Find the perfect Head of Information Security in Germany in minutes from over 15,000 CVs with the power of AI.
Secure your enterprise defense, establish ISO 27001 standards, and achieve TISAX or NIS2 compliance. Our platform connects you with vetted, available freelance security leaders tailored to your specific industry requirements.
About the role
Strategic Information Security in Germany
Freelance security leaders establish robust defense mechanisms for organizations navigating complex regulatory environments. In Germany, this involves aligning corporate goals with strict data protection frameworks and local compliance mandates. These professionals bridge the gap between technical security teams and executive boards to ensure risk management is integrated into everyday operations.
Core Responsibilities and Deliverables
Experienced security leaders deliver structured frameworks that safeguard intellectual property and customer data. They take immediate control of critical security situations and build lasting organizational resilience.
- Designing and implementing comprehensive information security management systems (ISMS)
- Conducting thorough risk assessments and defining risk treatment plans
- Preparing organizations for external audits and certification processes
- Establishing incident response procedures and leading breach mitigation efforts
- Reporting directly to management boards on security posture and threat landscapes
Compliance Standards and Security Frameworks
To operate successfully in the German market, security leaders must master specific local and international standards. This includes deeply understanding ISO 27001, TISAX for the automotive sector, and BSI IT-Grundschutz for public and critical infrastructure. They also align technical architecture with DSGVO requirements to prevent costly compliance violations.
Deploying Interim Security Experts
Bringing in an external expert provides immediate relief during critical phases such as post-merger integration, rapid scale-up periods, or sudden leadership departures. Freelancers offer objective assessments of existing security maturity levels without internal bias. They guide teams through intense certification phases and hand over a functional, compliant security apparatus to permanent successors.
Meet FRATCH Heads of Information Security
Karl-Heinz Schulte
Interim Executive | Board Member for IT, Digital, AI, and Transformation
Last position:
CIO
- CIO at nutrition R&D and producer (family owned)
Strengthened IT Team, recovered IT service, reviewed and streamlined complex SAP landscape, reviewed IT security set-up, reviewed laboratory IT
Florian Schröder
Information Security Officer / IT Security Architect / Awareness Expert
Last position:
Information Security Officer / Designated InfoSec Officer at Oil Company
- Complete overhaul of the ISMS according to ISO 27001
- Conducted a comprehensive gap analysis
- Reduced ISMS documentation by 30% through consolidation and process optimization
- Introduced a full PDCA cycle for continuous improvement
- Established the ISMS within the company
- Implemented the necessary processes
- Managed and conducted internal and external audits
- Developed and implemented a company-wide risk management system
- Deployed an ISMS tool including process design and training
- KRITIS compliance: Prepared and provided required evidence, liaised with regulatory authorities, planned, documented, and implemented an attack detection system (SIEM), co-led the BCMS/ITSCM implementation subproject
- NIS-2 implementation: Gap analysis, risk assessments, training for executives and staff
- Led a cybersecurity team of 3 members
- Conducted various internal and external audits, managed providers, introduced continuous improvement
- Project consulting: closely coordinated with business and system owners, launched an online shop, a mobile app, and a customer portal
- Redesigned the security architecture, reducing administrative efforts by 20%
- Implemented ITIL processes (e.g., change management)
- Revised service agreements with internal and external providers
- Developed a security awareness strategy, ran social engineering tests, introduced and monitored phishing simulations, created various awareness materials, gave presentations
- Managed a budget of one million euros
Michael Fitschen
Managing Consultant Information Security and Data Protection
Last position:
Project Manager Implementation B3S / ISO 27001 at Health Insurance Fund
- Coordination of the B3S and ISO 27001 implementation project, considering the upcoming KRITIS evidence procedure
- Providing consulting services in ISO 27001, B3S, KRITIS, and IT baseline protection
- Collaborating with the Information Security Officer (ISO)
- Identifying company assets for IT risk management
- Developing a zone concept for IT risk management
- Creating an action plan for B3S
- Developing a template for risk analyses
Flamur Abdyli
Fractional Chief Information Security Officer
Last position:
Fractional Chief Information Security Officer at VR Smart Guide GmbH
- Enhance and develop the Information Security Management System (ISMS) in compliance with ISO 27001 and TISAX standards by continuously updating and refining the ISMS to align with evolving global standards.
- Ensure that security practices and policies are integrated into all business processes to achieve and maintain certifications.
- Lead the effort to identify, evaluate and mitigate risks across the organization, setting benchmarks for security measures.
- Oversee and refine security processes, with an emphasis on incident management and rapid response by developing and enforcing policies for rapid detection, investigation and remediation of security incidents.
- Train and lead the incident response team to handle breaches effectively, minimizing impact and ensuring swift recovery.
- Implement continuous monitoring solutions to detect and respond to threats in real time.
