Data Governance SME – Records Retention

Job Title: Contract Records Retention Program Lead – Capital Markets
Location: Toronto, ON (Hybrid – 4 days onsite)
Estimated Duration: 6 Months
Department: Capital Markets – Compliance & Data Governance

About the Role
We are seeking a highly organized and regulatory-savvy professional to lead and support the enhancement and execution of the Records Retention Program within the Capital Markets division of a leading Canadian bank. This contract role is critical in ensuring compliance with Canadian and global regulatory requirements (e.g., OSFI, IIROC, SEC, FINRA, MiFID II), internal policies, and best practices related to information governance and data lifecycle management.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and enhance the existing Records Retention Schedule (RRS) for Capital Markets, aligning it with applicable regulations and business needs.
• Collaborate with Compliance, Legal, Technology, Operations, and Business Units to validate record types, storage methods, and retention requirements.
• Map regulatory and legal obligations (e.g., IIROC, CSA, OSFI, SEC, CFTC) to specific record categories across front, middle, and back-office functions.
• Assess current records management tools and storage platforms; recommend improvements to support defensible retention and deletion.
• Support implementation of automated retention rules in electronic systems (e.g., email, chat, trade systems, cloud storage).
• Oversee policy enforcement and exception handling processes (e.g., litigation holds, regulatory inquiries).
• Work with internal stakeholders to ensure compliance with WORM (Write Once, Read Many) storage requirements where applicable.
• Conduct gap analysis and create remediation plans for non-compliant or outdated recordkeeping practices.
• Prepare documentation, risk assessments, and reports for internal and external audits or regulatory reviews.
• Provide training and awareness to Capital Markets staff on records retention obligations and best practices.

Qualifications
Required:

• 5–10 years of experience in records management, compliance, or information governance, preferably within Capital Markets or Financial Services.
• Strong knowledge of Canadian financial regulatory requirements (e.g., OSFI, IIROC, CSA) and exposure to global standards (e.g., SEC Rule 17a-4, MiFID II).
• Experience working with electronic recordkeeping systems and cloud-based archiving platforms.
• Familiarity with trade lifecycle documentation and Capital Markets functions (e.g., trading, sales, operations).
• Strong project management skills and ability to drive cross-functional initiatives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Nice to Have:

• Certifications such as CRM (Certified Records Manager), IGP (Information Governance Professional), or equivalent.
• Experience with legal holds, e-discovery, and compliance surveillance tools (e.g., NICE, Smarsh, Veritas).
• Previous experience working in a Canadian Big Five bank or equivalent.