Which Cybersecurity Roles Are in Highest Demand in 2026?

Demand for cybersecurity is high in 2026, but hiring behaviour has changed. As cyber threats grow in scale and sophistication, employers across industries – from financial services and healthcare to e-commerce and entertainment  – are no longer building large, generalist security teams. Instead, they are hiring selectively, prioritising roles that directly reduce risk, support cloud-first environments, and hold up under real operational pressure. 

If you’re considering your next career move in cybersecurity, here are the roles expected to be in the highest demand in 2026, based on current market developments, skills shortages, and hiring activity our talent experts are seeing here at Glocomms. You’ll also find tips on how to build towards these roles, position yourself effectively, and stand out in interviews. 

If you’re looking for further information on salary and bonus benchmarks, read the Glocomms USA Cybersecurity Compensation Guide for up-to-date averages by specialisation, city, and seniority. 

Cloud Security Architect / Senior Cloud Security Engineer 

Why is this role in demand in 2026 

Cloud misconfigurations, weak identity controls, and poorly designed architectures remain a leading cause of security incidents. Organisations need professionals who can design security into cloud environments across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, not just operate security tools after the fact. 

How to progress into this role in 2026 

Most cloud security architects come from cloud engineering, platform engineering, or security engineering backgrounds. Progression usually happens when professionals start taking ownership of design decisions rather than focusing only on implementation. This can be achieved by involving yourself early in architecture discussions, working closely with DevOps and platform teams, and building experience across more than one cloud provider. 

How to position your experience on your resume  

Strong resumes focus on decisions and outcomes, not long tool lists. Here’s what hiring managers want to see: 

• Architectures you influenced or designed 
• Identity, access, and network controls you owned 
• Clear examples of how your work reduced risk or improved resilience 

Show why choices were made and what changed as a result. 

How to stand out in interviews for this role 

Interviews focus heavily on how you think. Be prepared to: 

• Walk through real cloud security design decisions 
• Explain trade-offs between security, usability, and performance 
• Describe how you influenced engineers and platform teams 

Candidates who can explain real-world decisions consistently outperform those who rely on generic best practices. 

Identity and Access Management (IAM) Specialist 

Why this role is in demand in 2026 

Identity is now the primary control layer for modern infrastructure. Cloud platforms, SaaS tools, and remote access models have made IAM central to security, compliance, and business continuity. 

How to progress into this role in 2026 

IAM specialists often transition from infrastructure, directory services, cloud engineering, or security operations roles. Progression accelerates when professionals move from administering access to designing access models and governance processes. Taking ownership of privileged access, lifecycle management, and audit readiness is often the turning point. 

How to position your experience on your resume for IAM roles 

IAM resumes stand out when they show ownership. Position yourself as someone who shapes access strategy, not just manages tickets, by focusing on: 

• Access models you designed or improved 
• Privileged access workflows you implemented 
• Audit, compliance, or risk outcomes you supported 

How to stand out in IAM interviews 

IAM interviews test clarity of thinking. Expect questions about: 

• Designing access for complex environments 
• Balancing security with usability 
• Managing privileged access at scale 

Clear, simple explanations often matter more than deep vendor-specific detail. 

Incident Response and Security Operations Leadership 

Why this role is in demand in 2026 

Automation has improved detection, but incident response still relies on human judgment under pressure. Organisations need professionals who can lead response efforts and strengthen readiness over time. 

How to progress into this role in 2026 

Most incident response leaders come from SOC analyst, detection engineering, or threat hunting backgrounds. Progression happens when professionals move from participating in incidents to owning response decisions and post-incident improvements. Experience coordinating across technical, legal, and leadership teams is particularly valuable. 

How to position your experience on your resume for IR or SOC roles 

Resumes should demonstrate pressure-tested experience. Include: 

• Types of incidents handled 
• Your role during the response 
• Improvements implemented afterward 

Avoid vague phrasing like “assisted with incidents”. Be specific about responsibility and outcomes. 

