Chief Information Security Officer

The University of Alberta has engaged DHR International Canada Inc. to manage this search. To explore this exciting opportunity further, please contact or submit your resume to This position will remain open until the position is filled.

This position is excluded from the bargaining unit.

In accordance with the Handbook of Terms and Conditions of Employment for Management and Professional Staff (Excluded), this position has a comprehensive benefits package which will be commensurate with qualifications.

Working at the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta, its buildings, labs and research stations are primarily located on the territory of the Néhiyaw (Cree), Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Métis, Nakoda (Stoney), Dene, Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and Anishinaabe (Ojibway/Saulteaux), lands that are now known as part of Treaties 6, 7 and 8 and homeland of the Métis. The University of Alberta respects the sovereignty, lands, histories, languages, knowledge systems and cultures of all First Nations, Métis and Inuit nations.

The University of Alberta is a community of knowledge seekers, change makers and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to over 14,000 faculty and staff, more than 40,000 students and a growing community of 300,000 alumni worldwide.
Your work will have a meaningful influence on a vibrant cross-section of people — from our students and community members, to our academic colleagues who play an important role in critical analysis, knowledge production, connecting with communities, and creative production.

We build the university of tomorrow for the students who are seeking and strengthening their purpose. For the educators and researchers who pursue their purpose in the lab and share it in the classroom - and around the world. For our alumni and partners who work for the greater good in our communities. We uphold and advance the commitments outlined in Braiding Past, Present and Future by working alongside and in partnership with all members of the university community. We foster belonging and meaningful access by taking up actions in Changing the Story, weaving together a tapestry of backgrounds and cultures that strengthens us through our shared experiences and connections.
Under the leadership of the University's 14th President and Vice Chancellor, Bill Flanagan, the University of Alberta continues to move forward with purpose as one of the world's most respected public universities. At its foundation lie talented people - students, faculty, and staff - who with their creativity, ingenuity and drive, join in advancing human knowledge and pursuing scientific discovery for the benefit of all. We celebrate creativity, a wide range of perspectives and experiences, perseverance, and a spirit of collaboration that enables people to thrive through shared learning and mutual support.

Moving forward, we make this simple, but vital promise:

We, the University of Alberta, will never be satisfied with the "now." We will always be seeking, always be challenging and, most of all, always be leading.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), Associate Vice-President of Information Services & Technology (IST), the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) provides leadership to discrete functions, operations, programs or services within the cybersecurity and IT compliance areas of the university. Directors are expected to generate excitement, engagement, support and momentum for their area's initiatives. As leaders, they straddle the worlds of operational and strategic leadership, translating strategic vision into operational/action plans for their staff.

The CISO leads the development and implementation of a comprehensive security strategy to safeguard University assets, information, and infrastructure. This role operates within a complex academic environment, supporting institutional goals while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and emerging security threats. The University of Alberta is an internationally recognized institution and with extensive research programs and as such this role will need to understand regional, national and international cybersecurity policies and trends.