Volunteer Cyber Security Advisor (Board Member)

Organizational Background

The Digital Sexual Violence Support Centre (DSVSC) is a Canadian and federally-incorporated non-profit that provides nation-wide peer support, workshops, research, and community support for adults who have experienced technology-facilitated sexual violence. The includes adults living in Canada who have faced online sexual harassment, doxxing, intimate image abuse, cyber-stalking, and the creation of sexual deepfake images and videos. The DSVSC is based in Ontario, Canada and operates on a virtual basis. Please visit www.thedsvsc.ca for more information.

Role: Volunteer Cyber Security Advisor

Reporting to: Board of Directors

Time commitment: 3-7 hours per month

Role Summary: Provide strategic high-level guidance to the DSVSC’s Board of Directors on cyber-security, data protection, digital risks, and technology governance. This role supports the Board by strengthening the DSVSC’s cyber security resilience, privacy practices, and digital risk oversight, with a particular focus on maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive data, survivors’ safety and organizational practices.

Commitment: 1 year

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic & Governance Advisory

• Advise the Board on cyber security risks, trends, and emerging threats relevant to the DSVSC’s virtual operating environment, with a particular focus on our virtual peer support program and workshops delivery.
• Support the Board in understanding its governance responsibilities related to cyber security, privacy, and digital risk.
• Provide input and help contribute to drafting cyber-security related policies (e.g., data protection, acceptable use, incident response, vendor risk).

Risk Oversight & Preparedness

• Assist the Board in identifying and prioritizing cyber security risks, particularly those affecting confidential, survivor-related, or sensitive information.
• Review and advise on incident response and breach preparedness from a governance perspective.
• Support scenario planning and tabletop discussions at the Board level, as appropriate.

Capacity Building & Board Education

• Help translate technical cyber security concepts into plain-language and decision-relevant information for Board members.
• Support the Board in understanding it’s governance responsibilities as it relates to:
  • Confidentiality and data protection
  • Survivor digital safety
  • Privacy and consent in online environments
  • Social media platform related risks (our Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok pages)
• Provide briefings or educational updates to the Board as needed (e.g., annually or when risks materially change).
• Recommend external resources, standards, or best practices suitable for a non-profit context.

Advisory Support (Non-Operational)

• Offer sound advice to senior leadership on strategic cyber considerations, when requested.
• Advise on high-level technology or vendor decisions where cyber security implications are material.
• Avoid operational decision-making or direct management of staff, systems, or vendors.

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Excellent speaking and written communication skills in English
• Open to learning about technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) and gender-based violence (GBV)
• Compassionate towards individuals who’ve experienced TFSV and GBV
• Demonstrated commitment to ethical cyber security practices

Preferred Qualifications:

• Partial or full completion of a bachelor’s degree or certificate in computer science, information security, digital forensics, information science or a related degree.
• Capable of translating complex cyber security and information management risks into plain language and accessible formats
• Previous experience with Board governance or volunteering for a non-profit