De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (DHC) is a storied name in the aerospace industry, recognized worldwide for its pioneering contributions to aviation and its unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, and reliability. Headquartered in Calgary, AB, DHC currently has approximately 2,400 employees across British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, as well as in markets and distribution hubs world-wide.
Established in 1928, De Havilland Canada has a rich history marked by the development of some of the most iconic and versatile aircraft ever built. These aircraft have served a variety of roles - from bush flying to commercial aviation - and are celebrated for their rugged durability, operational versatility, and excellence in performance.
Over the decades, De Havilland Canada has evolved to meet the changing needs of the aviation industry. Today, we are more than just an aircraft manufacturer; we are a comprehensive aerospace company with capabilities that span design, production, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services. Our operations are supported by a team of skilled engineers, technicians, and industry professionals who are dedicated to upholding the highest standards of craftsmanship and innovation.
Position Summary
The Cybersecurity Lead is responsible for shaping and advancing De Havilland's cybersecurity program across enterprise IT and operational technology environments. This role combines enterprise security architecture, operational security leadership, governance, risk management, and hands-on engineering to improve cyber resilience and reduce business risk.
The Cybersecurity Lead provides technical and functional direction to cybersecurity analysts, specialists, architects, and service partners. The role coordinates work, mentors team members, sets technical standards, and supports capability growth, while formal people-management activities remain with the accountable manager.
Working closely with IT leadership, infrastructure, engineering, operations, and business stakeholders, the Cybersecurity Lead translates risk into practical, secure, and resilient technology outcomes aligned with DHC's business priorities.
Key Responsibilities
Cybersecurity Strategy and Program Leadership
- Develop and execute DHC's cybersecurity roadmap, priorities, and maturity plan in alignment with business objectives and risk tolerance.
- Act as a trusted cybersecurity advisor to IT leadership and key business stakeholders, translating technical risk into business impact and recommended action.
- Contribute to IT strategy, investment planning, business cases, budgets, and technology roadmaps.
- Lead cybersecurity governance discussions and contribute to enterprise architecture, risk, and audit forums.
- Define meaningful cybersecurity metrics and provide regular, actionable reporting on posture, risks, progress, and priorities.
Technical Leadership and Architecture
- Define and maintain secure, scalable, and resilient security architectures across cloud, hybrid, network, endpoint, identity, application, and OT environments.
- Embed secure-by-design requirements into infrastructure, cloud, application, data, and operational technology initiatives.
- Establish and enforce security standards for configuration, segmentation, access control, and technical controls, aligned with NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and IEC 62443 where applicable.
- Provide hands-on leadership for the implementation, configuration, integration, and continual optimization of cybersecurity technologies.
- Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend practical capabilities that strengthen DHC's defense-in-depth strategy.
Security Operations and Resilience
- Provide technical direction for threat detection and response, vulnerability management, identity security, endpoint security, network security, and security monitoring services.
- Lead significant security incidents, escalations, containment decisions, post-incident reviews, and corrective-action follow-through.
- Advance the use and optimization of Microsoft Defender, Sentinel, Entra ID, XDR, SIEM, MFA, conditional access, and related security capabilities.
- Establish and monitor service measures including detection and response performance, vulnerability remediation, operational SLAs, and cybersecurity maturity targets.
- Lead or support tabletop exercises, BCP/DR testing, and other resilience activities to validate readiness.
Governance Risk Compliance and Third Party Security
- Maintain cybersecurity policies, standards, procedures, and control frameworks that support regulatory, contractual, audit, and internal governance requirements.
- Lead cybersecurity risk assessments, risk treatment planning, and ongoing tracking of material risks and exceptions.
- Coordinate third-party and supply-chain cybersecurity assessments with procurement, legal, finance, and business owners.
- Support clear evidence collection and remediation planning for internal and external audits.
Operational Technology Security
- Lead the design and evolution of cybersecurity controls for OT and industrial environments, with an emphasis on safe IT and OT convergence.
