GRC · Specialist service
vCISO, vISM and DPO: external expert roles
Security management requires both strategic decisions and day-to-day coordination. We match the expert role to your organisation’s needs and the responsibilities that need to be established.
Service scope
vCISO, vISM and DPO
vCISO, vISM and DPO address different needs. A vCISO supports management in directing the security programme; a vISM coordinates the ongoing operation of the information security management system; and a DPO advises on and monitors compliance with data protection law. Scope, availability, reporting and cover arrangements are agreed separately for each role. A shared catalogue entry does not mean assigning all roles to one person or transferring the data controller’s statutory responsibility to the service provider.
vCISO: strategy and priorities
We prepare security programmes, investment recommendations and management briefings. We connect operational SOC and security engineering data with business impact assessment.
vISM: ongoing ISMS coordination
We coordinate action plans, documentation updates and evidence collection. We support process owners and preparation for management reviews.
DPO: advice and monitoring
We advise on data protection, monitor compliance and support data protection impact assessments. The role includes contact with the supervisory authority and data subjects. It also covers awareness raising and training for people involved in processing personal data.
Independence and responsibility
We assess conflicts of interest and access to the highest management level. The DPO receives no instructions concerning the performance of their duties and does not determine the purposes or means of processing. In carrying out their duties, the DPO reports directly to the client’s highest management level.
Project deliverables
What will your team receive?
- Role specification and responsibility matrix.
- Work plan, priorities and review schedule.
- Management reports and a recommendations register.
- Contact, escalation and conflict-of-interest assessment rules.
Delivery conditions
What do we agree before starting?
- A sponsor at the highest management level.
- Access to the people, documents and information needed for the role.
- An agreed mandate, resources and separation of conflicting duties.
How we work
From understanding the need to verifying the result.
Selecting the role
We assess the structure, needs and current responsibilities. We check independence and potential conflicts of interest.
Defining the mandate
We document responsibilities, cooperation with teams and reporting arrangements. We prepare an initial action plan.
Working together
We perform the agreed tasks and review progress. We update priorities as the organisation changes.
Clear responsibilities
What is already included, and what do we extend?
Quarterly Enterprise reviews and reporting on our own service do not include taking on a vCISO, vISM or DPO role. Each requires a separately defined mandate and scope.
Reference points: GDPR — Articles 38 and 39. Requirements and their applicability are established for the individual organisation.
Before making a decision
Questions about vCISO, vISM and DPO
How does a vCISO differ from a vISM?
A vCISO focuses on strategy, priorities and management support. A vISM coordinates ongoing ISMS processes, tasks and documentation. The roles can work together, but should have clear owners.
Can one person hold all three roles?
We do not assume this model. Combining duties requires a conflict-of-interest assessment; a DPO cannot oversee their own decisions determining the purposes and means of personal data processing.
Does appointing a DPO transfer GDPR responsibility?
No. The controller or processor retains its obligations. The DPO performs an independent advisory and monitoring role as defined in the GDPR.
Related expertise
Connect activities that complement each other.
The next step
Let us define a scope that makes sense for your organisation.
Let us discuss your environment, priorities and team responsibilities. We will use this to define the work, required access and service conditions.