- Conduct comprehensive security assessments for internal and external IT projects, ensuring adherence to GDPR, DORA and other relevant standards.
- Oversee security evaluations for all IT projects to ensure they comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
- Integrate security measures from the planning phase through deployment to ensure all projects uphold the organization’s security standards.
- Collaborate with project teams to address findings and ensure that security risks are managed effectively.
- Serve as the principal security advisor to the IT department and senior management, offering insights on potential security challenges.
- Facilitate a culture of security awareness throughout the organization through training and regular communication.
- Lead security initiatives that align with the organization’s long-term strategic goals.
- Establish and oversee a robust third-party risk management framework to mitigate external security threats by regularly assessing third-party security practices and compliance and developing contingency plans and mitigation strategies.
- Provide regular updates and security briefings to the executive leadership and relevant committees, highlighting recent security incidents, responses, lessons learned and recommending strategic improvements.
Sergey Komarov
Managing Director Cybersecurity
Last position:
Managing Director Cybersecurity at CBA-Cybersecurity and Business Advisory GmbH
- Development of comprehensive services in cybersecurity, IT governance, and AI
- Building and delivering strategic security solutions such as vCISO service, ISMS, SOC-as-a-Service (SIEM, SOAR, use cases, playbooks, threat hunting, incident response), AI-driven risk and compliance tools, and frameworks for outsourcing and third-party risks
- Supporting companies in meeting regulatory requirements and certifications (ISMS, NIS-2, DORA, CRA, KRITIS, ISO 27001, TISAX, BSI IT Baseline Protection, EU AI Act)
- Promoting innovations in cybersecurity automation, AI governance, and secure digital transformation
- Responsible for company growth, client relations, and strategic partnerships
Klaus Rheinwald
Senior Project Manager
Last position:
Management Consultant Compliance/Data Protection at Telefónica Germany GmbH & Co. OHG
Consulting on compliance and data protection topics in the telecommunications environment.
Peter Weileder
Program and Project Manager / Internal Auditor / CISO
Last position:
ISO 27001 Auditor for health insurance archive system at Health insurance company
The replacement of the existing archive system (document management system – DMS) on a host-based platform is well advanced.
The internal audit is meant to ensure the company's quality standards.
GDPR
ISO 27001 ff.
BSI
DORA
Patient data regulations
Host / Cloud / S3 / Container / highly scalable / Nuxeo
Budget: 50,000
Team: 1
Ekrem Tunclar
Trainee Auditor ISO27001
Last position:
Trainee Auditor ISO27001 at GUT Certifizierungsgesellschaft für Managementsysteme mbH
- Clients: SMEs and public organizations
Gilbert Lintner
Cyber Security Expert
Last position:
Cyber Security Expert at TüV Süd AG (via Sthree GmbH)
- Security analysis of alerts
- Further development of the security operations center
- Development of processes and workflows in the security environment
- Implementation of SOC solutions
- Forensic expertise
- Conducting hunts
- Vulnerability scans and proof of concepts
- Risk assessments and risk analyses
- Maintenance and further development of the Tenable.sc ScanCenter environment
Simone Amoroso
Head of Technology & CISO
Last position:
Head of Technology & CISO at AI Quality and Testing Hub
- Lead developer of Prof. Valmed, the first LLM-powered medical device (utilising RAG on a medical corpus of 2.5M+ documents) to receive a CE certification.
- Designed and implemented cloud-native MLOps infrastructure for ENBW’s energy trading analytics division, enabling scalable deployment and monitoring of predictive models.
- Architected end-to-end testing and validation frameworks for AI/ML systems, ensuring quality, compliance, and robustness in critical and regulated applications.
- Conducted professional training on AI testing, EU regulatory frameworks, and quality assurance for production AI systems.
Arndt Schürg
Information Security Officer according to TISAX
Last position:
Information Security Officer according to TISAX at Automotive Supplier
Matthias Fitzner
Information Security Project Manager
Last position:
Information Security Project Manager at Deutsche Bahn AG
- Introduction of a new Information Security Management System (ISMS) according to ISO/IEC 27001.
- Implementation of the cybersecurity guideline RL CySec-Rail for cross-border rail networks.
Gentrit Ajazi
External Information Security Officer
Last position:
External Information Security Officer at Large dairy company
- Align information security objectives with executive management
- Monitor and steer the Information Security Management System (ISMS) in collaboration with the information security team
- Serve as the primary point of contact for all information security matters and advise internal staff and process owners (e.g., Supplier Management, HR)
- Further develop and improve the ISMS and information security policies
- Deliver training and drive ongoing employee awareness
- Hold monthly coordination meetings (jour fixe)
- Conduct risk analyses together with executive management and process owners
- Support audits (e.g., ISO 27001) as well as customer-specific audits
- Structure assessment and handling of information security incidents in cooperation with the information security team
- Support preparation of the annual plan and budget for information security measures
- Plan and conduct internal audits and management reviews
- Integrate the ISMS with other management systems
Ransford Annan
IT System & Security Engineer
Last position:
Volunteer IT & Cybersecurity Team Lead at Farm House Organic
- Led remote IT and cybersecurity operations, including secure device provisioning, app deployment, compliance monitoring, and endpoint security with Microsoft Intune and Defender for Endpoint.