- Partner with engineering and operations teams to protect critical manufacturing systems, industrial assets, connectivity, and data exchange.
- Apply risk-based OT security practices aligned with IEC 62443, NIST CSF, and DHC operational requirements.
Functional Leadership and Capability Growth
- Provide day-to-day technical guidance, work prioritization, coaching, and mentorship to cybersecurity team members and relevant IT resources.
- Help define role expectations, operating procedures, skills development priorities, and practical career-growth opportunities for cybersecurity staff.
- Coordinate cybersecurity capacity, service intake, and delivery with the accountable people manager and IT leadership.
- Build a security-first culture through clear standards, constructive partnership, knowledge sharing, and visible accountability.
- Manage cybersecurity vendors and service partners to ensure services, contracts, and outcomes support DHC's priorities.
Qualifications
Experience
- 8-10+ years of progressive cybersecurity, infrastructure, or security engineering experience, including experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives.
- Demonstrated expertise in hybrid cloud environments, preferably Azure, and the Microsoft security ecosystem including Defender, Sentinel, Arctic Wolf and Entra ID.
- Strong background in security architecture, incident response, vulnerability management, identity security, risk management, and resilience planning.
- Experience working with OT, industrial, manufacturing, or other critical operational environments is strongly preferred.
- Experience providing technical leadership, mentoring, or functional coordination for cybersecurity resources and external service partners.
Education and Certifications
- Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related discipline; an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
- Relevant advanced security certification such as CISSP, GSEC, GCIH, CCNP Security, or comparable credential is preferred.
- IEC 62443, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, cloud security, or OT-security certifications are assets.
Core Competencies
- Strategic, practical thinker who can convert technical risk into clear business decisions and executable plans.
- Strong technical judgment, written and verbal communication, stakeholder engagement, and collaboration skills.
- Ability to lead calmly and decisively during incidents, ambiguity, and competing business priorities.
- High accountability, sound judgment, continuous-learning mindset, and commitment to improving security outcomes.
Why work at De Havilland?
De Havilland Canada is a Canadian-owned and operated aircraft manufacturer dedicated to providing rewarding opportunities in a diverse and welcoming workplace.
- Work with a team that makes a true difference in the world-making it possible for people to travel around the globe efficiently, comfortably and safely.
- We’ve manufactured over 5,600 aircraft including the most advanced turboprop in the air today. Our experience and expertise in constructing the highest performing aircraft in the industry is second to none.
- Our state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities are dynamic workplaces led by teams that support and encourage all employees.
- With a passionate team of innovators and a global network of support, De Havilland Canada proudly carries on it’s tradition as a leader in aerospace.
In addition to plenty of opportunities for career growth in a stimulating work environment, De Havilland Canada offers:
- Competitive wages
- Paid vacation
- Extended health benefits (medical, dental, vision, paramedical)
- Life insurance
- RRSP/DPSP Plan
- Employee and family assistance program
At De Havilland Aircraft of Canada (DHC), we are committed to protecting our people, customers, shareholders and the public through Health & Safety Excellence. As such, it is expected that all employees maintain strict adherence to Health & Safety Policies and to perform key physical tasks of the position described in the job description and interview process. This may include but is not limited to the ability to work in a variety of environmental conditions including temperature extremes, confined spaces, working at heights and with or around chemicals. Employees are expected to adhere to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when at work which must include but is not limited to the ability to maintain a positive fit test when mask use is required.
At De Havilland Canada, we aim to be inclusive and diverse and provide equal opportunity for employment. All qualified applicants, regardless of gender, age, race, religion, sexual orientation, and disability, are encouraged to apply. De Havilland will accommodate the needs of applicants with disabilities throughout all stages of the selection process. If you need accommodation during the recruitment process, please advise your Talent Acquisition representative. Information relating to the need for accommodation and accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.
Any offer of employment is conditional on the completion of positive and satisfactory background checks, which may include, proof that you are legally entitled to work in Canada, professional references, verification of employment history, verification of educational background and criminal background checks.
