Sr. Director of Security & IT

Sr. Director Of Security & It

Join us on our mission to become the #1 retail trading platform in the world. As an industry-leading trading platform and futures broker, we're on a mission to empower traders to take control of their financial destiny. How do we do it? We provide cutting-edge products and services that enhance the trading journey. Whether a seasoned pro or just starting out, NinjaTrader equips traders with award-winning software and brokerage services to navigate the world's leading financial markets with confidence.

Our growth story is nothing short of exhilarating. Over the last 20 years, NinjaTrader has been dedicated to understanding and supporting traders on their journey toward trading triumph. In the last five years alone, our user base has grown by 400% to over 1.9 million users and we have become the number one rated futures brokerage worldwide. But we're not stopping there. We're constantly evolving, pushing boundaries, and modernizing the futures industry. Our commitment to innovation means users will always have access to dynamic tools, real-time support, and a community of like-minded traders.

Join us as we redefine what's possible in trading, advocate for our customers, and continue our journey toward becoming the world's top retail-focused trading platform in the world.

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

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 :

Our core benefits include : Generous PTO, 7 paid holidays annually + 5 conditional holidays annually, 1 service day annually, 401K with 3.5% company match, paid parental bonding leave, health, vision, dental coverage, life and disability insurance covered 100% by NinjaTrader.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.