Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

• To design complex .NET applications and ensure seamless integration of state-of-the-art purchased/acquired and custom-developed complex business applications in response to a full range of IT project/program requirements.

• To provide senior design and technical leadership in all activities pertaining to the design, development, testing and implementation of IT applications/products for the full product design/development life cycle.
• To provide expert technical advice on highly specialized .NET systems development for team members.
• To work with users at all levels to define system requirements and specify appropriate work packages to meet operational needs and performance objectives.

Duties / Responsibilities :

In a self-directed team work environment dedicated to new and current .NET technologies and platforms, the incumbent works with both acquired and custom-designed and built complex applications. The incumbent needs to be fully informed and understand the highly technical design and development tools and the established standardized processes while concurrently working to corporate/enterprise standards to lead the design function. The incumbent also must provide technical advice and direction to team members in the design, development, testing, implementation/deployment, maintenance and system enhancements by carrying out the following:
1. Designs .NET enterprise level solutions to ensure that architectural requirements are met by performing use case analysis; creating Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagrams (e.g. class diagrams, sequence diagrams, component diagrams, etc.); creates logical and physical data models, identifying design patterns, etc.). Works with Senior Developers to complete low-level design (e.g. user interface design, method signatures, etc.) and ensures solutions comply with architecture and design constraints. Creates and maintains mandatory artefacts required for IT architectural governance processes.
2. Prepares and oversees the preparation of technical project plans, leads teams, determines project schedules, monitors activities and initiates changes as needed, and co-ordinates complex software troubleshooting, develops test plans, communicates and promotes changes. Establishes and documents build and deployment processes, creates initial build scripts, troubleshoots build issues and provides advice to deployment coordinators.
3. Oversees the preparation and definition of system requirements; assists the Solutions Architects in architectural proof of concepts, project sizing and estimating, creates mandatory checkpoint artefacts, schedules and quality criteria; creates work packages, conducts complex application programming, coding and testing. Creates the documentation for complex business requirements and oversees the development of other complete systems and operations documentation.
4. Oversees the system integration, including designing appropriate architectures and selecting cost-effective and high performance tools and software factory processes; identifies bottlenecks and provides advice and recommendations for improvement; recommends ways of maximizing or enhancing efficiency; identifies areas for I&IT asset reuse; presenting major recommendations/changes to senior management. Provides leadership for selection of reusable services/components, their creation or procurement and on-going support. Advocates the use of design patterns and advises on whether the proper reuse is taking place.
5. Leads team members in producing and following quality plans; ensures that quality metrics are regularly gathered and analyzed; motivates teams to meet their quality goals and flags issues with the manager; leads team reviews of system designs, integrations and tests; provides analysis and warnings of quality problems.
6. Leads the efforts to develop standards, policies, guidelines, check lists and reference applications for each technology or product line (e.g. ASP.NET, Dynamics, SharePoint, etc.). Recommends and directs the measurement and improvement of tools, techniques, standards and performance criteria to control the quality of system development initiatives
7. Sets testing objectives and standards; ensures that the application architecture supports testability of all applications, assists in determining what should and can be automated in a cost-effective way, designs the test environment (framework, templates, data).
8. Ensures that the Centre maintains state-of-the-art technologies, processes and tools for current and future architecture standards by researching and developing prototypes, proof of concepts or feasibility studies, and providing detailed evaluations, recommendations, and orientation sessions.
9. Provides management with project status reports, input to executive briefings as required, leads, identifies training needs of technical users, and provides performance feedback on team members. As the senior technical expert, provides technical functional leadership, expertise and advice /mentorship, coaching and direction to junior team members.
10. Performs other duties as assigned and must be available for occasional travel within Ontario.

Staffing and Licencing :

• Job may require security level clearance at the Basic, Enhanced or Enhanced Reliability levels.

Knowledge :

