Director of Cybersecurity

Abbott • Lake Forest, CA

23h • Onsite

About The Position

The Cybersecurity Director serves as the divisional cybersecurity leader, responsible for implementing enterprise security strategies, managing cyber risk, and ensuring compliance with corporate, regulatory, and quality requirements. The role partners with Corporate Information Security, IT, Quality, Compliance, and business leadership to strengthen the division's security posture and support risk-informed business decisions.

The Director leads key security programs across governance, risk management, security architecture, vulnerability management, incident response, compliance, security awareness, and resilience. The position provides strategic guidance, drives continuous improvement, and ensures alignment with Abbott's cybersecurity objectives and risk framework. It requires strong business leadership, deep cybersecurity expertise, and experience operating in complex, regulated global environments.

Requirements

• 15+ years of cybersecurity, technology, risk management, and privacy leadership experience in global organizations.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, or a related field.
• Professional cybersecurity certification required, such as CISSP or CISM.
• Deep knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks, regulations, and standards, including ISO 27001, NIST, HIPAA, SOX, PCI DSS, and GDPR.
• Proven experience leading cybersecurity governance, risk management, vulnerability management, incident response, and compliance programs.
• Strong business acumen and experience in strategic planning, budgeting, resource management, and organizational leadership.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence executive, technical, and business audiences.
• Experience building high-performing teams and leading audit, resilience, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Deep understanding of global cybersecurity, privacy, and compliance frameworks and requirements governing patient, clinical, and sensitive business data.
• Proven executive leadership and ability to influence decisions, build trusted partnerships, and drive risk-informed business outcomes.
• Demonstrated success leading complex cybersecurity programs and cross-functional initiatives in global, matrixed organizations.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, including experience engaging executive leadership, regulators, auditors, and business partners.
• Ability to attract, develop, mentor, and retain high-performing teams while fostering accountability and continuous improvement.
• Ability to translate cybersecurity, privacy, and regulatory requirements into practical governance, risk management, and compliance strategies.
• Experience integrating cybersecurity requirements within regulated quality, compliance, and operational environments.
• Ability to balance security risk, regulatory obligations, operational needs, and business objectives.
• Commitment to integrity, professionalism, and promoting a culture of security, resilience, and continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

• MBA.
• Additional professional cybersecurity certifications.
• Experience working with global teams based in Europe, Asia, and the United States.
• Experience in the healthcare or medical devices industries.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior information security leader for the division, aligning divisional security priorities with Abbott's enterprise cybersecurity strategy, policies, and risk management framework.
• Oversee cybersecurity strategy, governance, and risk across enterprise, manufacturing, and product domains, driving adoption of security controls and resilient practices.
• Partner with Corporate Information Security, Quality, Compliance, and business leaders to meet regulatory, contractual, and corporate security requirements, including ISO 27001 certification and surveillance activities.
• Lead the divisional Information Security Management System (ISMS), including implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of controls, processes, and governance practices.
• Drive divisional execution of enterprise security programs, including vulnerability management, incident response, identity and access management, security awareness, data protection, and third-party risk management.
• Oversee security risk assessments, control evaluations, remediation programs, and risk treatment activities; ensure risks are identified, communicated, and managed.
• Integrate security requirements into business initiatives, digital transformation efforts, and technology deployments in partnership with business, technology, and operational leaders.
• Establish and maintain security governance forums, metrics, and reporting that provide leadership visibility into security posture, compliance, emerging risks, and remediation progress.
• Lead a team of security professionals responsible for security services, controls, and operational risk management within the division.
• Coordinate divisional participation in enterprise security awareness, training, testing, and compliance programs while addressing business-specific requirements.
• Advise divisional leadership on risk decisions, emerging threats, regulatory changes, and business impacts.
• Oversee divisional cybersecurity incident preparedness, including response plans, recovery capabilities, crisis management procedures, and business continuity activities.
• Partner with corporate incident response, threat intelligence, and security operations teams during significant security events to support business engagement, communications, and remediation.
• Monitor cyber threats, industry trends, and regulatory developments and translate relevant insights into recommendations for divisional leadership.
• Drive security audit readiness and remediation, coordinating with internal audit, external auditors, regulators, and corporate compliance teams as needed.
• Develop and report security metrics and key risk indicators to measure program effectiveness, demonstrate risk reduction, and support investment decisions.
• Advocate for divisional security priorities and resource needs while influencing enterprise security roadmaps, capabilities, and service delivery models.

Benefits

• Free medical coverage for employees via the Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO, subject to completion of a short wellness assessment for qualifying free coverage in the next calendar year.
• Retirement savings plan with high employer contribution.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Freedom 2 Save student debt program.
• FreeU education benefit, an affordable and convenient path to earning a bachelor's degree.
• Career development opportunities with an international company.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director