Flexible cybersecurity help, booked by the hour

Book time with James Batt for practical, plain-English cybersecurity help.

Consulting is for ad-hoc security work and focused projects where a business needs a trusted expert in their corner. It’s simply booking time with James Batt to review, advise, plan, or get something security-related over the line—without locking into a long programme.

Security Consulting Services

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Quick Support & Guidance

Expert answers when you need them

Get rapid expert input on security decisions, second opinions on recommendations, and clarity on technical advice you've received.

Quick security questions and sanity checks
Second opinions on vendor recommendations
Supplier and IT provider reviews
Tool and vendor selection guidance
Security questionnaires and tender responses

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Strategic Security Leadership

Direction and clarity for decision makers

Get strategic security direction without hiring a full-time security leader. Clear priorities, plain-English reporting, and practical decisions.

vCISO and security leadership services
Risk reviews and prioritisation
Security project planning and oversight
Board and leadership briefings
Implementation guidance for security initiatives

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Compliance & Audits

Meet requirements with confidence

Navigate compliance requirements without confusion. We help you understand what's needed, what's already in place, and what gaps to fill.

Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus
ISO 27001 preparation and gap analysis
Client audit support and responses
Clear, truthful tender and questionnaire answers

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Microsoft 365 Security

Lock down your cloud workspace

Practical guidance on securing Microsoft 365 for real-world business use. Email safety, access controls, and sharing settings that actually work.

Email security and phishing protection
Sign-in security and multi-factor authentication
Admin access controls and privileged accounts
File sharing and external collaboration settings
Data loss prevention configuration

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When Things Go Wrong

Clear action when incidents happen

Know what to do when something looks wrong. Rapid support to reduce impact, minimize confusion, and get back to normal operations.

Incident response guidance and support
Investigation and impact assessment
Containment and recovery planning
Backup and recovery verification
Post-incident reviews and improvements

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Policies & Practical Processes

Security that staff can actually follow

Simple, clear policies and processes that work in practice. Security guidance your team will understand and actually use.

Security policies staff can follow
Onboarding and offboarding procedures
Security awareness and training guidance
Access control and permission management
Clear security responsibilities across teams

How Consulting Works

How It Works

Simple, transparent consulting process

1

Estimate the Time You Need

Work out how many hours you need

Think about the work you need help with and estimate the time required. Most consulting work fits into clear time blocks based on complexity.

2

Confirm the Cost

Use the online calculator

Head to the online calculator to get a confirmed total based on the number of hours you need. Transparent pricing, no surprises.

3

Send Your Request

Click Schedule Consultation

Tell me what you need help with:

How many hours you need
What you want help with
Any deadlines or key dates

4

I'll Confirm Details, Quote and Invoice

Official quote and booking

I'll come back to you to confirm I can take on the request and gather any extra details needed. If it's a good fit, I'll send an official quote.

Once you accept, I'll send an invoice for the agreed amount and we'll get the work booked in.

Scoping Call Banner

View Pricing

Schedule Consultation

What is “Consulting” exactly?

Consulting is simply booking time with me (James Batt) to help with security work—ad-hoc support, projects, compliance prep, vCISO-style guidance, incident support, reviews, and anything else security-related that needs moving forward.

How do I book time?

Work out how many hours you think you need, confirm the total using the online calculator, then click Schedule Consultation and tell me the number of hours and what you need help with.

I’m not sure how many hours I need — what should I do?

Use Schedule Consultation to request a 30-minute scoping call. After that, I’ll recommend how many hours to purchase for the work you want done.

When does billable time start?

Billable time starts at the beginning of the scheduled appointment time.

Is email support included or billable?

Email support is billable. Time spent on email support, documentation, and any other deliverables is also classed as billable time.

Do purchased hours expire?

Yes. Hours purchased are valid for 1 year from the date of purchase. Any unused hours after 1 year expire and can’t be used.

Do you invoice before starting work?

Yes. Once the scope and hours are agreed and you accept the quote, I’ll issue an invoice and work will begin after that’s in place.

Do I get something in writing after the work?

If the work involves advice, decisions, or next steps, I’ll provide written notes or documentation as part of the time booked (and that time is billable).

Can these hours be used across different tasks?

Yes—hours can be used flexibly across multiple requests (for example: a policy review now, a Microsoft 365 security check next, then help with a supplier questionnaire later), as long as it fits within the purchased time.

Is the work remote or on-site?

Most consulting can be done remotely. If on-site time is needed, that can be discussed during the scoping call or when you submit the request.

Do you guarantee we won’t get hacked?

No honest consultant can promise that. What I can do is help reduce risk, remove common weaknesses, and build practical habits and controls that make the business harder to hit and quicker to recover.