Cyber Security Programme Manager
Contract
Location: Remote / Hybrid (London-based gaming studio)
Contract Length: 9-18 months
Start Date: ASAP
Rate: Senior Day Rate (Outside IR35 where applicable)
About the Role
Our client, a leading gaming organisation, is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Cyber Security Programme Manager to lead a complex portfolio of security initiatives following a recent merger and acquisition. The acquired company has a distinctly different technology estate and security maturity level, requiring a senior leader who can manage multi‑stream integration, uplift programmes, and alignment with Private Equity and VC post‑acquisition expectations.
The ideal candidate is a seasoned security leader who excels at overseeing complex, cross‑functional transformation programmes, communicating with executive boards and investors, and driving security maturity uplift across diverse environments.
Key Responsibilities
Programme Leadership & Portfolio Oversight
- Lead and govern a portfolio of cyber security projects spanning network security, DevSecOps, cloud security, IAM, vulnerability management, monitoring, and compliance.
- Establish programme governance frameworks, steering committees, reporting cadences, and KPI/KRI tracking.
- Ensure seamless integration of cyber controls across both the parent and acquired technology estates.
- Prioritise initiatives based on risk, business value, regulatory requirements, and investment mandates.
Post‑M&A Cyber Uplift & Integration Management
- Conduct deep‑dive assessments of both security environments to identify gaps, misalignments, and opportunities for consolidation.
- Develop and execute a multi‑phase security integration roadmap aligned to PE/VC post‑acquisition value creation plans.
- Lead due diligence follow‑up activities, remediation planning, and standardisation of tooling, governance, and operating models.
- Oversee integration of security controls, policies, and technologies across the combined organisation.
Executive, Board & Investor Engagement
- Prepare and deliver high‑quality executive reporting, dashboards, and board‑level presentations.
- Communicate security posture, risks, and programme progress to C‑suite, investors, and external stakeholders.
- Translate complex technical details into commercial and risk‑aligned outcomes suitable for PE/VC audiences.
- Partner with investment stakeholders to ensure the programme supports valuation, compliance, and exit‑readiness objectives.
Risk Management, Governance & Compliance
- Maintain a security risk register, ensure appropriate ownership, and oversee mitigation planning.
- Guarantee alignment with regulatory and industry frameworks (e.g. ISO 27001, NIST CSF, CIS, GDPR).
- Lead audits, internal assessments, and third‑party security reviews as part of the M&A and investment lifecycle.
- Ensure unified policies, standards, and governance structures across the merged entities.
Cross‑Functional Coordination & Stakeholder Management
- Collaborate with engineering, infrastructure, cloud, product, legal, and operations teams to deliver programme outcomes.
- Manage internal teams, contractor resources, and external vendors.
- Provide leadership, guidance, and structure to security engineering streams working on the integration.
- Identify blockers early, escalate when necessary, and ensure on‑time delivery of critical initiatives.
Change Management & Organisational Alignment
- Champion a security‑first culture across both organisations.
- Drive operating model changes, process alignment, and the adoption of unified security practices.
- Ensure continuity of security operations during transformation and consolidation activities.
Experience & Skills
Essential
- 10+ years' experience in cyber security programme or portfolio management in complex, multi‑site organisations.
- Proven experience managing post‑M&A cyber security integrations.
- Direct exposure to Private Equity and Venture Capital stakeholders, including formal reporting and meeting participation.
- Demonstrable experience running large-scale cyber portfolios with multiple concurrent workstreams.
- Strong understanding of security domains:
- Cloud & infrastructure security
- Network security
- IAM & PAM
- DevSecOps / secure engineering
- Vulnerability management
- Incident response & SOC uplift
- GRC frameworks
- Experience delivering transformation in environments with mixed technology maturity.
- Exceptional communication skills with the ability to influence C‑suite and investors.
- Strong governance, planning, RAID management, and executive reporting capabilities.
Desirable
- Experience working in gaming, digital entertainment, or high‑availability tech organisations.
- Experience delivering cyber uplift in PE‑owned companies undergoing rapid scale, integration, or value creation cycles.
- Relevant certifications:
- CISSP, CISM
- PMP, MSP, PRINCE2
- CGEIT or equivalent
- Understanding of the investment lifecycle, including due diligence, integration, value creation, and exit planning.
GCS is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.
Cyber Security Program Manager
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