Partner, Aviation Security Threat and Risk

Being part of Air Canada is to become part of an iconic Canadian symbol, recently ranked the best Airline in North America. Let your career take flight by joining our diverse and vibrant team at the leading edge of passenger aviation.

This position will support Air Canada’s security threat assessment and risk management function, ensuring awareness of potential, emerging or actual threats with a nexus to Air Canada’s actual or future operations and the overall aviation environment. The incumbent will proactively engage with Air Canada operational branches, various industry partners, government organizations, security vendors, law enforcement and security agencies to collect information which will be assessed and developed to support Air Canada decision-making.

The incumbent is also responsible for identifying areas of security threats and risks, facilitating assessments, and ensure mitigating actions are assigned and tracked. Security risk assessments should focus on identifying gaps and determining the need for additional, or ad hoc, security measures to mitigate against risk, whether at the global or local (station) level. All applicable regulations and legislation should be identified and reviewed when performing a risk assessment, which is typically part of existing compliance and/or mitigation reviews, inspections or quality assurance activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of Air Canada’s insider threat program, ensuring that the program framework is implemented, cross-branch engagement is achieved, records of incidents and investigations are maintained, and mitigation strategies are developed and implemented.
• Lead the development of Air Canada’s Security Risk Management Program. Ensure the Program is aligned with domestic and international requirements, IATA SeMS certification, and existing internal processes. Continue to refine the Program based on evolving requirements and best practices.
• Identify, assess, and manage security risks, ensuring that appropriate mitigation strategies are in place and regularly reviewed. Develop KPIs to track and review the effectiveness of mitigations.
• Responsible for researching, producing and disseminating timely, accurate, relevant and creative assessments related to Air Canada’s current or potential operations, including but not limited to AUIs, threat to aviation security, and other domestic and international security issues. Assessments will be assigned or self-initiated and may be for information, or for recommendation/ decision.
• Provide expertise and support to the Security Operations team regarding executive protection, travel advice, and support for operational branches.
• Establish consultation mechanisms with Airports, International Operations, Flight Operations, In-Flight Services branches and the Emergency Management team in order to proactively address their needs and ensure there is regular and consistent engagement with operational branches.
• Develop and maintain mechanisms to collect information from open/ public sources, security vendors, official sources, and professional contacts, in addition to classified sources (when possible).
• Develop and maintain a mechanism for distributing and storing assessments produced by Air Canada, and products from other sources both for limited and broad audiences.
• Create, develop and implement a Corporate Security audit process with the Principle, Aviation Security, Quality, and Regulatory
• Provide expertise to the Security Operations as required during investigations and assessments.
• Monitor industry and global developments in order to identify areas of potential vulnerability.
• Conduct regular station or site security assessments.
• Represent Corporate Security as an appropriate SME during branch risk assessments. Work with the Corporate Safety Risk Management team to determine areas where an integrated risk management approach can be undertaken.
• Provide briefings as required, including the quarterly Aviation Security Advisory Committee, and upon request. Regularly inform Corporate Security leadership of any potential or actual security issues.
• In collaboration with the Security and Emergency Management teams, develop and establish information-sharing mechanisms for all employees who may need to receive critical security information, either targeted or broad. Support Air Canada’s emergency notification platform.
• Engage with Transport Canada, the US FAA, and other authorities. Attend classified briefings organized by Transport Canada and/ or other government partners.
• With the Partner Geopolitical Analysis and Intelligence, provide direction on the local security environments and threat information for new and existing routes with the effected operational branches and Strategic Procurement for the selection of providers, and contract development, amendment, and renewals.
• Support the Partner, Geopolitical Analysis and Intelligence with geopolitical threat and risk monitoring, analysis, assessment, and trends
• With the Partner Geopolitical Analysis and Intelligence collaborate with Air Canada International Affairs as required, particularly during assessments of potential new routes.
• Collaborate regularly with the Air Canada Cyber Security team and participate in the Threat Identification and Assessment Committee.
• As assigned by their manager, participate in working groups and committees within the industry, maintaining strong and trusted relationships with other airlines and industry partners, ensuring open lines of communication.
• Increase awareness and promote a positive security reporting culture across the company.

Qualifications

• 5+ years analytic experience; aviation security experience an asset.
• Bachelor’s degree in a field of study such as political science, international relations/ affairs, national security studies, etc. Master’s degree considered an asset.
• Formal training with an intelligence agency, law enforcement, the military or in the private sector considered an asset.
• Active Level II Government of Canada security clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one.
• Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills, significant briefing experience.
• Strong critical thinking skills to identify, collect and evaluate data; ability to absorb and synthesize large amounts of information and to draw logical, interpretable, and potentially actionable conclusions.
• Strong professional ethics and ability to maintain absolute discretion, confidentiality and trust.
• Highly developed research and analysis skills.
• Flexibility, comfort working in an operational context and under pressure.
• Proven ability to develop a network of contacts within the industry/government agencies.
• Interpersonal, teambuilding, and networking skills.
• Must be willing to work occasional irregular schedules as dictated by events.

Conditions of Employment

Candidates must be eligible to work in the country of interest at the time any offer of employment is made and are responsible for obtaining any required work permits, visas, or other authorizations necessary for employment. Prior to their start date, candidates will also need to provide proof of their eligibility to work in the country of interest.

Linguistic Requirements

Based on equal qualifications, preference will be given to bilingual candidates.

Diversity and Inclusion

Air Canada is strongly committed to Diversity and Inclusion and aims to create a healthy, accessible and rewarding work environment which highlights employees’ unique contributions to our company’s success.

As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all to help us build a diverse workforce which reflects the diversity of our customers, and communities, in which we live and serve.

Air Canada thanks all candidates for their interest; however only those selected to continue in the process will be contacted.