Manager, Firewall

Competition # : 49476

Department: Cyber Security & Digital Solutions

Location: HALIFAX

Type of Employment: Permanent

Union Status: Exclusion - Non Union - NSPG

Closing Date: 26-Aug-26 (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

About Us

At CSDS, we prioritize people—both within our team and in the communities we serve. Our mission is to redefine how Nova Scotians engage with government by creating accessible, reliable digital solutions centered around user needs.

In today’s tech-driven world, CSDS empowers government departments with essential digital solutions to meet Nova Scotians’ expectations. As a trusted partner across government, we enable departments to fulfill their mandates with secure, user-friendly services. From healthcare and education to public safety, we collaborate to transform how services are designed and delivered.

We don’t just implement technology; we modernize outdated systems and reimagine processes. Our agile, data-driven approach ensures that digital services are both efficient and adaptable to Nova Scotia’s evolving needs.

Joining CSDS means contributing to work that makes a real difference. From providing vital tech support to healthcare professionals to strengthening cybersecurity and developing scalable digital platforms, you’ll play a key role in building a more inclusive, responsive government for Nova Scotians.

Together, we’re setting new standards for digital public service, delivering resilient solutions that meet today’s needs—and anticipate tomorrow’s challenges.

About Our Opportunity

As the Manager, Firewall you provide strategic and operational leadership for teams delivering critical technology services in a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week environment.

Reporting to the Director, Digital Infrastructure (Network – Security), you are accountable for the planning, implementation and ongoing management of core infrastructure delivering enterprise services. Your portfolio includes among other technologies: firewall, VPN, SD-WAN, load balancers, DNS management, and cloud managed networking services not only within the data centres and across the province. In addition, you will manage a team that is integrated into enterprise support of applications, technology assets, and service-management processes.

You’ll lead a team of employees and support them in delivering reliable, secure and client-focused services. You’ll establish clear priorities, allocate people and financial resources, strengthen operational processes, ensure project delivery and foster a respectful and inclusive workplace. Where required you may coordinate the response to major technology incidents that cross several teams. This includes bringing together technical specialists, coordinating the path to resolution, maintaining clear records and ensuring leaders receive timely, accurate information.

Primary Accountabilities

In this role, you will:

• Lead, coach and support multidisciplinary teams responsible for critical infrastructure and enterprise technology services.
• Plan and oversee the reliable, secure and sustainable delivery of technology services.
• Establish operational priorities and allocate staff, financial and technical resources based on service needs and organisational risk.
• Lead service design, transition and continual-improvement initiatives.
• Monitor service levels, operational performance, client experience and vendor commitments using meaningful measures and performance indicators.
• Lead major-incident response on a required basis, including assessing severity, assembling technical resources, coordinating resolution activities and communicating progress to senior leaders.
• Work with clients and technical partners to translate business needs into practical service strategies, solutions and support plans.
• Lead cross-functional technology projects and process-improvement initiatives.
• Prepare and present briefings, recommendations, presentations and formal communications for varied audiences.
• Oversee budgets, procurement activities, contracts and technology assets in accordance with applicable policies and agreements.
• Establish clear performance expectations, provide meaningful feedback and support employee learning, development and engagement.
• Promote a healthy, respectful, inclusive and collaborative workplace.
  
  

Qualifications and Experience

You are an inclusive and adaptable leader who can connect people, operational priorities and technology services. You use sound judgement, communicate clearly and create the conditions for teams to deliver dependable services.

You have completed post-secondary education in information technology, computer science, business administration, public administration or a related field, plus several years of progressively responsible experience leading technology operations or service delivery. An equivalent combination of education, training and experience will be considered. Your experience may have been gained through government, health care, education, regulated industry, the private sector, the not-for-profit sector or another complex service environment.

You also demonstrate:

• Experience leading employees focused on operation and project based work in a complex enterprise environment
• Broad knowledge of enterprise technology environments, such as but not limited to: networks, firewalls, servers, storage, databases, telecommunications, data centres, cloud or enterprise applications.
• Experience leading the delivery or support of business-critical technology services.
• Experience leading projects or initiatives involving multiple teams, partners or service areas.
• Strong relationship-building skills and experience working with technical specialists, clients, senior leaders and external service providers.
• The ability to explain complex technical or operational information clearly in writing and verbally to both technical and non-technical audiences.
  
  

The following would be considered assets:

• Experience leading major-incident response or other coordinated operational response activities.
• Knowledge of Information Technology Infrastructure Library, or ITIL, service-management practices.
• Experience leading organizational change
• Experience supporting technology services in government, health care or another public-sector environment.
• Technical experience deploying, maintaining, and managing an enterprise grade firewall equipment deployment.
  
  

We will assess the above qualifications and competencies using one or more of the following tools: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.

Equivalency

We recognize equivalent combinations of training, education, and experience, providing opportunities for individuals with diverse backgrounds to contribute their skills and expertise. Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.

Working Conditions

Your typical work week is 35 hours with 7-hour days. This role is typically performed onsite in a comfortable office. The work involves regular use of computers and mobile devices, frequent meetings and sustained attention to detailed technical and operational information. Work outside standard business hours may be required during major incidents, service disruptions, maintenance activities or other operational needs.

Occasional travel within Nova Scotia is required.

What We Offer

• Career development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career
• Engaging workplace: our employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies
• Countless career paths
• A Dynamic, client-focused office environment where service excellence and teamwork are our focus.
  
  

Pay Grade: EC 12

Salary Range: $3,929.22 - $4,911.52 Bi-Weekly

Employment Equity Statement: Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.

Accommodation Statement: We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Candidates may request accommodations based on any grounds protected by the Human Rights Act. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process, please contact us at competitions@novascotia.ca.

Current government employees may access this posting through the link below:

PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.

If you are receiving a pension from the Nova Scotia Public Service Superannuation Plan (PSSP) or any related plans, you cannot receive pension payments while contributing to the same plan. If you accept a position that requires PSSP contributions, your pension payments must be stopped. Please contact the Nova Scotia Pension Services Corporation for more information.

Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to Competitions@novascotia.ca.