How to hire a senior information security consultant

How to hire a senior information security consultant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior information security consultant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a senior information security consultant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior information security consultant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior information security consultant do?

Post a senior information security consultant job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior information security consultant, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A senior information security consultant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior information security consultants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of senior information security consultants.

   Type of Senior Information Security Consultant	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Information Security Consultant	Information security analysts plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems. Their responsibilities are continually expanding as the number of cyberattacks increases.	$37-67
   Securities Analyst	Securities analysts, also known as financial analysts, are responsible for collecting and interpreting data on securities, economies, corporate strategies, and financial markets. They provide clients with recommendations on investments based on in-depth research... Show more	$28-56
   Security Engineer	Security engineers are responsible for developing and overseeing data and security software to help prevent data breaches, leaks, and taps related to cybercrime. Other duties and responsibilities include developing new systems to help protect computer networks and assets, configuring firewalls, and conducting penetration testing to pinpoint vulnerabilities... Show more	$37-67

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Risk Assessments
   • Risk Management
   • Cloud Security
   • NIST
   • Security Assessments
   • Project Management
   • ISO
   • SOX
   • Financial Institutions
   • GLBA
   • Incident Response
   • Architecture
   • Windows
   • Access Management

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Audit and recommend controls to mitigate risks and achieve compliance with SOX and GLBA regulations.
   • Manage the conversion to a hybrid NAS/disk/tape CommVault base backup environment resulting in decreasing backup windows and improving recovery objectives.
   • Utilize standard frameworks & guidelines such as ISO27001, OUM, NIST, ASD, PSR and NZISM.
   • Develop Cisco firewall policy and maintenance plans.
   • Organize NIST 800-53A lifecycle security activities: information categorization, audit, inventory and configuration management support.
   • Assume primary operational responsibility for Symantec DLP implementation

   More senior information security consultant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior information security consultant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A senior information security consultant salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, senior information security consultants' average salary in missouri is 32% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior information security consultants earn 44% less than senior-level senior information security consultants.
   • Certifications. A senior information security consultant with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a senior information security consultant's salary.

   Average senior information security consultant salary

   $106,150yearly

   $51.03 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior information security consultant salary

   $79,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average senior information security consultant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$128,328	$62
   2	California	$121,105	$58
   3	Utah	$119,739	$58
   4	District of Columbia	$119,114	$57
   5	Oregon	$114,953	$55
   6	Virginia	$107,608	$52
   7	North Carolina	$107,354	$52
   8	New Jersey	$106,193	$51
   9	Massachusetts	$103,993	$50
   10	Arizona	$103,742	$50
   11	Colorado	$100,466	$48
   12	Texas	$99,901	$48
   13	Idaho	$98,138	$47
   14	Louisiana	$96,067	$46
   15	Michigan	$95,977	$46
   16	Florida	$94,253	$45
   17	Illinois	$92,644	$45
   18	Kansas	$91,838	$44
   19	Missouri	$86,660	$42

   Average senior information security consultant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	RingCentral	$127,534	$61.31	1
   2	Ernst & Young	$124,842	$60.02	415
   3	HSBC Bank	$124,223	$59.72	1
   4	Aon	$120,634	$58.00	2
   5	The Hanover Insurance Group	$120,247	$57.81
   6	FireEye	$118,740	$57.09
   7	Recruit	$116,210	$55.87	9
   8	ERM	$109,816	$52.80	3
   9	SBS CyberSecurity	$108,692	$52.26
   10	Freddie Mac	$107,158	$51.52	8
   11	Mandiant	$106,957	$51.42
   12	Sabre	$102,569	$49.31
   13	Zillion Technologies	$100,124	$48.14	1
   14	INNOVATE	$98,744	$47.47
   15	U.S. Bank	$95,612	$45.97	51
   16	IPKeys Technologies	$94,973	$45.66
   17	MetLife	$89,513	$43.04	8
   18	USAA	$88,899	$42.74	4
   19	KeyBank	$87,250	$41.95
   20	City of Austin	$82,061	$39.45

4. Writing a senior information security consultant job description

   A senior information security consultant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a senior information security consultant job description:

   Senior information security consultant job description example

   Role Value Proposition:
   
   The mission of MetLife's Global Application Security Maintenance & Remediation team is to protect application assets and business reputation while fostering a culture of software currency and zero vulnerabilities in partnership with global stakeholders to safeguard MetLife and customer sensitive data. This is a hands-on project management and technical opportunity within our core application Maintenance and Remediation team where you will drive removal of security vulnerabilities through software upgrades and remediation. You will champion our software currency and zero vulnerability culture across all lines of business and consult directly with software developers, systems architects, and program managers to remediation and upgrade applications across MetLife's systems.
   
   E ssential Knowledge and Skills:
   
   Required:
   Bachelor's degree in Business, Project Management, Information Technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or Systems Security Engineering. 4-6 years' experience leading security driven application remediation and upgrade projects Experience with DevSecOps and Agile concepts and methodologies . Proven ability to build relationships and collaborate across the organization that enables escalation of issues and roadblocks. Demonstrated proficiency in areas of matrix management, teamwork, organization, accountability and working with a sense of urgency. Strong technical acumen, writing and communication skills. Self-motivated with a strong propensity to constantly learn and impart knowledge. Ability to maintain awareness of industry best practices and emerging application security threats, especially those pertaining to the financial services industry. Advanced experience with the entire MS Office suite of tools including MS Project and Power BI.
   
   Preferred:
   Professional certification(s) in the Information Security space, PMI, Agile. Experience with Open-Source threat modeling tools and defect tracking systems. Applied knowledge of modern threat modeling concepts, tools, and techniques.
   
   At MetLife, we're leading the global transformation of an industry we've long defined. United in purpose, diverse in perspective, we're dedicated to making a difference in the lives of our customers.
   
   #LI-WRAPJOB
   
   MetLife:
   
   MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world's leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help its individual and institutional customers navigate their changing world. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 countries and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
   
   We are one of the largest institutional investors in the U.S. with $642.4 billion of total assets under management as of March 31, 2021. We are ranked #46 on the Fortune 500 list for 2021. In 2020, we were named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for the fifth year in a row. DJSI is a global index to track the leading sustainability-driven companies. We are proud to have been named to Fortune magazine's 2021 list of the “World's Most Admired Companies.”
   
   MetLife is committed to building a purpose-driven and inclusive culture that energizes our people. Our employees work every day to help build a more confident future for people around the world.
   
   We want to make it simple for all interested and qualified candidates to apply for employment opportunities with MetLife. For further information about how to request a reasonable accommodation, please click on the Disability Accommodations link below.
   
   MetLife is a proud Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer dedicated to attracting, retaining, and developing a diverse and inclusive workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment at MetLife without regards to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, national origin, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status, uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
   
   MetLife maintains a drug-free workplace.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find senior information security consultants for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   To find senior information security consultant candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit senior information security consultants, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a senior information security consultant applicant. In those cases, having candidates complete a test project can go a long way in figuring out who's the most likely to succeed in the role. If you aren't a technical person and don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior information security consultant

   Once you've decided on a perfect senior information security consultant candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new senior information security consultant. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a senior information security consultant?