Cybersecurity Leadership Competency Model

Most organizations struggle to articulate expectations for a cybersecurity leader.

My Competency Model is a framework that defines the skills, behaviors, and decision-making abilities required for effective cybersecurity leaders — especially CISOs, ISOs, CSOs, BISOs, and Deputy CISOs.

It's a structured blueprint showing what should a “good” cybersecurity leader look like. This helps:

  • HR and recruiters know what to evaluate,
  • executives understand what the role actually requires,
  • candidates know what competencies they should develop.

I use seven domains based on the following anchors:

  • CISSP (ISC2): for security and risk management
  • CISA (ISACA): for governance, risk, and control evaluation
  • NIST NICE: for eadership, oversight & governance roles

where each is structure to show knowledge,skills and abilities (KSA).

The domains

  1. Strategic governance and risk leadership
  2. Cybersecurity program and operating model leadership
  3. Technical and architectural oversight
  4. Assurance, compliance, and audit engagement
  5. Human, culture, and stakeholder leadership
  6. Crisis, resilience, and incident leadership
  7. Continuous improvement, innovation, and learning

Contact me if you want to know more.