Information Security Design Specialist

Dentons is designed to be different. Our Firm leads the way in a rapidly changing legal marketplace. We challenge the status quo and deliver consistent results as well as uncompromising quality and value to our clients. Our global presence is renowned as a firm with over 21,000 individuals in more than 200 offices serving clients across 80+ countries.

Dentons Canada is committed to its people and communities. We are consistently recognized as an employer of choice having received numerous awards including being selected as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2026); Canada’s Top Employers for Young People (2026), and Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (2026).

This role is an opportunity for you to join Canada's Global Law Firm, a firm that offers opportunities to build your career while growing your skills and deepening your expertise.

ROLE

Dentons Canada LLP is currently recruiting for an Information Security Design Specialist who will serve as a senior technical security authority for the Canada region. The candidate will be responsible for ensuring security is designed into technology initiatives from the earliest stages, including cloud services, SaaS platforms, APIs, integrations, AI solutions, identity flows, and enterprise architecture. The role requires a consultative security leader who can translate business requirements into practical security requirements, risk decisions, secure design patterns, and compensating controls.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

Security Architecture & Secure Design

• Conduct threat modelling and security design reviews for new and changing application features, APIs, integrations, SaaS platforms, cloud services, and enterprise technologies.
• Partner with Infrastructure, Cloud, Identity, Application, and Business Technology teams to translate business requirements into practical security requirements and secure design decisions.
• Provide actionable secure design guidance across authentication, authorization, identity, API security, data protection, network security, cloud architecture, and third-party integrations.
• Develop, maintain, and promote security reference architectures, design patterns, technical standards, and reusable guidance for common enterprise technology scenarios.
• Assess proposed architectures and recommend practical risk treatments, compensating controls, and design improvements that balance security outcomes with delivery timelines.
• Provide architectural input into technology roadmaps, vendor selection, platform modernization, cloud adoption, and secure access initiatives.

Cloud, Identity, Data Protection & AI Security

• Provide security architecture guidance for Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Defender, cloud workloads, secure networking, and enterprise collaboration platforms.
• Partner with Identity & Access Services to define identity security patterns, privileged access standards, authentication requirements, service principal controls, and non-human identity considerations.
• Provide guidance on data protection, classification, DLP, encryption, information protection, and client data handling requirements across enterprise platforms.
• Lead or support security reviews for AI-enabled solutions, Copilot, Foundry, agentic AI, data-driven platforms, and emerging technologies to ensure responsible and secure adoption.
• Define secure AI architecture patterns, including controls for data access, identity, logging, monitoring, prompt risk, third-party integrations, and governance.

Risk Assessment, Technology Governance & Vendor Architecture

• Drive technical risk assessments for application, infrastructure, SaaS, cloud, AI, and integration changes, prioritizing recommendations based on business impact, exploitability, and client trust.
• Evaluate vendor security architectures and solution designs to identify risks, dependencies, control gaps, and required contractual or operational safeguards.
• Translate incident learnings, threat intelligence, and recurring control gaps into scalable design patterns, detection opportunities, developer guidance, and prevention strategies.
• Participate in the Security Architecture Review Board and provide recommendations to support informed, documented risk decisions.
• Partner with Security Assurance & Risk to support client security assessments, vendor reviews, audit activities, and security control evidence where technical architecture input is required.

Security Engineering Enablement & Automation

• Build or guide automation that streamlines security design reviews, vulnerability triage, evidence collection, exception management, and repeatable security workflows.
• Promote a consultant-style security partnership with technology teams, balancing strong security outcomes with product velocity and practical delivery timelines.
• Evaluate and recommend vendor security solutions that improve prevention, detection, response, secure design, and operational scalability.
• Monitor emerging threats including supply chain attacks, API abuse, identity compromise, ransomware, AI-enabled phishing, and cloud misconfiguration to keep security standards current.
• Mentor security team members and technology stakeholders on secure architecture, threat modelling, risk-based decision making, and modern security practices.

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Deep understanding of enterprise security architecture, cloud security, identity security, Zero Trust, and secure design principles.
• Strong ability to conduct threat modelling and translate findings into practical design requirements and risk-based recommendations.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Defender, Sentinel, and modern cloud-native security capabilities.
• Understanding of API security, SaaS security, data protection, encryption, authentication, authorization, privileged access, and third-party integration risks.
• Ability to communicate effectively with executives, architects, infrastructure teams, application teams, vendors, and business stakeholders.
• Strong written communication skills with the ability to produce standards, reference architectures, technical guidance, and executive-level summaries.
• Ability to influence without direct authority and operate as a trusted advisor across multiple teams and initiatives.
• Curiosity and forward-looking mindset regarding AI, automation, emerging threats, cloud transformation, and evolving client expectations.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & CERTIFICATIONS

• Post-secondary education in Information Technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum 8+ years of experience in cybersecurity, security architecture, cloud security, infrastructure security, application security, or related technology risk roles.
• At least 4+ years of experience designing or reviewing secure enterprise, cloud, identity, SaaS, or application architectures.
• Experience conducting threat modelling, secure design reviews, architecture assessments, technology risk assessments, or security control reviews.
• Experience with Microsoft Azure security architecture, Microsoft 365 security, Entra ID, Defender, Sentinel, cloud networking, and secure access technologies.
• Experience with security frameworks and methods such as NIST, ISO 27001/27002, CIS Controls, MITRE ATT&CK, OWASP, or similar.
• Familiarity with AI security, data governance, privacy, DLP, secure software development, API security, or third-party risk is an asset.
• One or more relevant certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, CISM, GIAC, SABSA, TOGAF, Microsoft Security, or cloud security certifications are preferred.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

This role is a new position.

The target salary range for this position is $130,000 to $140,000, commensurate with the successful candidate’s skills, experience, and qualifications. Dentons is committed to equitable and competitive compensation. This target range falls within our internal salary ranges, which are based on comparable roles in the external market. We strive to hire, promote, and transfer individuals at the entry point of the range, with consideration given to prior experience, relevant skills, and market conditions.

We recognize that rewarding exceptional talent goes beyond salary. Our comprehensive total rewards package includes inclusive and flexible benefits that support the wellbeing and development of our people. This includes extended health and mental health benefits, paid time off, retirement savings plans, a fitness subsidy, parental leave top-up, and more.

In addition, our learning and development programs—such as mentorship opportunities, employee networks, and leadership development initiatives—are designed to support personal and professional growth.

At Dentons, all candidate screening, assessment, and hiring decisions are made by people. From time to time, we use AI-enabled tools to assist in enhancing our recruitment process and materials; however, these tools do not screen candidates or make hiring decisions.

Note: Availability of benefits and programs may vary depending on your location and employment type and may be subject to eligibility criteria. Dentons reserves the right to modify or discontinue offerings, in whole or in part, at its discretion and without prior notice.

Equal Opportunity Statement

At Dentons Canada, inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) are not just ancillary values, they are foundational to our business. We believe that IDEA is essential to the shared success of our team and our clients. Our forward-thinking and inclusive culture supports the professional development of all our people, enhances the leading services we offer to our clients, and informs our commitment to make a positive impact in the communities where we live and work. As a testament to our commitment to IDEA, we have been recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employer’s for 16 consecutive years (2011-2026), as well as one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People (2026) for the ninth time.

Dentons Canada is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome your application. All employment decisions, including hiring, will be made without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, colour, creed, disability, ethnic origin, family status, gender identity, marital status, place of origin, race, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable human rights legislation.

We are committed to providing you with an inclusive, barrier-free, and accessible workplace to support your success. Should you require accommodation during the recruitment process, for example as a result of a disability, please contact us at [email protected].