Cybersecurity Lead

City of Red Deer; Red Deer; On-site; CAD 73,000 - 91,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Red Deer is seeking an experienced Cybersecurity Lead to provide strategic leadership for the City's cybersecurity program and safeguard essential municipal services.

The role combines strategic planning with hands-on technical leadership, protecting critical infrastructure and guiding executives through cybersecurity risks. You will spearhead enterprise security initiatives and collaborate with business leaders to strengthen resilience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Information Security, or related discipline (or equivalent).
• Five or more years of cybersecurity experience.
• Experience developing cybersecurity strategies, policies, and governance frameworks.
• Strong knowledge of risk management, incident response, security architecture, cloud security, networking, and identity management.

Responsibilities

• Developing and implementing enterprise cybersecurity strategies, policies, standards, and governance.
• Designing and improving security architecture across cloud, network, server, endpoint, and identity platforms.
• Leading cybersecurity risk assessments, vulnerability management, penetration testing, and compliance initiatives.
• Coordinating security incident response, investigations, and recovery activities.
• Building security awareness and training programs for employees across the organization.
• Partnering with business leaders, vendors, and technology teams to improve organizational resilience.
• Advising executive leadership on emerging threats, risks, and cybersecurity investments.
• Supporting business continuity and disaster recovery planning.
• Driving continuous improvement of cybersecurity practices and technologies.

Skills

Cybersecurity expertise

Policy development

Strategic leadership

Risk management

Incident response

Education

Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity or related discipline

Job description

Red Deer sits at the heart of Central Alberta along the QEII corridor, perfectly positioned between Calgary and Edmonton. With more than 100,000 residents and a regional reach of over 300,000, it’s a growing hub for business, services, and opportunity.

Here, big-city amenities meet small-city ease. Enjoy abundant parks and trails, vibrant arts and culture, excellent recreation and education, and a strong sense of community.

With easy access to lakes, outdoor adventures, and the mountains, plus a thriving economy and high quality of life, Red Deer is an inviting place to live, work, and grow.

About The City of Red Deer Municipal Government:

The City of Red Deer is a dynamic municipal organization with a $480M operating budget, a $60M capital program, and a workforce of nearly 1,700 employees. It is focused on growing with purpose by attracting talented, community-minded people who want to make a difference.

Guided by the vision “Our City, One Voice,” Red Deer is building a thriving, inclusive, and connected community, with priorities centered on a vibrant economy, community wellbeing, and strong engagement.

At its core, the City values its people, embracing diverse perspectives and fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and shared success

The Opportunity:

Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT function—it's a critical public service.

The City of Red Deer is looking for an experienced Cybersecurity Lead to provide strategic leadership for the City's cybersecurity program and help safeguard the technology that supports essential municipal services.

From protecting critical infrastructure and business systems to guiding executive leadership through cybersecurity risks, this role is at the center of our digital future.

This is an exciting opportunity for a cybersecurity professional who enjoys combining strategic planning with hands‑on technical leadership.

Top Key Responsibilities:

• Developing and implementing enterprise cybersecurity strategies, policies, standards, and governance
• Designing and improving security architecture across cloud, network, server, endpoint, and identity platforms
• Leading cybersecurity risk assessments, vulnerability management, penetration testing, and compliance initiatives
• Coordinating security incident response, investigations, and recovery activities
• Building security awareness and training programs for employees across the organization
• Partnering with business leaders, vendors, and technology teams to improve organizational resilience
• Advising executive leadership on emerging threats, risks, and cybersecurity investments
• Supporting business continuity and disaster recovery planning
• Driving continuous improvement of cybersecurity practices and technologies

The successful candidate will serve as the City's cybersecurity subject matter expert and help shape the future direction of cybersecurity across the organization.

As our preferred candidate, you will have:

• A Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Information Security, or a related discipline (or an equivalent combination of education and experience)
• Five or more years of progressively responsible cybersecurity experience
• Experience developing cybersecurity strategies, policies, and governance frameworks
• Strong knowledge of risk management, incident response, security architecture, cloud security, networking, and identity management
• Experience implementing enterprise security solutions and leading cross-functional initiatives
• Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills with both technical and non‑technical audiences
• Professional certifications such as CISSP, CISM, Security+, PMP, or related credentials are considered strong assets.

Affiliation:

Exempt

Status:

Regular Full-time

Remuneration:

$52.77 to $65.95 per hour.

Hours of Work:

75 hours biweekly, Monday to Friday. Some evening and weekend work may be required.

The City of Red Deer does not permit the use of unauthorized internet resources or Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools (for example, Copilot, ChatGPT or any other form of AI) during interviews or any supervised or timed assessments. Any violation may be investigated and result in serious consequences, including the rejection of your application.

We thank you for your application. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

About Us

We are a municipal government, eager to meet tomorrow's challenges. Our employees are the cornerstone of our organization. We are always seeking creative and skilled individuals with the ability and desire to lead in our dynamic workplace. Each of our employees brings diverse experiences and perspectives, as well as unique skills and talents to the job. Our diverse employee base ensures an environment where individual, team, and organizational successes are embraced and celebrated. We strive to ensure a supportive and respectful work environment for all. Employees are treated fairly and have equal opportunity within the organization to thrive and attain their highest potential. We welcome your application and look forward to discussing how The City of Red Deer can become your next career choice.