Risk and Compliance Team Lead

Role overview

This opportunity is being promoted for a partner organization that handles all applications and follow-up steps directly. The company is seeking a Risk and Compliance Team Lead in Canada.

The role is central to improving how risk, privacy, and compliance are governed in a fast-scaling SaaS business. You will supervise a compact but influential team and establish the frameworks, controls, and operating practices that safeguard sensitive client information while keeping the company aligned with applicable regulations. This position blends strategy with execution and sits across security, compliance, and operations. You will partner closely with engineering, support, and leadership to surface risks, address gaps, and strengthen overall resilience. As the business grows, you will help define governance practices that reinforce trust, transparency, and operational maturity. The environment calls for strong ownership, curiosity, and the ability to build repeatable systems from the ground up.

Key responsibilities

In this leadership role, you will direct the risk and compliance function, set priorities, and ensure initiatives are delivered effectively. You will work with internal teams to identify, evaluate, and reduce operational, technical, and privacy-related risks. You will also develop, manage, and refine compliance policies, procedures, and controls to align with requirements such as PIPEDA, GDPR, COPPA, SOC 2, and PCI DSS.

Additional duties include supporting security and compliance audits, coordinating third-party reviews and internal assessments, and handling incident response work from investigation through documentation, communication, and remediation. You will collaborate with engineering, product, and operations to strengthen controls and embed compliance into day-to-day workflows. The role also involves producing clear reports on risk position, compliance progress, and audit findings for both internal and external audiences.

Beyond governance work, you will lead training and awareness programs that promote a strong culture of privacy, security, and compliance across the business. You will mentor team members, encourage accountability, and maintain high performance standards. You will also serve as a primary contact for clients, auditors, and vendors on security and compliance matters.

Requirements

Applicants should bring at least 6 years of experience in privacy, cybersecurity, compliance, or risk management within a technical or SaaS setting. Prior people leadership experience is important, including responsibility for coaching, prioritization, and performance management. A solid understanding of Canadian privacy legislation and international data protection standards, including PIPEDA and GDPR, is required.

Experience with security and compliance programs such as SOC 2 and PCI DSS, along with audit coordination, is expected. The ideal candidate can switch between big-picture planning and hands-on delivery, and has strong analytical and problem-solving ability for improving complex systems and processes. Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills are necessary, including the ability to present to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Experience working across engineering, product, and operations teams is important. Familiarity with IT environments, Microsoft 365, and modern SaaS tools is a plus. Professional certifications such as CIPP/C, CIPM, PMP, or cybersecurity-related credentials are considered a strong advantage.

Benefits

The role offers a competitive annual salary of $100,000 to $120,000, depending on experience. Additional benefits include participation in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, disability insurance, and a health spending account.

Employees also benefit from flexible working hours, on-the-job training, professional development opportunities, a collaborative culture with strong ownership and autonomy, and free on-site parking for staff working from office locations.

Additional information

The hiring process uses an AI-supported matching workflow to screen applicants against the role requirements and create a shortlist for the partner employer. The partner company makes the final hiring decision and manages interviews and assessments. Personal data submitted with an application may be processed for candidacy evaluation and shared with the hiring employer in line with applicable privacy laws, including GDPR, with rights such as access, correction, deletion, and objection available to applicants. AI tools may assist with application review, resume analysis, and response evaluation, but final decisions remain human-led.