Executive Protection Specialist

About The Role
We're looking for an Executive Protection (EP) Specialist based in Toronto to support close protection operations for Shopify's senior leadership team. You'll plan, anticipate, and adapt in real time—protecting people, safeguarding privacy, and coordinating across teams and jurisdictions. You must live or be willing to relocate to within 10km of Shopify's Toronto office, located at 620 King St W, and be able to travel up to 40% of your time, on short notice.

What you'll do

• Provide secure transportation and close protection in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and while traveling
• Plan and run protective advances: threat and vulnerability assessments, route/site surveys, secure movement plans, and surveillance detection
• Coordinate with residential and venue security, law enforcement, event teams, and vendors
• De-escalate tense situations; respond to emergencies and medical incidents at the residence, office, and during travel
• Conduct mail/package screening and other protective tasks at residence, office, and event sites
• Partner with Shopify's protective intelligence team for: ongoing threat monitoring, persons-of-interest management, travel risk assessments, and after-action reporting
• Keep vehicles and gear mission-ready: inspections, fueling, maintenance, equipment checks, and documentation
• Maintain EP SOPs and identify and solve for program gaps, process improvements, and operational advancements
• Handle sensitive information with extreme discretion
• Identify and escalate vulnerabilities, deficiencies, and failures quickly and clearly

Qualifications

• 3+ years dedicated executive/close protection experience in corporate, government, or high-net-worth environments, covering residential, travel, and events
• Recognized Executive Protection certification/training
• Valid Ontario Security Guard Licence in good standing
• Valid Ontario G Driver's Licence with a clean driving abstract; experience with SUVs, long-duration driving, and winter/ice conditions
• Advanced driver training in protective/defensive/evasive driving
• Current Standard First Aid/CPR/AED or willing to obtain within 90 days of hire
• Valid passport; legally entitled to work in Canada; able to obtain visas and travel internationally without restrictions
• Successful Vulnerable Sector Check within 30 days of hire Able to be on-call and work irregular hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays; and travel on short notice
• Strong judgment, discretion, client service, and decision-making under pressure; proven de-escalation skills
• Experience with physical and residential security: access control, surveillance, alarms, target hardening
• Mail screening protocol knowledge
• Proficiency with communications equipment, GPS/mapping, and incident reporting tools; comfortable with Google Workspace
• Physical readiness: maintain high fitness standards; sit/drive for extended periods; stand/walk for prolonged periods
• Working knowledge of Canadian Criminal Code use-of-force, Ontario Trespass to Property Act, and privacy obligations

Nice to have

• International EP experience across multiple jurisdictions
• Advanced medical training (EMR/EMT, remote/wilderness medicine);
• Water safety/rescue; Pleasure Craft Operator Card
• Surveillance detection and counter-surveillance; coordination of technical surveillance countermeasures (TSCM)
• NEXUS eligibility
• Defensive tactics, use-of-force and self defence training
• Knowledge of vehicle mechanics/basic maintenance
• Intelligence and analytic experience
• Risk management experience
• Ability to drive practical technological solutions from concept to execution
• Fluency in additional languages

Deadline to Apply: November 28, 2025

About Shopify
Opportunity is not evenly distributed. Shopify puts independence within reach for anyone with a dream to start a business. We propel entrepreneurs and enterprises to scale the heights of their potential. Since 2006, we've grown to over 8,300 employees and generated over $1 trillion in sales for millions of merchants in 175 countries.

This is life-defining work that directly impacts people's lives as much as it transforms your own. This is putting the power of the few in the hands of the many, is a future with more voices rather than fewer, and is creating more choices instead of an elite option.

About You
Moving at our pace brings a lot of change, complexity, and ambiguity—and a little bit of chaos. Shopifolk thrive on that and are comfortable being uncomfortable. That means Shopify is not the right place for everyone.

Before you apply, consider if you can:

• Care deeply about what you do and about making commerce better for everyone
• Excel by seeking professional and personal hypergrowth
• Keep up with an unrelenting pace (the week, not the quarter)
• Be resilient and resourceful in face of ambiguity and thrive on (rather than endure) change
• Bring critical thought and opinion
• Use AI tools reflexively as part of your fundamental workflow
• Embrace differences and disagreement to get shit done and move forward
• Work digital-first for your daily work