Sr. Director of Security & IT

What you'll do:

We are seeking a Director of Security & IT to lead NinjaTrader’s enterprise security and risk programs while providing oversight of core IT infrastructure and operations. This leader will own and drive our Security and IT Roadmap. They will also leverage AI-driven automation to strengthen security posture.

This role will provide strategic oversight for IT operations through direct management of the IT Operations Manager, ensuring infrastructure, endpoint, and user service decisions are aligned with regulatory and risk standards. Acting as the regional CISO, this leader will represent security risk and posture to executive stakeholders, auditors, strategic partners and regulators.

In this role you will:

• Act as regional CISO, presenting security strategy and risk posture to executives, auditors, and regulatory bodies (e.g., CFTC, NFA)
• Provide strategic oversight and governance for IT operations, ensuring security policies and risk controls are embedded in all infrastructure decisions
• Lead the Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) program, maintaining alignment with SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, and SOX
• Drive third-party and vendor risk assessments, compliance reviews, and security contract evaluation
• Champion a security-first culture through awareness training, enablement, and stakeholder engagement
• Partner with Cloud Engineering to define and enforce Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies
• Use AI-driven solutions to enhance threat detection, automate controls, and improve operational efficiencies
• Lead and develop the IT Operations Manager as your key lieutenant for tactical execution across infrastructure, endpoint management, and service desk
• Ensure all IT operations, including data center infrastructure and internal systems, reflect best-in-class security and compliance principles
• Champion Zero Trust, DLP, and other modern architectures to reduce risk and improve control
• Collaborate with Engineering, Compliance, and Product teams to embed security and operational resilience into software and infrastructure lifecycles
• Align security and IT investment decisions with business growth, cost efficiency, and platform scale

What you'll need:

• 15+ years in cybersecurity and/or infrastructure leadership, with at least 5 years in regulated, high-assurance environments
• Self-starter, highly driven, enthusiastic with a can-do attitude, execution mindset, approachable and excellent team player
• Able to form relationships with people across all levels of the company, strategic thinker with excellent leadership, communication, listening & writing skills
• Strong experience owning and scaling security programs across AppSec, Vuln Management, Security Ops, IAM, GRC, and DR/BCP
• Deep understanding of compliance requirements including CFTC, SOC 2, SOX, GDPR, and FINRA
• Experience managing or overseeing data center infrastructure, hybrid environments, and internal IT systems
• Demonstrated ability to implement AI/ML solutions in security or IT operations
• Experience working with red and blue teams to conduct annual penetration tests and apply findings
• Proven success leading through influence, collaboration, and executive-level communication
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field; certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CRISC, or CCSP strongly preferred

Bonus points for:

• Experience in financial services or regulated industries
• Leadership during rapid scale or transformation periods

Compensation:

The salary range for this role will be $210,000.00 - $260,000.00 USD. In addition, this position will also receive an annual target bonus of 15%. Bonus pay at NinjaTrader is based on individual performance (50%) as well as company/team performance (50%).

Salary and bonus earnings are only two components of the total compensation package offered by NinjaTrader. NinjaTrader offers a 401K plan through ADP under which the company will match up to 3.5% of employee contributions. Annual paid time off allowance accrues at a rate of 18 days per year (some positions may qualify for more) plus seven paid holidays.

Location:

This role is based in Chicago, IL. *There may be remote flexibility for exceptional candidates in the following states: California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Pennsylvania.

Hybrid:

For Chicago-based employees, we follow a hybrid work schedule: In-office Tuesday through Thursday, with remote work on Mondays and Fridays. In addition to these weekly remote days, we offer:

• 20 additional flex remote days annually
• 5 company-wide remote weeks tied to major holidays