Senior Platform Specialist – Network Services (Palo Alto)

Senior Platform Specialist – Network Services

Location: Toronto, ON (Onsite)

Estimated Duration: Fulltime

(Palo Alto and Remote Access Focus)
Client: Canadian Tire
About Us
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (“CTC”) is one of Canada’s most admired and trusted companies. With more than 90 Owned Brands, 1,700 retail locations, financial services, exemplary e-commerce capabilities, and exciting market-leading merchandising strategies. We dream big and work as one to innovate with purpose for our customers at every level of our business, investing in new technologies and products, and doubling down on top talent to drive the company forward. We offer competitive salaries and wages to CTC employees, as well as store discounts, supported learning through our Triangle Learning Academy, Canadian Tire Profit Sharing, and retirement and savings programs for eligible employees. As part of our enhanced flex benefits program, we offer mental health benefits in the amount of $5,000 per year for benefits-eligible employees and their families, including total well-being, and mental health tools and resources for all employees. Join us in helping to make life in Canada better through living and working our Core Values: we are innovators and entrepreneurs at our core, outcomes drive us, inclusion is a must, we are stronger together and we take personal responsibility. It is an especially exciting time to join CTC and its family of companies where career opportunities are wide-ranging! Join us, where there's a place for you here.
 
What you will do
The Sr Platform Specialist for Network Services provides advanced engineering expertise across the enterprise firewall and remote access platforms. This role is a key contributor to the reliability, security, and performance of the network services environment, with a primary focus on Palo Alto Networks technologies and GlobalProtect. The specialist supports secure connectivity across data centers, cloud platforms, corporate offices, and retail locations. The role also advances automation, observability, and value engineering practices within the Network Services team.
Key Responsibilities
Firewall and Remote Access Engineering
              • Design, implement, and support enterprise firewall architectures using Palo Alto Networks platforms and Panorama.
              • Administer and optimize GlobalProtect services that deliver secure and scalable remote access for employees, contractors, and partners.
              • Maintain structured configuration baselines and enforce policy standards through clear, repeatable processes.
              • Support secure application and site connectivity across hybrid data center and cloud environments.

Operations and Continuous Improvement
              • Troubleshoot and resolve complex firewall, VPN, and secure connectivity issues with an emphasis on root cause analysis and operational stability.
              • Improve firewall rule hygiene and reduce policy bloat through systematic cleanup and rationalization.
              • Contribute to the development of operational playbooks and best practices for change control, deployment, and validation.
              • Identify opportunities to simplify designs, reduce cost, and strengthen security controls.

Automation and Scripting
              • Develop automation scripts in Python or similar languages to streamline configuration, monitoring, and lifecycle tasks.
              • Use APIs and automation frameworks to integrate firewalls with provisioning, IPAM, and observability systems.
              • Contribute to network as code workflows and automated deployment pipelines.
Collaboration and Alignment
              • Partner with engineers across Network Services, Network Platforms, and Security Engineering to ensure consistent policies and architectures.
              • Support internal audits, security assessments, and remediation activities related to firewall and remote access services.
              • Participate in evaluating new technologies and enhancements with an emphasis on value engineering and operational efficiency.
What you bring
              • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field. Equivalent experience is welcome.
              • Strong hands-on experience with Palo Alto firewalls, Panorama, and GlobalProtect.
              • Proven ability to design, optimize, and troubleshoot firewall rules, VPN configurations, routing interactions, and security policies.
              • Experience with Python or similar scripting languages.
              • Understanding of automation tools such as Ansible or Terraform is preferred.
              •Working knowledge of DNS, DHCP, IPAM, authentication systems, and their integration with firewalls.
              • Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and communication skills.
              • A focus on operational excellence, automation, and right-sized engineering decisions.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging 
We are committed to fostering an environment where belonging thrives, and diversity, inclusion and equity are infused into everything we do. We believe in building an organizational culture where people are consistently treated with dignity while respecting individual religion, nationality, gender, race, age, perceived ability, spoken language, sexual orientation, and identification. We are united in our purpose of being here to help make life in Canada better.
 
Accommodations  
We stand firm in our Core Value that inclusion is a must. We welcome and encourage candidates from equity-seeking groups such as people who identify as racialized, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, women, people with disabilities, and beyond. Should you require any accommodation in applying for this role, or throughout the interview process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to help meet your needs.