Senior Crypto Advisor & Education Specialist

Position Title: Senior Crypto Advisor and Education Specialist

Department: Member Services & Innovation

Location: Toronto

Status: Permanent Full-Time (Hybrid)

Day in the life of:

The position is accountable for contributing to the regulation of digital assets and blockchain technologies in the Canadian Investment Industry through the provision of expert technical knowledge. The position will also be responsible for developing education initiatives to internal and external stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of blockchain technology, digital assets, regulatory frameworks, and market trends. This role requires excellent communication skills to educate a diverse audience.

Core Responsibilities:

Crypto Advisory

• Conduct research and provide expert advice on key risks associated with different use cases associated with digital assets and the relevant blockchain technologies

• Draft white papers on complex topics as it relates to digital assets and blockchain technologies

• Review member application requests to adopt blockchain technologies or offer digital assets and advise on key issues and participate in discussions with CIRO's applicants, applicants' counsel and CIRO staff

• Review vendor specifications and assist in evaluation of new vendor sources

• Digest technical terms and communicate the concept, risks, and recommendations in plain language understood by a diverse range of audiences

• Provide expert guidance on emerging trends and technologies in the digital asset space

• Stay up-to-date on the latest regulations, news, and developments in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space

• Develop and maintain cooperative relationships with other regulatory and investigative departments

• Contribute to the effectiveness of the Department in meeting its objectives and long-term strategies

Crypto-Assets Education

• Manage the digital assets and blockchain technologies education and provide the necessary training to internal and external stakeholders

• Simplify complex blockchain and digital assets concepts for a wide audience ranging from beginners to experienced stakeholders

• Create easy-to-understand guides, FAQs and explainer videos on various aspects and use cases of cryptocurrency, blockchain, etc.

• Liaises with other Canadian regulators to coordinate efforts, and with global regulators to exchange information

• Stays up-to-date on industry trends through education sessions and industry seminars

• Works closely with Member Regulation Policy and Market Regulation Policy teams to focus policy development on key issues and align on objectives with respect to crypto-related issues

General

• Assist with special projects as needed

• Given the national scope of the position, the candidate must be willing to travel occasionally

• Hybrid model of working from home

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's or Masters degree in Business, Economics, Information technology, computer science, blockchain technology, or a related field required

• 2 to 5 years of relevant experience in assessing information technology or business process risk ideally within a large consulting practice

• Certifications in blockchain technology and finance (e.g., CBP, CFA) are an asset

• A deep foundational knowledge of digital assets, including crypto assets, stablecoins, tokenized assets and NFTs, as well as blockchain technology. You understand the underlying principles, use cases, and potential impacts of these technologies to the investment industry

• Completion of the Canadian Securities courses

• Completion of the Derivatives Fundamentals course would be an asset

• French (bilingual) would be an asset

Key Skills and Competencies:

• In-depth understanding on the operations of digital assets and blockchain use cases

• Excellent communication and teaching skills, with experience creating educational content or delivering training sessions

• Knowledge of securities regulation is an asset

• Exposure to programming (such as Python, Jupyter notebooks, SQL or others)

• Strong interpersonal skills for relationship-building

• Excellent organizational and analytical skills

• Ability to work independently and in a team environment

• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail

What we offer:

• Competitive base salary in alignment with market

• Performance based bonus

• Hybrid work environment

• Employer paid Health Benefits and Spending Account that offer flexibility to meet your individual or family needs as of day one.

• Defined Contribution Pension Plan with company matching that starts on your first day of employment.

• Paid flex days and sick days

• Vacation days

• Maternity Leave Of Absence /Paternity Leave Of Absence top up

• Paid continuous learning and continuing development including designations.

Why the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO):

Our purpose and our impact:

With offices across Canada - from Vancouver to Montreal, our mission is to promote healthy capital markets by regulating fairly and effectively so that investors are protected and confident investing in their futures. As regulators, we understand that we are all investors, and therefore a career with us is a purposeful career: protecting our future.

Culture and Working Environment:

Life at CIRO is purpose and performance- driven. We foster an inclusive culture where teamwork, a forward-thinking attitude, and integrity are at the core of everything we do. This creates an environment where employees thrive, grow, and are empowered to learn and contribute their best.

Joining CIRO means becoming part of a dynamic and transparent organization that values accountability and is committed to maintaining the highest standards of regulatory oversight in the financial industry.

Looking for a career where you can safeguard the integrity of Canadian markets? Join CIRO and be part of the team that secures our financial future.

Our Commitment:

CIRO is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment accommodation in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). CIRO will provide accommodation to job applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. Should you require accommodation, please contact Human Resources.

CIRO is a pan-Canadian organization that oversees all investment dealers and trading activity in marketplaces across Canada. This position requires the ability to communicate with employees in CIRO regional offices and other CIRO stakeholders across Canada. Accordingly, proficiency in both official languages of Canada (French and English) is preferred. Due to the frequent interactions with internal and external English-speaking members, clients, representatives, firms, Canadian provincial and territorial securities regulators, and employees situated outside of Quebec, the position requires a fully bilingual candidate.

While we appreciate receiving applications, only those applicants who closely meet the position requirements will be contacted.

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