Manager, IT Systems & Security - Calgary, AB

Manager, IT Systems & Security
Information Technology • 8+ Years Experience • Calgary, AB • Hybrid • Full-Time, Permanent

Lead the team. Own the architecture. Defend the perimeter.

Optiom is growing fast, and the infrastructure behind that growth needs a technical leader who can build it, defend it, and grow the people who run it. We are hiring a Manager, IT Systems & Security to own our enterprise network architecture, Azure environment, and security perimeter across a national operation backed by one of Canada’s largest insurers. You will also lead a team of four IT Systems and Security Analysts.

This is a hands-on leadership role. You will design and defend the architecture that Optiom, O2 Insurance Services, and Bamboo Premium Financing all depend on. You will coordinate production changes with our software development teams and be the final escalation point when critical incidents hit. Alongside that, you will coach, develop, and direct a small team, so our technical depth and our capacity to lead grow together.

Who You Are

You are a senior infrastructure and security professional who is as comfortable in the architecture as you are in the people seat. You’ve spent years deep in Azure networking, firewall design, and enterprise systems. Now you want a role where you keep building and defending systems yourself while helping a team of analysts become stronger engineers.

You Bring

• 8+ years of hands-on experience in enterprise network, infrastructure, and security engineering
• Deep expertise in Microsoft Azure infrastructure, including virtual networks, Azure Front Door, Application Gateway, and web application firewalls (WAFs)
• Proficiency in enterprise routing and switching, DNS, firewall management, and network segmentation
• 2+ years leading, mentoring, or managing a technical team, with a track record of coaching, developing, and performance-managing direct reports
• Experience leading infrastructure and security projects end to end, from technical evaluation through implementation
• Strong Microsoft 365 administration skills, including identity management and endpoint security
• Experience managing vulnerability assessments, remediation planning, incident response, and root-cause analysis
• Ability to coordinate production changes, release readiness, and infrastructure dependencies with software development teams
• Skill in balancing proactive project work against operational demands, and in allocating team workload to match
• A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent demonstrable experience

Bonus Points For

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate (AZ-700) or equivalent experience
• Experience in a regulated industry, such as insurance, an MGA, financial services, or a similarly governance-conscious environment
• Familiarity with Aviva or other enterprise parent-company IT governance frameworks
• Experience building or maturing a security program and team in a growing organization

What We Offer

• Eligibility for Optiom’s Bonus Program
• A comprehensive group benefits plan, including medical, dental, vision, and EAP
• Three weeks’ vacation to start, increasing with tenure
• Employer-supported professional development, including certification support
• A hybrid work model, with flexibility between home and our Calgary office

Who We Are

Optiom helps Canadians worry less about their financial position and lifestyle when it comes to the benefits provided by traditional auto insurance. We take a customer-centric approach and provide greater value to Canadian drivers through our total loss vehicle replacement products and additional benefits. Optiom provides products in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. As a coverholder at Lloyd’s, we can deliver on that commitment with both speed and simplicity.

We are a team of specialists who take pride in what we build and how we serve. Our products protect Canadians in moments that matter, and our people are the reason our broker partners trust us. Joining Optiom means joining a business with strong backing, a clear purpose, and real room to grow.

Optiom is a specialty MGA and a wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva Canada, one of the country’s largest property and casualty insurers. We design and distribute specialty insurance products through a national network of broker partners, embedded at the point of vehicle financing and leasing.

Optiom uses AI tools to assist with initial application screening. All hiring decisions are made by our human hiring team. We thank all applicants for their interest; only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.