How to stand out in interviews for incident response roles 

Interviewers care about judgment and communication. Prepare to: 

• Walk through a serious incident end-to-end 
• Explain decisions made under pressure 
• Describe what changed as a result 

Professionals who show calm, structured thinking stand out quickly. 

Application Security Engineer / DevSecOps Specialist 

Why this role is in demand in 2026 

Organisations are pushing security earlier into development cycles. The goal is to reduce risk without slowing delivery, which has made application security and DevSecOps roles increasingly valuable. 

How to progress into this role in 2026 

Application security specialists often come from software engineering, QA, or security engineering backgrounds. Progression accelerates when professionals learn how development teams work and adapt security to fit those workflows. Experience working directly with developers is critical. 

How to position your experience on your resume for AppSec roles 

Strong resumes highlight enablement, not enforcement. Focus on the areas below, and avoid framing security as a blocker: 

• Security controls embedded into CI/CD pipelines 
• Automation that reduced manual reviews 
• Improvements to release quality or speed 

How to stand out in AppSec interviews 

Hiring managers look for collaboration skills and the ability to enable delivery. Be ready to explain: 

• How you reduced friction for developers 
• How automation replaced manual controls 
• How you handled pushback from engineering teams 

Cybersecurity Leadership: Security Directors and CISOs 

Why these roles remain selective in 2026 

Organisations are cautious when hiring senior security leaders. Demand is strongest for individuals who can connect security strategy to business risk, growth, and regulatory exposure. 

How to move into cybersecurity leadership roles 

Most security leaders build credibility through a mix of technical depth, program ownership, and cross-functional leadership. Board exposure and enterprise-wide responsibility matter too. 

How to position leadership experience on your resume 

Leadership resumes should focus on program impact. Highlight: 

• Security initiatives you built or scaled 
• Governance and third-party risk oversight 
• Outcomes achieved, not team size alone 

Avoid overly technical detail at the expense of strategic context. 

How to stand out in leadership interviews 

Senior interviews focus on communication. Expect questions about: 

• Risk prioritisation 
• Executive and board reporting 
• Trade-offs between security and business needs 

Clear, confident communication is often the deciding factor. 

Other cybersecurity roles seeing steady demand in 2026 

In addition to the roles above, we’re seeing consistent demand for cybersecurity talent across: 

• Threat detection and intelligence engineers 
• Penetration testers who produce actionable reporting 
• GRC professionals with strong operational understanding 
• Security engineers working alongside SRE and automation teams 

How to stay competitive as a cybersecurity professional in 2026 

Professionals positioning themselves for senior cybersecurity roles in 2026 benefit from being deliberate about how they build and present their experience: 

• Focus on outcomes rather than tools. Hiring managers care less about how many platforms you have used and more about what changed because of your work. Be able to explain how you reduced risk, improved response times, or strengthened controls, and quantify impact where possible. 
• Build experience across cloud and identity environments. Cloud platforms and access controls now underpin most security programs. Professionals who understand how identity, infrastructure, and applications interact are easier to place into high-impact roles. 
• Develop the ability to explain decisions clearly. Senior roles require regular communication with engineering leaders, product teams, and executives. Being able to describe trade-offs, risk, and constraints in plain language is often a differentiator. 
• Take responsibility for solving problems, not just completing tasks. Professionals who step beyond their remit, improve processes, and close gaps are more likely to be trusted with broader scope and leadership responsibility. 

Planning your next cybersecurity move? 

Cybersecurity professionals have strong opportunities in 2026, but competition is fiercer at senior levels. Understanding where demand is concentrated helps you invest your time more effectively. 

Start your search here: browse current cybersecurity vacancies, and register with Glocomms to send your resume to our cybersecurity talent consultants, who will connect you with positions that not only match your experience and ambition, but aren’t always available on the open market. Learn more about the benefits of working with a technology talent partner.