Head of Security | AI Startup | San Francisco; Hybrid

Space Executive is partnering with a fast-growing, well-funded AI startup operating in one of the most security-sensitive environments in enterprise tech to find a Head of Security
. For this business, trust isn't optional; it's existential.

They're looking for someone to build and lead the security function end-to-end: product security, cloud infrastructure, corporate security, compliance, and incident response. This role owns security outcomes across the company while staying deeply technical and embedded with engineering.

You’ll set strategy, hire and lead a strong team, and still get into the weeds - reviewing designs, threat-modeling new products, and leading real incident response when it matters. Security here isn't advisory. It's a core engineering discipline.

This is a builder role for someone who's done security at a scaling company and wants full ownership.

• Security Strategy & Execution - Define and own the company's security roadmap across product, cloud, corporate systems, and operations, balancing real risk reduction with velocity
• Product & Cloud Security - Set the bar for application and infrastructure security, partnering with engineering to embed secure-by-default patterns into how products are designed and shipped
• Corporate Security - Oversee identity, device security, internal systems, and access controls to protect the company as it scales
• Incident Response & Risk Management - Own incident response end-to-end: detection, investigation, communication, and systemic fixes; maintain a living security risk register
• Compliance & Customer Trust - Lead security reviews, audits, and customer conversations (including relevant industry compliance frameworks); turn security maturity into a sales enabler, not a blocker
• Team Building & Leadership - Hire, develop, and lead a high-performing security team, setting a high technical bar while building a culture of ownership and pragmatism

• Strong software engineering background; you've written and shipped production code and can review real systems critically
• Extensive experience in security engineering with deep expertise in application security and cloud security
• Experience leading and growing teams; you've built and managed a security org (5+ engineers)
• Staff-plus mindset; comfortable setting direction while staying hands-on with designs, investigations, and technical decisions
• Experience running security at a Series A-D startup; pragmatic, resourceful, and comfortable building from scratch
• Able to partner tightly with engineering leadership and explain security tradeoffs clearly
• Based in SF, able to work in-person 3x/week

Security directly determines whether this company can sell to, expand within, and retain some of the largest enterprise customers in the country. This role carries real authority, real ownership, and real consequences; defining what "great security" looks like at a company operating at the intersection of AI and enterprise scale, with a small leadership team, high trust, and direct influence on product and company direction.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
• 401(k) with company match up to 3% of base salary
• Remote-friendly culture with SF HQ, full equipment provisioning
• Parental leave
• Flexible time off with no annual cap, plus a company-wide winter holiday shutdown
• Annual company-wide and team off-sites, regular team lunches and all-hands gatherings

Interested or know someone who might be? Reach out to Space Executive to learn more and apply confidentially.