Lead, Cybersecurity Incident Response

Canada Life

$119K — $169K *
Finance & Insurance
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Security, or related field.
  • 5+ years of experience in cybersecurity, with 3+ years in incident response roles.
  • Experience leading security incident response teams during major incidents.
  • Deep understanding of incident response frameworks like NIST and ISO 27035.
  • Strong knowledge in threat detection, digital forensics, and malware analysis.
  • Experience handling cloud incidents in AWS, Azure, or GCP.
  • Proficient in SIEM tools and EDR/XDR platforms.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and oversee the complete security incident response process.
  • Act as the primary coordinator during significant security incidents.
  • Establish and maintain incident response playbooks aligned with industry standards.
  • Coordinate with SOC and Threat Intelligence for proactive threat detection.
  • Ensure documentation and lead root cause analysis of incidents.
  • Conduct tabletop exercises to improve incident response readiness.
  • Manage investigations to analyze and report on security breaches.

Benefits

  • Collaborative work with a diverse, skilled Information Security team.
  • Hands-on experience with high-profile cybersecurity investigations.
  • Opportunities to develop and refine incident response frameworks.
  • Access to training and certification opportunities in best practices.
  • Work in a hybrid environment, promoting work-life balance.
Full Job Description
Permanent Full Time

We are seeking an experienced Security Incident Response Lead to guide and coordinate our security incident response function. This role is critical to protecting our business, data, and clients by ensuring rapid, effective, and efficient responses to cybersecurity incidents and threats. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in the incident response lifecycle, strong leadership skills, and the ability to collaborate across various departments and stakeholders.

As part of our Information Security team, you will participate in high-profile investigations and develop and implement response plans for diverse security incidents. Your work will directly contribute to minimizing risks, safeguarding sensitive information, and enhancing the overall cybersecurity posture of our organization.

What will you do :

Incident Response Management
  • Develop, lead, and oversee the end-to-end security incident response process, including preparation, detection, analysis, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident review.
  • Act as the primary point of contact and coordinator during major security incidents, managing incident communications and escalating as needed.
  • Establish and maintain incident response playbooks, procedures, and runbooks aligned with industry frameworks (NIST, ISO 27035, SANS, etc.).
  • Coordinate with the Security Operations Center (SOC) team, Threat Intelligence, and Vulnerability Management to proactively detect and respond to potential threats.
  • Ensure incidents are properly documented, classified, and reported, and lead root cause analysis (RCA) efforts to identify lessons learned.
  • Regularly conduct tabletop exercises and simulations to assess and improve the organization's incident response readiness.

Security Investigations and Threat Management
  • Manage and conduct security investigations to determine the cause, scope, and impact of security breaches.
  • Oversee evidence gathering to support investigations, ensuring chain of custody and compliance with legal and regulatory standards.
  • Work with threat intelligence team to analyze and respond to advanced persistent threats (APTs), malware outbreaks, ransomware incidents, and other cyberattacks.
  • Collaborate with external partners, law enforcement, and industry groups to stay informed of emerging threats and incorporate intelligence into incident response processes.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement
  • Act as a liaison between the Security Incident Response Team (SIRT) and business units, IT, Legal, Compliance, Risk, and external vendors.
  • Work closely with internal audit, governance, and risk management teams to ensure alignment with corporate security policies and regulatory requirements.
  • Communicate effectively with senior leadership during high-severity incidents, providing regular updates on impact, response activities, and mitigation plans.
  • Partner with business continuity and disaster recovery teams to ensure seamless integration of incident response with overall organizational resilience.

Process Development and Maturity
  • Continuously enhance and refine the incident response framework to align with evolving threats, business objectives, and regulatory landscapes.
  • Develop and maintain comprehensive incident response policies, standards, and guidelines that address the needs of the business while aligning with global best practices.
  • Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the incident response program.
  • Lead initiatives to automate and optimize incident response activities through the integration of SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) platforms and other tools.


What will you bring:
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Security, or a related field.
  • 5+ years of experience in cybersecurity with at least 3 years in incident response or related roles.
  • Demonstrated experience leading security incident response teams and managing major incidents.
  • Deep understanding of incident response frameworks (NIST 800-61, ISO 27035, MITRE ATT&CK, etc.) and industry best practices.
  • Strong knowledge of threat detection, digital forensics, malware analysis, network security, and endpoint security.
  • Experience in handling cloud-based incidents (Azure, AWS, GCP) and familiarity with cloud security principles.
  • Proficient in SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tools, EDR/XDR platforms, and forensic tools.
  • Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple investigations and priorities simultaneously.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Certifications such as GCIH, GCFA, CISSP, CISM, CCISO, or CRISC are highly desirable.
  • Experience in the insurance or financial services sector is a strong asset.
  • Familiarity with privacy regulations (GDPR, PIPEDA, CCPA) and industry compliance requirements.
  • Experience working with executive leadership and Board-level communications during incidents.


Key Competencies
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving under pressure.
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
  • Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills to work effectively across teams and business units.
  • Detail-oriented with a high level of integrity and professionalism.


The base salary for this position is between $119,300 - $169,300 annually. This represents base salary only and does not represent other variable compensation components of our total compensation ( i.e. annual bonus, commission etc). If you are selected to move forward in our recruitment process, your recruiter will be able to discuss additional details of our total rewards program with you.

Career opportunities will be open a minimum of 5 business days from the date of posting, closing dates will vary depending on the search activity. All applications received will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

#LI-Hybrid

Requisition ID: 6144

Category: Digital Technology

Location:

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