IT - Security Specialist V

We are seeking a highly accomplished IT - Security Specialist V for an enterprise-level contract opportunity based in Toronto. In this role, you will take on a premier IT risk governance, remediation quality assurance, and AI-enabled assurance transformation capacity, specializing in the independent challenge, validation, and oversight of remediation activities across the information security control environment.

Operating within a hybrid model in Toronto, you will lead the validation of audit and regulatory remediation plans, utilizing rigorous testing methodologies such as Inspection, Observation, and Reperformance (IOR) to evaluate control design and operating effectiveness. Additionally, you will spearhead an innovative AI-enabled assurance transformation—translating QA rubrics, challenge frameworks, and regulatory expectations into automated prompts, evaluation workflows, and AI models to assess evidence sufficiency and identify control gaps. This position demands a seasoned IT risk and audit authority with deep GRC expertise, sharp professional judgment, and superior communication skills to partner across the three lines of defense and drive defensible, sustainable remediation outcomes.

Location: Toronto, ON

Assignment Type: Hybrid (currently 2 days onsite, transitioning to 4 days onsite)

Contract Duration: 6-month contract (with potential for extension and conversion)

Advantages
AI-Enabled Transformation: Lead the innovative design and implementation of AI-driven capabilities for automated challenge and QA reviews.

Enterprise Governance Visibility: Partner across all three lines of defense, influencing technology risk decisions and regulatory readiness.

Career Growth Potential: 6-month contract structured with strong possibilities for extension and permanent conversion.

High-Impact Remediation Scope: Drive sustainable control improvements and validation for critical information security findings.

Responsibilities
Lead risk-focused independent challenge and oversight of audit and regulatory issue remediation plans across the information security control environment.

Conduct sample-based control testing using Inspection, Observation, and Reperformance (IOR) methodologies to validate design, implementation, operating effectiveness, and sustainability.

Perform quality assurance reviews leveraging formal QA rubrics, relevant evidence, and professional judgment to confirm remediation actions are complete, credible, and audit-ready.

Evaluate remediation plans for closure defensibility, assessing milestone credibility, evidence sufficiency, commitment traceability, control ownership, residual risk, and closure rationale.

Lead the design, development, and implementation of an AI-enabled bot and automated workflows to support challenge and QA reviews of remediation plans and milestones.

Translate existing challenge frameworks, QA rubrics, scoring criteria, and regulatory expectations into AI-consumable logic, prompt engineering templates, and structured evaluation workflows.

Collaborate with Model Risk Management, Privacy, Legal, and Information Security teams to ensure all AI assurance tools adhere strictly to responsible AI and data governance standards.

Provide strategic advisory and subject matter expertise to technology teams and risk stakeholders regarding IT risk governance frameworks, audit standards, and GRC practices.

Partner with stakeholders across the three lines of defense to confirm risk mitigation aligns with overarching enterprise technology strategies.

Identify emerging risk themes, track remediation trends, and deliver executive-level briefing notes and risk reporting to senior leadership.

Execute operational work plans using Agile delivery practices (Scrum/Kanban) and champion continuous process improvements.

Qualifications
Core Risk, Audit & Security Requirements
IT Risk Tenure: Minimum 10+ years of dedicated professional experience as an IT Risk Specialist, IT Auditor, or GRC Specialist within regulated industries.

Audit & Testing Methodologies: Demonstrated expertise in formal audit testing techniques, root cause analysis, control operating effectiveness assessments, and applying the IOR (Inspection, Observation, Reperformance) methodology.

Remediation Assurance: Proven track record conducting quality assurance reviews and validation of audit and regulatory findings to ensure examination readiness.

AI & Assurance Transformation: Hands-on experience or demonstrated ability to design and implement AI-enabled capabilities, including translating governance rubrics into prompts, AI logic, and evaluation workflows.

Governance Frameworks: In-depth knowledge of industry security, control, and risk frameworks such as NIST, COBIT, ITIL, and standard GRC models.

Education & Certifications: University degree in a relevant discipline (or equivalent practical experience). Mandatory professional certification in risk, audit, or security (e.g., CISA, CRISC, CISM, or equivalent).

Preferred Technical Assets & Methodologies
Certifications: CISSP or CIA certification is considered a strong asset.

GRC & Workflow Tooling: Practical experience with ServiceNow, RSA Archer, Jira, Confluence, and advanced Microsoft Excel.

Quality Methodologies: Exposure to Six Sigma or Lean continuous improvement methodologies.

AI Governance: Prior experience with AI security risk management, model risk governance, or specialized AI audit tools.

Soft Skills & Delivery Attributes
Communication Excellence: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the proven ability to articulate complex audit and risk concepts clearly to senior executives and technical teams.

Auditor Mindset & Attention to Detail: Meticulous approach to evidence evaluation, workpaper documentation, and objective professional challenge.

Stakeholder Influence: Strong relationship-building and mediation skills to collaborate effectively across technical teams, business leaders, and external/internal auditors.

Summary
If you're interested in the "IT - Security Specialist V" role based in Toronto, we encourage you to apply online at www.randstad.ca.
Only qualified candidates will be contacted for the next steps. We look forward to hearing from you!

Randstad Canada is committed to fostering a workforce reflective of all peoples of Canada. As a result, we are committed to developing and implementing strategies to increase the equity, diversity and inclusion within the workplace by examining our internal policies, practices, and systems throughout the entire lifecycle of our workforce, including its recruitment, retention and advancement for all employees. In addition to our deep commitment to respecting human rights, we are dedicated to positive actions to affect change to ensure everyone has full participation in the workforce free from any barriers, systemic or otherwise, especially equity-seeking groups who are usually underrepresented in Canada's workforce, including those who identify as women or non-binary/gender non-conforming; Indigenous or Aboriginal Peoples; persons with disabilities (visible or invisible) and; members of visible minorities, racialized groups and the LGBTQ2+ community.

Randstad Canada is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible workplace for all its candidates and employees by supporting their accessibility and accommodation needs throughout the employment lifecycle. We ask that all job applications please identify any accommodation requirements by sending an email to [email protected] to ensure their ability to fully participate in the interview process.

This posting is for existing and upcoming vacancies.