Head of Information Security

About the role

The Ministry of Innovation and National Development (MIND), through its Department of Information Communication and Technology (DICT), is seeking an accomplished Head of Information Security to establish and lead a dedicated Information Security Department. The role strengthens cybersecurity governance, risk management and resilience across the Government of The Bahamas, and serves as principal adviser to DICT and Government on information security and cyber risk.

Key responsibilities

• Establish and lead the Information Security Department, including its structure, staffing, budget, policies, processes and operational capabilities.
• Develop and implement an annual Government Cybersecurity Strategy and coordinate cybersecurity initiatives across ministries, departments and agencies.
• Set up and maintain an ISMS aligned with ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and lead the Department through certification of the agreed initial scope.
• Develop policies, standards, risk management frameworks and compliance requirements for government systems, projects and suppliers.
• Oversee threat monitoring, vulnerability management, incident response and cyber resilience, working with the National Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT-BS).
• Define security requirements for cloud infrastructure, networks, applications, endpoints and digital platforms.
• Strengthen cybersecurity preparedness, recovery capabilities and operational resilience.
• Coordinate the Government Information Security Steering Committee and advise senior officials; recruit, mentor and lead cybersecurity professionals.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Information Security, Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering or a related discipline.
• At least 10 years of professional experience in information security or cybersecurity, including at least 5 years in senior leadership.
• At least one active professional certification: CISSP, CISM, CCISO or CRISC.
• Demonstrated experience establishing or leading an information security function and implementing an ISMS aligned with ISO/IEC 27001.
• Proven experience leading cybersecurity incident response, security operations and technical teams.
• Preferred: Master's degree, ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer or Lead Auditor certification, and experience in government, critical infrastructure, financial services or other regulated environments.

Required skills

• Strong knowledge of ISO/IEC 27001 and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0
• Cybersecurity governance, security architecture and enterprise risk management
• Ability to explain complex technical risks to senior executives and non-technical stakeholders