Founding AI Security & Compliance Lead (Fractional)

Unloq® | Hybrid (Remote/UK) | Fractional Founding Role

You don't need a Silicon Valley badge to build at the frontier of AI.

At Unloq®, we partner with ambitious organisations to design, build and scale AI systems that deliver real results. We're growing fast, tackling frontier problems, and shipping deployments that matter.

Powered by our next-generation Strategic Intelligence decision layer, we deploy governed AI decision systems inside client VPCs. Every action is policy-controlled, every decision is auditable, and every outcome is measured. That posture isn't optional, it's the product.

We're now hiring a Founding Security & Compliance Lead to own our platform's security, data protection, and compliance posture from the ground up.

🔑 The Role

You'll be the first dedicated security and compliance hire, responsible for:

• Designing and owning the security controls framework for a platform that deploys inside client VPCs across regulated industries
• Driving certification readiness: ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, Cyber Essentials Plus: building the evidence base from day one
• Defining and enforcing data protection policies aligned with UK GDPR, with clear positions on data residency, PII handling, and cross-border transfers
• Embedding security into the engineering process: threat modelling, secure code review guidance, dependency scanning, and secrets management
• Owning the compliance narrative for investor due diligence, enterprise procurement, and client InfoSec questionnaires
• Shaping the platform's governance layer: RBAC/ABAC design, audit trail architecture, encryption standards, and DLP controls

The founders lead product and commercial strategy. You're the person who makes every deployment trustworthy enough for a CISO to sign off on.

🧩 Who This Is For

• 5+ years in information security, compliance, or security engineering , ideally SaaS, AI or cloud-native
• Hands-on with ISO 27001, SOC 2, or Cyber Essentials certification processes, not just policy templates
• Cloud security fundamentals across AWS and/or Azure: VPCs, IAM, encryption, secrets management, network segmentation
• Can translate security requirements into engineering-friendly guidance without slowing delivery to a crawl
• Comfortable working fractionally at approximately one day per week and prioritising ruthlessly
• Bonus: AI/ML security considerations, regulated verticals (financial services, healthcare, automotive), or UK public sector frameworks (NCSC, DSPT)
• Dealbreakers: checkbox compliance with no engineering empathy, can't operate without a large team, no interest in building a security programme from first principles.

📍 Role Basics

Role: Founding Security & Compliance Lead

Type: Fractional (1 day per week), founding role with option to move Full-Time

Location: Remote, UK-based. Occasional travel for client workshops or team days.

Reporting to: Co-Founder / CTO Compensation: £1,200/month + equity options

Start: ASAP

Why Join Unloq?

First security hire. The controls framework you build becomes the foundation for every client deployment. Direct founder access. Security is a board-level concern here, not an afterthought. Shape the security posture of a platform that deploys inside FTSE 250 and regulated enterprise environments. Build the programme and grow into Head of Security as the company scales. Equity means you share in the upside, which is planned way beyond a 🦄.

We're building something that doesn't exist yet: the layer that makes AI trustworthy enough for the boardroom, not just the back office. It's early, it's hard, and the right people find that exciting. If you'd rather build the security programme than inherit someone else's, this is your role.

Unloq is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates, including women, ethnic minorities, and individuals with disabilities. We support flexible working and reasonable adjustments where possible.