Director, Cyber Security

About Langara College

Langara College, located in Vancouver, B.C., values excellence, collegiality, innovation, and integrity. This role requires candidates to be based in British Columbia or willing to relocate, unless otherwise specified for external work.

Position Overview

The Director of Cyber Security offers visionary leadership and institutional governance for the college's cyber and information security domain. This includes developing and enforcing policies, overseeing strategy deployment, and ensuring compliance with risk tolerance, institutional goals, and regulatory standards. The position balances security with requirements of academic flexibility and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and continuously improve the institution-wide cyber security policies, architectures, and strategic direction in line with college objectives.
• Ensure cybersecurity strategy complies with provincial and federal legislation.
• Lead a comprehensive cyber risk management program aligned with enterprise risk initiatives.
• Establish cybersecurity performance metrics and deliver executive reports to senior leadership and the board as needed.
• Advise senior executives on cybersecurity concerns related to emerging technologies and cloud initiatives.
• Coordinate awareness campaigns and training to foster a culture of shared cybersecurity responsibility.
• Create and maintain procedures for digital forensic investigations, managing internal and external resources as necessary.
• Lead the incident management program and direct the cyber incident response team during significant incidents.
• Oversee threat and vulnerability management, penetration testing, and security assessments across infrastructure and applications.
• Manage cybersecurity incident investigations, ensuring proper documentation, root cause analysis, and recovery processes.
• Serve as liaison with law enforcement and maintain chain-of-custody for security incidents.
• Plan and manage the annual budget for the cyber security portfolio, aligning expenditures with institutional financial strategy.
• Provide leadership and management to the cyber security team, including recruitment, coaching, and performance evaluation.
• Oversee third-party vendor security assessments and maintain client relationships concerning cyber security matters.
• Make critical technology acquisition and implementation decisions in collaboration with CIO and IT leadership.
• Participate in senior leadership committees and strategic planning.
• Collaborate with the British Columbia post-secondary sector to share threat intelligence and strengthen collective cybersecurity resilience.
• Build strategic partnerships with academic leaders, industry, government, and other stakeholders to advance security initiatives.
• Execute other duties as assigned by leadership.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in any field.
• Undergraduate degree in computer science or a business-related discipline.
• Professional certifications in information security such as CISSP or CISM.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressive technology experience, including at least 5 years in cybersecurity roles.
• Combination of education and experience considered equivalent.

Skills and Competencies

• Deep knowledge of security frameworks, including NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0.
• Strong leadership, organizational, negotiation, and planning capabilities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for building relationships and conveying complex information to diverse audiences.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and navigate ambiguity.
• Current awareness of cybersecurity trends, challenges, and mitigation strategies.
• Proficiency in simplifying and translating technical cybersecurity concepts for non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to align cybersecurity practices with organizational risk management and legal compliance.

Leadership Attributes

• Solution-oriented mindset driving timely and effective decisions.
• Strong sense of accountability and ownership culture.
• High emotional intelligence with respectful interaction skills.
• Courage in addressing conflicts constructively.
• Ability to motivate and engage teams through change.
• Visionary strategic thinking supporting institutional goals.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
• Communicative clarity fostering trust and commitment.

Additional Information

This newly established position reports directly to the Chief Information Officer and is accountable for advancing the existing cybersecurity strategy and team. The ideal candidate combines strong judgement, prioritization skills, and a service-oriented approach to security that supports teaching and learning rather than restricting it.

Work Conditions & Benefits

• Hourly salary range from $62.68 to $96.10, based on pay grade 14.
• 35 scheduled hours per week with some flexibility based on department needs.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• Hybrid work program for eligible roles.
• Generous vacation plus paid winter closure week.
• Employer-paid defined benefit pension plan.
• Eligibility for educational and professional development programs.
• Access to on-site daycare and tuition waivers.
• Wellness and campus engagement activities.

Equity and Inclusion

Langara College is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Applicants from underrepresented groups, including Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, people with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, are encouraged to apply. Accommodation is available during the application process upon request.