The Cyber Director’s Guide to Cross-Functional Security Hiring

Security teams can no longer operate in isolation. As cyber threats become more sophisticated and regulatory requirements more complex, organisations need security professionals who can work seamlessly across departments. Yet many companies struggle to find candidates who combine deep technical expertise with the communication skills and business understanding needed for effective cross-functional collaboration.

Traditional hiring approaches often focus heavily on technical qualifications whilst overlooking the interpersonal and strategic competencies that enable security professionals to work effectively with IT, legal, compliance, and business teams. This creates security silos that limit organisational effectiveness and leave vulnerabilities unaddressed.

This guide explores how to identify, attract, and successfully hire security talent capable of bridging technical expertise with cross-departmental collaboration. You’ll discover practical frameworks for assessing candidates, designing roles that work across departments, and avoiding common pitfalls that derail cross-functional security hiring.

Why traditional security hiring fails cross-functional teams

Most security hiring processes focus almost exclusively on technical skills, creating several interconnected problems that undermine cross-functional effectiveness:

• Over-emphasis on technical depth – Hiring managers create lengthy lists of required technologies and frameworks without considering stakeholder interaction capabilities
• Communication skills neglect – Processes fail to evaluate candidates’ ability to explain complex security concepts to non-technical audiences
• Narrow recruitment pools – Hiring exclusively from cybersecurity backgrounds overlooks valuable candidates from IT operations, risk management, or compliance who bring cross-functional experience
• Cultural fit oversight – Technical evaluation takes precedence over assessing collaborative abilities and organisational adaptation skills
• Isolation-prone selection – Chosen candidates often struggle to build relationships necessary for effective security implementation across departments

These traditional approaches fundamentally limit security integration throughout the organisation. When security professionals can’t communicate effectively with other departments or adapt to collaborative environments, security becomes an afterthought rather than an integral part of business operations. This creates vulnerabilities, reduces the effectiveness of security investments, and perpetuates the dangerous myth that security can operate independently from other business functions.

How to identify cross-functional security talent

Successful cross-functional security professionals combine technical expertise with business acumen and interpersonal skills. The most effective approach involves evaluating multiple dimensions of candidate capability:

• Stakeholder management experience – Look for specific examples of working with executives, legal teams, compliance officers, or business unit leaders, including how they’ve translated security requirements into business language
• Risk communication skills – Assess ability to explain complex security concepts using analogies, avoiding jargon, and focusing on business impact rather than technical details
• Collaborative problem-solving abilities – Evaluate structured approaches to challenges requiring coordination between security, IT, legal, and business teams
• Technical competence with business context – Ensure candidates can articulate how technical decisions impact broader organisational objectives and stakeholder priorities
• Cross-functional experience diversity – Consider candidates from related fields who understand how different departments operate and can bridge gaps effectively

The most successful identification strategy combines behavioural interviewing with multi-departmental assessment panels. Include representatives from departments the security professional will work with regularly, use specific scenario-based questions to reveal actual experience rather than theoretical knowledge, and focus on candidates who demonstrate genuine ability to influence without authority. This comprehensive approach ensures you’re selecting security professionals who can truly integrate across organisational boundaries while maintaining technical excellence.

Building security roles that work across departments

Creating effective cross-functional security roles requires strategic design that balances technical requirements with collaborative realities:

• Clear departmental interaction mapping – Define which departments the role will work with regularly and specify the types of collaboration required beyond basic technical responsibilities
• Hybrid skill requirement balance – Include competencies like project management, risk assessment, regulatory compliance, and business analysis alongside technical security skills, weighted appropriately for actual role demands
• Premium compensation structures – Reflect the higher market value of professionals who combine technical depth with cross-functional capabilities
• Dual-track career progression – Demonstrate opportunities for advancement in both technical specialisation and leadership directions, showing paths to security leadership, risk management, or executive positions
• Formal authority and resource allocation – Ensure appropriate organisational positioning and resource access necessary for effective cross-departmental influence
• Hybrid role innovation – Consider positions like Security Business Analyst or Compliance Security Manager that formally acknowledge cross-functional requirements

These design principles create roles that attract candidates who thrive in collaborative environments while providing the structure and support necessary for success. Well-designed cross-functional security roles become strategic positions that enhance both security effectiveness and broader organisational resilience, rather than traditional technical positions with added collaborative expectations.

Common cross-functional security hiring mistakes to avoid

Several recurring mistakes consistently undermine cross-functional security hiring efforts:

• Unrealistic skill combinations – Job descriptions requiring deep expertise in multiple unrelated areas eliminate qualified candidates who could excel with appropriate support and development
• Inadequate cross-departmental onboarding – Failing to provide structured introductions to other departments, explanations of internal operations, and guidance on communication norms
• Insufficient stakeholder buy-in – Excluding key department representatives from candidate evaluation creates resistance and reduces collaborative engagement after placement
• Misaligned departmental expectations – Failing to clarify and document what each department expects from security collaboration before hiring begins
• Authority and resource mismatches – Placing candidates in roles without appropriate organisational positioning or resources needed for effective cross-departmental influence
• Short-term focus over scalability – Prioritising immediate technical needs while ignoring long-term collaborative requirements and organisational growth

Avoiding these pitfalls requires proactive planning, stakeholder engagement, and realistic role design. The most successful organisations treat cross-functional security hiring as a strategic initiative that requires input from multiple departments, appropriate resource allocation, and long-term thinking about security’s evolving role within the business. This comprehensive approach prevents common mistakes while setting new hires up for sustained success.

Finding security professionals who can work effectively across departments requires a different approach than traditional technical hiring. Success depends on evaluating collaborative competencies alongside technical skills and creating roles that reflect the reality of modern security work. When done properly, cross-functional security hiring strengthens both security effectiveness and organisational resilience.

The investment in cross-functional security talent pays dividends through improved security integration, better stakeholder relationships, and more effective risk management across the organisation. By avoiding common pitfalls and focusing on both technical and collaborative capabilities, you can build security teams that truly serve the entire organisation.

At Iceberg, we understand the unique challenges of finding security professionals who excel in cross-functional environments. Our global network of over 120,000 candidates includes security experts with the collaborative skills and business acumen needed for modern security roles. We can help you identify candidates who combine technical expertise with the interpersonal abilities that drive organisational security success.