NSW wants a whole-of-gov CISO

The New South Wales government is looking for a candidate to fill the newly-created role of whole-of-government chief information security officer (CISO) and lead the charge to boost the state's infosec chops.

Over the weekend the state government opened recruitment for a CISO that would unite the public sector's information security efforts.

It signals a change in the state's thinking when it comes to IT security: just last week the state's Finance department - the peak body for IT in NSW - hired its own CISO, with former Coca-Cola Amatil security executive Marco Figueroa taking on the role.

The new whole-of-government CISO will sit alongside Figueroa in the Finance department, but will be responsible for the leadership of IT security across the entire public service.

The chosen executive will have an operating budget of $2.5 million and two direct reports.

He or she will be tasked with driving a "step change" in cyber security capability across the NSW public sector, as well as co-ordinating response and recovery efforts within agencies, and providing strategic advice on resiliency to threats.

The executive will report into NSW chief information and digital officer Damon Rees, who answers to the Finance secretary.

Applications for the role close February 5.