Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

About the role

The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) will lead Absa Bank Tanzania’s information security programme, protecting digital assets, data and technology infrastructure from internal and external threats. Reporting to senior executive leadership, the CISO aligns security initiatives with business goals, regulatory requirements and the bank’s digital transformation agenda.

Key responsibilities

• Develop, implement and execute an enterprise‑wide information security strategy aligned with business objectives.
• Advise the board and executive team on emerging cyber threats, trends and compliance obligations.
• Identify, assess and mitigate cyber and technology risks across all business units, maintaining a robust risk‑management framework.
• Define, enforce and monitor security policies, standards and procedures to ensure compliance with ISO 27001, GDPR, NIST and other relevant regulations.
• Lead the incident response programme, overseeing detection, containment, remediation and post‑incident analysis.
• Design and maintain disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
• Oversee the architecture and operation of secure systems, networks and cloud environments.

Required profile

• Proven senior leadership experience in information security or cybersecurity within a large, regulated organization.
• Deep understanding of risk management frameworks and regulatory standards (ISO 27001, GDPR, NIST).
• Ability to communicate security risks and strategies to executive and board audiences.
• Track record of building a security‑aware culture across diverse business units.

Required skills

• ISO 27001
• GDPR
• NIST framework