Martin Watts, CISSP

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer leading a small IT team, supporting over 300 users, managing and maintaining network infrastructure and end user equipment for a leading accounting firm with locations in Vancouver and Toronto. * Plan and organize projects, and direct IT staff members to help them complete required objectives efficiently and implement project goals swiftly. * Use industry knowledge and experience to guide firm's strategic direction for technology to better the experience for our clients and staff. * Developed and operate internal Security Awareness program including training and testing of users capacity to identify security issues. * Monitor and remediation of security related issues. * Vendor risk assessment and management. * Act as senior technical support for escalated issues. * Work with Senior Management to develop IT and Security related policies and ensure they are being adhered to by all levels of staff. * Manage servers and networking equipment to maintain highest levels of up-time during critical times of the year. * Organize and implement server software and hardware upgrades to ensure the technologies employed stay current. * Schedule and direct training sessions for new employees to ensure that policies are understood and less help from the IT team is required on an ongoing basis. * Maintain technical documentation in order to lessen the impact of repeat problems, and decrease the duration of future planning meetings. * Consult with clients to help develop their technology strategies to better align with business objectives.

Home business owner of direct-to-consumer sales company representing two product lines consisting of over 500 items marketed to an ever growing client base.  Manage sales, marketing, accounting, and numerous other day-to-day activities, structuring the business around other responsibilities.  Ensure customer satisfaction by being polite, courteous, and taking extra steps to secure customer peace of mind resulting in subsequent orders and referrals.  Innovating new and more efficient techniques and tools to improve the customer experience and lower business costs.  Training regularly via team meetings, Scentsy seminars, and consultant training calls to become a more effective consultant and business owner.  Actively recruit to build team with quality personnel.  Received awards for meeting sales targets in the first 15 and 70 days of business.  Profitable in less than four months.

Reporting to the Combined Distribution Centre (CDC) Manager, received, picked, and loaded product for a medium sized distributor for 7-11, other convenience stores, and theatres in the Lower Mainland and Lower Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, and Whistler areas.  Handled daily activities such as the receiving, sorting, and picking of product in an organized manner to ensure health and safety procedures were met as well as guarantee product quality.  Consistently maintained workplace cleanliness to reduce potential workplace injuries and health problems.  Responsible for acting as a driver of a five tonne and tandem axel truck performing pickups, deliveries, and general movement of trucks during loading times.  Trained new employees to be efficient and calm under pressure.  Given the responsibility of relief supervisor, overseeing five to eight employees, during times when no supervisor was available.  Recognized by CDC Manager as a dedicated employee who was willing to “go the extra mile.”

Aided a high school student in passing Mathematics 10 by tutoring at the student’s home weekly.  Ensured the student understood each concept before moving to the next by giving multiple practice questions.  Wrote practice quizzes and tests and gave tips to help overcome the students’ fear of test writing.  Given opportunity to continue tutoring the following school year to give the student aid in Math 11 if so required.

The Cyber Security program deepened my understanding of cyber security topics, strengthened my skills as an IT manager/project lead, and prepared me to earn a CISSP designation. It also gave me the opportunity to earn two distinct certificates: a Certificate in Cyber Security Fundamentals and a Certificate in Advanced Cyber Security. Developed in collaboration with the Lassonde School of Engineering, the two certificate programs cover all eight domains of the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) common body of knowledge. The curriculum design focuses on case studies with real world examples and simulations that helped me be prepared for many possible real world scenarios.

A ten month program with an eight-week work term with emphasis on Windows and Linux environments, hardware and networking tools.

Attended evening classes in Enterprise Network Design, LAN Design, Network Operating Systems, Structured Cabling, A+ Hardware, and Cisco Certified Network Associate.