Director, Digital Safety

Are you looking for a role where you can define the future of digital safety in a complex, mission-critical environment? Can you see yourself leading enterprise-wide cybersecurity programs while establishing the standards, controls, and governance frameworks that protect critical digital systems and information assets? If you answered yes, this may be the job for you. as our Chalk River location is looking for a Director, Digital Safety to lead the development and implementation of CNL's Digital Safety Framework.
What you will be doing!
Digital Safety Framework & Standards Authority
Defining, maintaining, and evolving the enterprise Digital Safety Framework, incorporating nuclear safety principles such as defence-in-depth, graded approach, and continuous improvement.
Establishing and governing mandatory, non-negotiable digital safety control requirements applicable to:
Information systems
Operational technologies
Nuclear-related digital assets
Identity and access managemen
Data protection and asset lifecycle management
Translating external standards (CSA N290.7, ISO 27001, NIST, IAEA) into a cohesive, internally consistent Digital Safety Framework.
Defining the baseline conditions required for safe digital operations, ensuring clarity in expectations across all business and operational areas.
Program Implementation
Embedding Digital Safety requirements into all business processes, projects, and operational activities to obtain compliance with defined safety standards.
Developing and delivering enterprise-wide programs to build digital safety awareness, competency, and behavioural accountability.
Driving the integration of human factors and behavioural science into digital safety practices, reinforcing safe decision-making and risk-awareness across the workforce.
Promoting and enforcing understanding so that all employees and contractors understand their role in maintaining digital safety and operate within defined safety expectations.
Control Oversight and Operational Assurance
Exercising authority to mandate that all digital systems and activities comply with established Digital Safety requirements.
Conducting assessments, audits, and monitoring to validate adherence to safety standards and identifying gaps or vulnerabilities.
Leading incident response readiness and coordinating response activities, ensuring compliance with defined safety and regulatory requirements.
Maintaining enterprise visibility of digital assets and establish appropriate classification, protection, and lifecycle management.
Governance, Compliance, and External Alignment
Overseeing and confirming alignment with regulatory requirements and maintain readiness for audits and inspections.
Building and maintaining relationships with regulatory bodies, industry organizations, and external experts.
Monitoring emerging threats, technologies, and regulatory changes, incorporating them into the Digital Safety Framework as appropriate.
Leadership and Organizational Capability
Leading and developing a high-performing team of digital safety professionals, fostering a culture of accountability, excellence, and continuous improvement.
Developing workforce capability plans to build and sustain the skills required to execute Digital Safety objectives.
Managing budgets, resources, and priorities to deliver on strategic Digital Safety objectives.
Other duties as assigned by your manager.
What we are looking for:
Education
Bachelor's or Master's degree in cyber Security, Information Systems, Business Administration or related field, or equivalent work experience.
Relevant certifications (e.G., CISSP, CISM, ITIL) are highly desirable.
Experience
10+ years of experience in cyber security, with specific expertise in nuclear or critical infrastructure protection preferred.
10+ years in progressive leadership roles.
Demonstrated experience establishing and governing enterprise security or control frameworks.
Experience implementing and interpreting industry and regulatory standards (e.G., CSA N290.7, ISO 27001, NIST).
Proven ability to lead large-scale organizational transformation and embed control disciplines in complex environments.
Experience in operational technology (OT), industrial control systems (ICS), or SCADA environments strongly preferred.
Experience in managing budgets, strategic planning, and resource allocation.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Ability to define and communicate a clear Digital Safety vision and framework aligned to nuclear safety principles.
Strong understanding of defence-in-depth, risk-based control models, and safety-critical system governance.
Exceptional decision-making and judgement in high-risk and complex environments.
Ability to establish authority and enforce standards in environments with competing priorities.
Strong influencing and negotiation skills, particularly in cross-functional and non-hierarchical contexts.
Deep understanding of current and emerging cyber threats and mitigation strategies.
Ability to translate technical controls into clear, actionable safety requirements.
Strong leadership and people development capabilities.
Ability to drive behavioural and cultural change across a diverse workforce.
Excellent communication skills, including the ability to engage both technical and executive audiences.
Strong knowledge of: oCSA N290.7 (Nuclear Cyber Security) oISO 27001 oNIST Cybersecurity Framework oIAEA guidance and nuclear regulatory expectations
Familiarity with OT/ICS environments and digital instrumentation & control systems.
Understanding of how nuclear safety principles apply to digital systems.
Experience applying structured change management approaches (i.E., ADKAR).
Security Clearance Eligibility Required
Level 3 Secret requires a minimum of 10 years of verifiable history in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and/or the United Kingdom. CNL implements security screening in accordance with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's “Standard on Security Screening” and the “Policy on Government Security.”
Working Conditions:
Working schedule: Five (5) days per week, seven and a half (7.5) hours per day for a thirty-seven and a half (37.5) hour work week.
Why CNL?Does the idea of working with a dynamic team across Canada to advance nuclear science and technology for a clean and secure world excite you? At CNL, we’re reinventing ourselves to be industry leaders—pioneering solutions to the problems that matter most.
From building the next generation of clean nuclear and hydrogen energy technologies, to developing targeted cancer treatments, to continuing our global leadership in environmental remediation—we are driven by impact, innovation, and purpose.
What We Offer: A Total Rewards PackageWe believe in taking care of our people. Here’s what you can expect as part of our team:
Paid time off:
vacation, sick, personal, and floater days
Benefits effective Day One – no waiting period
Tuition support
to help you keep learning and growing
A
defined-benefit pension
plan or a
defined-contribution pension plan, depending on your employee group, to support your long‑term financial security
Do Our Priorities Resonate with You?
Delivering clean energy for today and tomorrow
Restoring and protecting the environment
Contributing to the health of Canadians
If so, you’ll feel right at home at CNL!Location: Fully RemoteThis position is offered on a fully remote basis, allowing you to work from home anywhere in Canada. You’ll collaborate virtually with a dynamic team across CNL sites, helping to advance Canada’s clean energy and environmental goals from your home office.
Please note:
This is a remote position supporting the Chalk River Laboratory, Ontario.
Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity & InclusionAt CNL, we are committed to fostering an environment that promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion. We celebrate and welcome employees, stakeholders, and partners of all backgrounds and identities.
We are proud to uphold a workplace culture grounded in our Core Values:
Respect
Teamwork
Accountability
Safety
Integrity
Excellence
CNL is an equal opportunity employer. If you require accommodation during any phase of the hiring process, please let us know via View email address on ca.hrm.tc. All requests will be handled with confidentiality.
CNL operates on sites located on the traditional lands, waterways and ceded and unceded territories of Indigenous peoples. CNL recognizes and affirms all First Nations, Métis communities and Inuit in this land we now know as Canada. We acknowledge, respect and seek to better understand Indigenous history, rights and title on the lands where we work and develop projects. We honour and respect the importance of the relationship between Indigenous peoples and their lands, waters and territories.
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