Job requires:
o Visual Studio, Team Foundation Server, C#, XML, Enterprise Library
o Client programming (e.g. ASP.NET, JavaScript, JQuery, HTML 5, WPF, XAML, WinForms, SilverLight)
o Server programming (e.g. WCF, Entity Framework, LINQ, RIA Services)
o Database (e.g. SQL Server, T-SQL, SQL Server Management Studio)
o Reporting, BI & ETL (e.g. SQL Server Reporting Services, Analysis Services, Integration Services)
o Collaborative workspaces and portals (e.g. SharePoint; SharePoint Services, SharePoint Designer, Dynamics CRM, WWF)
o Testing (e.g. Test Manager, Lab Manager, unit / web / load / coded UI tests).
• Expert knowledge and thorough understanding of methodologies, technologies and tools used to develop enterprise solutions and to design, large, complex or several inter-related applications specifically the .NET framework and all associated components (class libraries, interoperability, CLR, CLI security portability, assemblies, GC etc.); platform integration technologies.
• Expert knowledge and senior experience in .NET framework engineering and development. Excellent and varied experience in design, and in implementing technology components, etc. targeted for deployment on .NET platforms.
• Expert knowledge and thorough understanding of software and application integration (e.g. Middleware); the software development life cycle (SDLC); software architectures to analyze existing ministry technology and identify and recommend improvements/developments and general technical design problems as well as identification and authentication technology/components.
• Expert knowledge and thorough understanding of current information technology and information engineering principles, object-oriented computer programming techniques, current .NET development platforms and advanced design techniques, client/server application development technology (web-based, n-tier), thorough understanding of system architectures including technical, data, application and network architectures, database, spreadsheet, graphics and Internet software to provide technical knowledge for the planning and maintenance of software products.
• Excellent and thorough knowledge of industry standard practices (e.g. TSP/PSP or ALM) to manage software quality as well as explain concepts and parameters to managers, team members and users; through understanding of the SDC's Productivity, Quality, Velocity, and Re-usability (PQVR) key performance indicators.
• Excellent knowledge and understand to apply Government of Ontario Information Technology Standards (e.g. GO-ITS 20.1) and other technology-specific standards, policies and practices for tools; knowledge and familiarity with Incident Management and Problem Management.
• Thorough knowledge of current software products and industry standards to ensure the infrastructure is compatible with technology changes and directions.

Skills :

• Expert and in-depth technical skills using technologies such as XML, Visual Studio, Team Foundation Server, Enterprise Library, Web services. Expert working knowledge of Microsoft .NET platform, Visual Basic .net, ASP.net; C#, Silverlight, SharePoint, SharePoint Designer, Dynamics; SQL Server, SQL Server Management Studio, SQL Server Reporting Services.
• Exceptional interpretive reasoning and problem solving skills to assess and recommend architectural strategies for acquisition, development, integration and implementation of highly complex technical solutions; to assess complex technical design problems and develop computerized solutions to information problems in support of end users, that are cost and resource effective, improve client program/service delivery; to participate in the measurement and improvement of systems development tools, techniques, standards and performance criteria; and to identify and diagnose and resolve complex problems impacting the information technology solutions.
• Exceptional interpersonal; conflict resolution; negotiation/influence and client relationship skills to: discuss client I&IT program/service delivery needs, requirements, goals, objectives and priorities; lead and conduct feasibility studies and cost/benefit analysis for proposed client I&IT initiatives; to ensure performance and standards needs are achieved while delivering business solutions to the customer.
• Excellent oral communication and listening skills to: discuss client requirements, lead or participate in project teams, facilitate technical discussions with senior management, managers, vendors, clients, other technical staff; to discuss systems development recommendations with stakeholders in clear, non-technical terms, while communicating advantages and disadvantages of various options and their impact on the client's program/service delivery; to participate in discussion of technology acquisition options and technical processes; and, to discuss acquisition with clients, technical staff and vendors.
• Advanced researching skills to resolve complex programming and design issues by reviewing technical manuals, using the internet, etc. These skills are also needed to remain current in the rapidly changing technology environment.
• Excellent written communication skills to: prepare senior level briefing materials, cost benefits analysis, project reports, analysis, and recommendations.
• Good coaching and mentoring skills to provide advice and direction as well as learning opportunities to less experienced and more junior staff.

Freedom of Action :

• Job exercises considerable latitude in designing .NET enterprise level solutions by: determining how best to define and characterize client needs; creating Unified Modeling Language diagrams and logical and physical data models, and; recommending particular information architectural approaches.
• Job requires working within OPS, ministry policies and guidelines for delivery of systems support services, consulting services; and ministry and government policies and directives for information technology acquisition.
• Work is discuses as needed with clients, vendors and other technical staff; and general updates on project status and achievement of enterprise objectives are provided to supervisor/manager and reviewed in relation to stated project objectives, timelines and budget.
• Judgement is required in providing subject matter technical expertise and recommendations to management and project teams and in providing advice, mentoring, coaching and direction to junior team members.
• Job requires referring to the manager any significant problems or technical issues for which no solution was found, client concerns, performance issues or non-conformance to architectural standards as well as providing feedback to the manager on junior team members' performance.