- Managed Identity and Access Management (IAM) with Microsoft Entra ID, including implementing role-based access control, conditional access, VPN configuration, and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- Maintained and secured Cloud PCs, provided technical remote support, and optimized performance within the Microsoft 365 Business environment.
Jörg Hoffmann
Managing Director; Data Protection Officer; Information Security Officer
Last position:
Managing Director; Data Protection Officer; Information Security Officer at Datenschutz24 (brand of Sovestro GmbH)
- Drafting company agreements related to data protection
- Acting as a mediator between business interests and data subject rights in a corporate context
- Process analysis and evaluation regarding data protection and information security implications according to GDPR, BDSG, BSI baseline protection
- Support for information security audits according to ISO 27001
- Implementation of change management processes
- Analysis of IT infrastructure and deriving recommendations
- Expert support in legal proceedings and communication with supervisory authorities
- Preparation of data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) and procedure and processing documentation (VVZ)
- Training on corporate data protection and information security
- Cooperation with law firms in legal proceedings
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Heads of Information Security statistics
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
18 years
Position duration
4 years
Positions per freelancer
11
Top business areas
Information Technology, Project Management, Quality Assurance
Top industries
Information Technology, Professional Services, Energy
Certification focus areas
Information Technology, Audit, Legal
Bachelor's degree or higher
90%
Master's degree or higher
50%
Doctorate
10%
Certifications per freelancer
8
Most common languages
English, German, French
Speak two or more languages
100%
Daily Rate Distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this role are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Average rates for Heads of Information Security & Seniority distribution
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want to know more? Check out our simple guide about FRATCH
While the terms are often used interchangeably, a CISO usually holds an executive-level position with broader corporate governance duties. A Head of Information Security focuses heavily on the operational execution, policy design, and technical management of the security program. Both roles require strong leadership to align security initiatives with business objectives.
Finding permanent leaders in the tight German cybersecurity market can take several months. A freelance interim security leader can start within days to bridge urgent gaps, manage a critical certification project like ISO 27001, or handle a security incident. This approach provides immediate, highly specialized expertise without long-term commitment.
An expert working in Germany must be fluent in ISO 27001 and GDPR regulations. Depending on the industry, they also need deep expertise in TISAX for automotive supply chains, NIS2 directives, or BSI IT-Grundschutz for critical infrastructure.
Most strategic planning, risk assessments, and policy writing can be performed remotely. However, a temporary security head should ideally spend some time on-site for sensitive stakeholder meetings, physical security audits, and team building. A hybrid arrangement is the most common model for German enterprises.
A top-tier freelance security manager is evaluated by their track record of successful audit certifications and incident resolutions. Look for recognized industry certifications such as CISM, CISSP, or CISA. Strong communication skills that translate technical risks into business impact are also critical.
The project usually starts with a rapid gap analysis of the current security posture. The interim Head of Information Security then prioritizes critical vulnerabilities, updates security policies, and prepares the team for upcoming audits. The engagement often concludes with training a permanent successor.
No, the IT security lead defines the security policies, standards, and controls, while the IT department executes them. This separation of duties ensures objective risk oversight and prevents conflicts of interest between operational IT speed and security compliance.
A freelance Head of Information Security in Germany must usually be fluent in both German and English. German is essential for negotiating with local workers' councils, understanding local regulations, and communicating with public authorities, while English is standard for international teams and global technology suppliers.
The average hourly rate for Heads of Information Security in Germany is 127 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 1,016 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers working as Heads of Information Security in Germany, 90% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 50% hold at least a Master's degree, and 10% hold a doctorate.
On average, freelancers working as Heads of Information Security in Germany have 18 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 4 years.
The most common languages among freelancers working as Heads of Information Security in Germany are English (100%), German (96%), and French (20%).
The most common industries among freelancers working as Heads of Information Security in Germany are Information Technology (88%), Professional Services (56%), and Energy (48%).
The most common business areas among freelancers working as Heads of Information Security in Germany are Information Technology (100%), Project Management (84%), and Quality Assurance (64%).
FRATCH Heads of Information Security main locations
Our freelancers and interim experts are at home across the DACH region — available on-site in the major business hubs or fully remote. Choose a location to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.
Berlin Hamburg Munich Cologne Frankfurt Stuttgart Dusseldorf Leipzig Dortmund Essen Bremen Dresden Hanover Nuremberg Request a Free Demo
Get in touch with the FRATCH team and we will get back to you within 4 hours.
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We always have the time for a call or email!
Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
