Salary For Pioneering Cybersecurity Manager

egrizzly

A pioneering manager or cyber security expert is the one that goes into a company with no cyber security program and sets up their program at it's initial state.  So typically do you all feel that the salary of these particular managers should be higher or the same?

If higher what percentage above the typical managers salary does this position normally command?  

scasc

Basically what a CISO should be doing with sub-ordinates managing the day to day tasks. CISO salaries dependent on location. Role of CISO is to establish and deliver a security program against a framework where the policies and standards map back to organisational objectives. Architecture/Design stems from the policies to create your artefacts etc.

Danielm7

I think this is how most companies start, they call it a manager and have you do everything without staff. I've been in that position. In my case I wasn't paid like a typical manager because the company didn't yet fully grasp the importance of security and was trying to check an audit box, I've seen the same from a few others I know at other companies in similar roles. 

So, should you get more for building the entire program from scratch, probably, but I haven't seen it translate that way. 

SteveLavoie

Salary is always how much you can sell yourself and how the company is ready to pay.  Should you get more... probably yes, because you have a lot of work to implement a security program. Is it worth more for them? Maybe yes, or not. However, you will get a great experience, that could benefit you for your next job. 

egrizzly

Thanks @Danielm7, @SteveLavoie, and @scasc for the comments. 

@scasc thanks.  I did not even think of it from that perspective.  I googled salary of CISO's and it was much much higher than cybersecurity manager.  Dude, I can actually go and get up to speed with the finer points of being a CISO.

Quick question for you though.  Does the CISO salary go up/down depending on the size of the company?  The company size I'm dealing with is 500 employees give or take.

E Double U

egrizzly said:

 Does the CISO salary go up/down depending on the size of the company?  

Just like any other position, salary depends on how much the company has available to spend. 

scasc

egrizzly said:

Thanks @Danielm7, @SteveLavoie, and @scasc for the comments. 

@scasc thanks.  I did not even think of it from that perspective.  I googled salary of CISO's and it was much much higher than cybersecurity manager.  Dude, I can actually go and get up to speed with the finer points of being a CISO.

Quick question for you though.  Does the CISO salary go up/down depending on the size of the company?  The company size I'm dealing with is 500 employees give or take.

No worries. This type of work is either performed by a CISO in a massive company where there needs to be interaction with other C Level individuals (such as CISO reporting to COO/CFO etc depending on governance model) or in smaller companies by a head of security where the role is to determine gaps to current program, define TOM and roadmap to remediate based on priorities/risk. 

No reason why you can’t aim for the coveted CISO roles. Comes with experience and solid achievements in this area but go for it. 

Salaries wise as mentioned above all depends on location, sector, cash richness of company etc. Check out Glassdoor for example.