Sr. Director, Blockchain Application Engineering

Socket.dev; Toronto; On-site; CAD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

CIBC is building a relationship-oriented bank for the modern world. We seek a Sr.

Director, Block-Chain Application Engineering to lead the digital assets engineering practice, shape the roadmap, and guide architecture, security, and vendor decisions across multiple project phases. You will hire and lead senior technical professionals and foster an engineering culture grounded in governance and accountability.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of technology experience with at least 5 years in senior engineering leadership in regulated environments.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise blockchain architecture, smart contract design, permissioned networks, and tokenized deposits.
• Experience operating in regulated environments with Canadian banking, risk, outsourcing, and AML/ATF obligations.
• Proven delivery of large, complex technology programs with accountability and governance.
• Ability to explain complex architecture to executives and stakeholders with credibility.

Responsibilities

• Build the Digital Assets engineering team by defining structure, hiring standards, and onboarding programs.
• Own the engineering roadmap and delivery model for the tokenized deposits program across phases.
• Chair architecture reviews, enforce documented processes, and define code quality standards.
• Collaborate with Security, Risk, and Compliance to meet regulatory expectations and audit readiness.
• Manage vendor strategy, due diligence, SLAs, renewals, and escalation management.
• Communicate progress, risks, and key decisions clearly to executives, control partners, and regulators.

Skills

Database Architecture

DBMS

Data-Driven Planning

Executive Relationship Management

Innovation Strategies

Object-Oriented Database

Performance Improvements

Technical Leadership

Job description

We’re building a relationship-oriented bank for the modern world. We need talented, passionate professionals who are dedicated to doing what’s right for our clients.

At CIBC, we embrace your strengths and your ambitions, so you are empowered at work. Our team members have what they need to make a meaningful impact and are truly valued for who they are and what they contribute.

To learn more about CIBC, please visit CIBC.com

What You'll Be Doing

Digital Assets Technology is building secure, scalable capabilities that support CIBC's innovation in tokenized deposits and enterprise blockchain solutions. As a Sr. Director, Block-Chain Application Engineering, you'll lead the build-out of our digital assets engineering practice and oversee the end-to-end delivery of a complex, regulated technology program. You'll shape the engineering roadmap, establish delivery and quality standards, and guide architecture, security, and vendor decisions across multiple phases of implementation. You'll hire, develop, and lead a team of senior technical professionals while creating a strong engineering culture grounded in documentation, governance, and accountability. You'll work closely with business, risk, compliance, information security, and executive stakeholders to ensure solutions are delivered responsibly and meet internal and regulatory expectations. You'll also represent engineering decisions clearly at senior levels, helping drive progress in a fast-evolving and highly visible area of the bank.

At CIBC we enable the work environment most optimal for you to thrive in your role. Details on your work arrangement (proportion of on-site and remote work) will be discussed at the time of your interview

How You'll Succeed

• Build the engineering practice - Lead the creation of the Digital Assets engineering team by defining team structure, establishing hiring standards, partnering on recruitment, and creating onboarding and development programs for blockchain architects, senior developers, and infrastructure engineers.
• Drive delivery execution - Own the engineering roadmap and delivery model for the tokenized deposits program, ensuring milestones, budget, resources, and dependencies are managed effectively across all phases.
• Govern architecture and quality - Chair material architecture decisions, enforce documented review and approval processes, and define engineering standards for code review, testing coverage, audit readiness, deployment controls, and release quality.
• Strengthen security, risk, and compliance - Partner with Information Security, Risk, and Compliance teams to ensure the platform meets enterprise security standards and regulatory expectations, including third-party risk, cybersecurity, audit requirements, and digital asset compliance obligations.
• Lead vendor strategy and oversight - Manage critical technology partner relationships, lead technical due diligence for new vendors, oversee service levels and delivery commitments, and support contract renewals, risk assessments, and escalation management.
• Communicate with impact - Provide clear executive reporting on progress, risks, and key decisions, and translate complex technical matters into concise updates for senior leaders, control partners, and regulators.

Who You Are

• You're an experienced technology leader. You bring 12+ years of technology experience, including at least 5 years in senior engineering leadership in financial services or another highly regulated industry. You've built and scaled high-performing teams and led large, complex technology initiatives with full accountability for outcomes.
• You're strong in digital assets and blockchain. You have solid knowledge of enterprise blockchain architecture, smart contract design, permissioned networks, and tokenized deposit concepts. You can review technical decisions with confidence and ask the right questions on architecture, code quality, security tooling, and delivery readiness.
• You know how to operate in a regulated environment. You understand the Canadian banking and risk landscape, including key regulatory expectations related to cybersecurity, third-party risk, outsourcing, and anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing obligations. You can work effectively with risk, audit, compliance, and regulatory stakeholders.
• You're a strategic delivery owner. You have a track record of turning business strategy and regulatory requirements into sequenced delivery plans, managing budgets, risks, and vendor ecosystems, and keeping complex programs moving with discipline and transparency.
• You're an influential communicator. You can explain complex technical architecture clearly to executives, non-technical stakeholders, and external partners. You build confidence through strong judgment, thoughtful decision-making, and credible leadership across cross-functional teams.
• Values matter to you. You bring your real self to work and live our values of trust, teamwork, and accountability in how you lead, make decisions, and support others.

What CIBC Offers

At CIBC, your goals are a priority. We start with your strengths and ambitions as an employee and strive to create opportunities to tap into your potential. We aspire to give you a career, rather than just a paycheck.

• We work to recognize you in meaningful, personalized ways including a competitive salary, incentive pay, banking benefits, a benefits program*, defined benefit pension plan*, an employee share purchase plan, a vacation offering, wellbeing support, and MomentMakers, our social, points-based recognition program.

• Our spaces and technological toolkit will make it simple to bring together great minds to create innovative solutions that make a difference for our clients.

• We cultivate a culture where you can express your ambition through initiatives like Purpose Day; a paid day off dedicated for you to use to invest in your growth and development.

*Subject to plan and program terms and conditions

What you need to know

• CIBC is committed to creating an inclusive environment where all team members and clients feel like they belong. We seek applicants with a wide range of abilities and we provide an accessible candidate experience. If you need accommodation, please contact [e-mail]

• CIBC is committed to clarity in our hiring process. All roles posted are opportunities we’re actively recruiting for, unless stated otherwise.

• You need to be legally eligible to work at the location(s) specified above and, where applicable, must have a valid work or study permit.

• We may ask you to complete an attribute-based assessment and other skills test (such as simulation, coding, French proficiency).

• We use artificial intelligence tools during the recruitment process. Our goal for the application process is to get to know more about you, all that you have to offer, and give you the opportunity to learn more about us.

Job Location

Toronto-141 Bay, 11th Floor

Employment Type

Regular

Weekly Hours

37.5

Skills

Database Architecture, Database Management Systems (DBMS), Data-Driven Planning, Executive Relationship Management, Innovation Strategies, Object Oriented Database, Performance Improvements, Technical Leadership