija Ali
Head of Product#paidWorking with a Fractional COO was a great way to level up our operations, guide our existing team, and overall run things in a more streamlined way. We were lucky to work with someone who had seen and built the things we needed to do before, and brought a wealth of knowledge to where we wanted to go.
David Booth
CEOOnDeckPartnering with Go Fractional allowed Enertiv to bring on Nate Wylie as a fractional Head of Talent streamlining the recruitment process - saving us time and cost. Nate implemented a state-of-the-art ATS, developed customized interview kits and scorecards, and reduced the time-to-fill our roles. This swift process successfully placed top-tier talent, including a Solutions Engineer, a Growth Marketer, and an Onboarding Manager. If you’re a business looking to scale rapidly with elite talent - I strongly recommend you check out Go Fractional.
Connell McGill
Founder & CEOEnertivHiring an executive team is critical to get right. Eric as a Fractional Operator played a key role in helping me screen, interview, and generally think through building out our executive team at ChartHop. He brought an outside perspective from someone that has done it before, and I benefited from the additional horsepower.
Ian White
Founder & CEOChartHopIn just 5 months, working only 1 to 2 days a week, Matt Spangler made a significant impact at the Uniswap Foundation. He led customer research and crafted the foundation’s first-ever brand and marketing strategy. He designed the initial 2024 marketing budget, conducted a successful Marketing Director hiring search sourced from his network. Matt also launched an email marketing campaign strategy that achieved outstanding results, producing open and click rates +15% over the standard in our industry.
Raffi Sapire
COOUniswap FoundationWe had a never-ending backlog of tickets and engineers to hire. We were able to go Fractional and started knocking out tickets immediately
Chris Polk
VP of EngineeringPolyworkWhat’s the difference between a fractional CISO vs. full-time CISO?
Fractional CISOs and full-time CISO provide similar services, but there’s a big difference in how they deliver those services and engage with each organization.
Specifically, full-time and fractional CISOs differ according to their:
Go Fractional
Agency
Schedules
Fractional CISOs generally work on a part-time or contract basis
Full-time CISOs work with one organization at a time
Cost
Fractional CISOs can be hired at a much lower cost
Full-time CISOs are paid salary, benefits, and bonuses
Hiring Process
Fractional CISOs can be hired in just days
Sourcing and hiring a new full-time CISO can take months or even longer
Accessibility
Fractional CISOs can work with multiple organizations at a time and quickly step into their roles as needed
Full-time CISOs may need to be poached and fully onboarded
Flexibility
Fractional CISOs can scale their involvement for each organization’s needs
Full-time CISOs are hired to provide constant oversight and management, even when it may not be needed
When to hire a Fractional CISO
Whether you’re still building your IT operation from scratch or looking for new ways to streamline processes, there are many reasons to hire a fractional CISO.
Tell us if any of these sound familiar:
Regulation Overload
You’re having trouble keeping up with changing cybersecurity regulations, and need an experienced IT executive to update your infrastructure.
Crisis Support
You’re facing a critical cybersecurity issue and need a seasoned leader to help you navigate this process and mitigate risk.
Security Training
You’re ready to train employees on security best practices and want to bring in an expert, outside hire to get them up to speed.
Major Transition
You’re undergoing a major change, like a merger or acquisition, and want to make sure your information and assets are protected.
Trial Leadership
You’re considering hiring a full-time CISO but want to start with a trial run and see how this role fits into your organization.
When managing IT infrastructure across teams
You need an executive to manage your IT infrastructure, making sure systems are accessible, updated, and standardized across the organization.
Fractional CISO Hiring Guide
Coming Soon
Fractional CISO Interview Questions
Coming Soon
Fractional CISO Salary
Further Reading
Fractional CISO: 12 Services that Safeguard Your Company How Fractional Recruiting Can Accelerate Your Company’s Growth Fractional recruiting gives you access to exceptional talent at reduced costs. Learn how fractional talent can benefit your company and how to hire them.
What Is a Fractional Executive? 8 Benefits + How To Hire Learn about fractional executives, the different types (including fractional CEOs), the benefits of hiring one, and how to hire the best fractional executives.
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