Job Specification

Purpose :

To provide authoritative technical leadership and expertise to oversee the design, development, deployment and on-going sustainment of high-profile I&IT platforms supporting significant government business lines.

To provide authoritative technical advice and leadership to resolve complex systems problems and critical incidents.

To lead and participate in enterprise-wide or cross-jurisdictional projects and activities.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Platform Development and Implementation
- Provides authoritative expert technical leadership to the design and development of major complex enterprise system platforms,(which may extend into the broader public sector) including setting technical direction, developing technology plans and technical standards, and providing technical oversight throughout the design and development stages.
- Provides authoritative senior technical support to application development management and staff including providing application design guidelines, to ensure that the applications developed can be fully integrated and operate as required when implemented - i.e. oversees the full design and integration to ensure that the platforms deliver the program capability they are designed for, in order to fully support high-profile government programs and priorities, with very high volumes of public access and high levels of risk if the platforms fail; and to ensure that the systems solutions also satisfy Cluster and enterprise policies and standards.
- Oversees the development and application of application tools and methodologies, research and development, application architecture, integration, analysis, design, construction, unit/system/end-to-end (E2E) performance, testing and security.
- Directs all systems development and implementation functions, including conceptual, logical and design; business process analysis; systems analysis and design; purchase and modification of commercial systems, and systems integration.
- Optimizes available technical resources, through activities such as identification and development of reusable components; integration with other applications/common components; the use of common utilities/services, etc.

2. Platform Management
- Leads the development and implementation of performance measures and metrics, problem resolution protocols and contingency plans to guarantee business continuity.
- Provides authoritative technical advice to resolve critical incidents and other technical performance issues; and develops protocols and necessary changes to mitigate risk.
- Provides direction and defines parameters for all related applications systems maintenance and support functions, including applications and data disaster recovery planning, ITS processing and monitoring; to ensure the sustainability and optimum robustness of highly integrated platforms.
- Identifies new technologies and approaches to further develop and sustain the operational quality and life of the platforms over time.
- Represents the cluster and provides authoritative expertise for the development and implementation of processes (e.g. EOI, RFI, RFP) for the acquisition of complex I&IT business solutions and external resources.
- Develops business cases for the acquisition of fee-for-service consultants, and manages external consultant contracts, monitoring performance to ensure deliverables meet standards and agreements, and dealing with issues of non-compliance.

3. Expertise, Consultation and Advice
- Leads consultations with clients (e.g. directors, managers, staff) to provide authoritative advice in defining systems requirements and identifying integratable solutions to meet requirements for systems platforms priority government business lines with high volumes of public access and very high volumes of dollar flow-through
- Provides authoritative advice to I&IT and client senior management on developing and managing highly integrated systems platforms to deliver business requirements; including strategies to optimize applications and infrastructure; to resolve complex systems issues; and to identify and demonstrate opportunities for new development.
- Leads consultations with vendors, consultants, and other stakeholders to ensure that the full technical complexity of the solution(s) is understood, and that suppliers are able to meet the requirements. .
- Leads multiple concurrent projects, including identifying when to involve corporate resources (e.g. I&IT Security, contingency planning /disaster recovery teams) to ensure all aspects are considered and reflected in the solution design.
- Initiates partnerships and leads/participates in enterprise-wide standards and business solutions projects with other ministries, jurisdictions or the broader public sector, having impacts on ministry and corporate program delivery.
- Leads and/or participates on inter-cluster and corporate committees and/or task forces to identify, assess and recommend strategies and approaches for systems development issues.

4. Team Leadership/Guidance
- Provides authoritative direction, leadership and technical guidance to staff and external service providers on multiple concurrent systems platform development, delivery and support projects.
- Provides ongoing technical expertise to the evaluation, maintenance and sustainability of major systems platforms.

Knowledge / Skill :

Knowledge of and skills in:
- Systems/platform architecture, design, development, deployment and integration principles, practices and technology, in order to oversee the design and development of complex highly integrated systems platforms designed to support major government program and priorities, to ensure that platforms deliver the required capability, robustness, and sustainability over time; and to provide authoritative advice to all stakeholders throughout the full life cycle of multiple systems platforms.
- Systems integration principles, practices, tools and techniques, in order to oversee and ensure the full integration of multiple components in multiple design platforms.
- Current and emerging I&IT trends, operational methods and technologies, including hardware platforms, software, networks, databases, applications common business systems, technology infrastructure and operational services, testing and implementation methodology, in order to determine and select options for complex platform solutions development for complex integrated environments.
- Architectural domains, infrastructure technologies and OPS development standards in order to review, provide authoritative advice, lead and coordinate the development and delivery of complex technology solutions.
- Current methodologies pertaining to systems analysis, design, development, testing and implementation methods, data, applications, networking and security, in order to direct and oversee systems platform design, development, deployment and maintenance.
- Risk management principles and best practices, in order to anticipate and understand the potential for risk in system failure/critical incidents; to develop risk management strategies and protocols to mitigate and minimize risk; and to lead resolution of critical incidents when they occur.
- OPS/Cluster/Ministry I&IT strategies, plans, operational and service delivery policies, directives, best practices and standards, in order to manage the evaluation of client requirements, negotiate customer service level agreements, and ensure compliance in the development, operation and maintenance of systems.
- Government program priorities, client operations, OPS I&IT solutions, standards, processes and strategies, disaster recovery planning and
contingency testing, industry standard programming language, and technology trends, in order to direct the resolution of analysis and design
challenges, define project scope, ensure project compliance and system integration, and ensure that critical business objectives are met.
- Service delivery management, resource management and operational planning for multiple complex systems platforms, in order to manage and optimize the full platform life cycle.
- Project management principles, methodology, tools and best practices, in order to lead and manage multiple complex systems design and delivery projects to meet and sustain government program requirements.
- Administrative and contract/SLA development and management policies, including OPS procurement policies and procedures, in order to manage vendor/service providers selection and service level agreements, to ensure ability to deliver and contract compliance.
- Oral and written communications, in order to lead complex client, vendor and stakeholder consultations; provide authoritative and persuasive technical advice; maintain effective internal and multi-jurisdictional client relationships; prepare and present complex technical information and recommendations to technical and non- technical audiences, including senior management, clients and other stakeholders.
Job has mandatory requirements in areas such as: in-depth knowledge of the information technologies, applications, industry and computer languages specific to the program system(s) currently in use. These mandatory requirements will be specified in the job ad during the recruitment process.

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

- Consultation and collaboration skills to lead consultations with clients in order to identify complex and highly integrated I&IT solutions for high-profile government program delivery; and provide authoritative and persuasive technical expertise for the development of strategy and systems platform development.
- Negotiation skills, to negotiate customer service agreements and resource requirements with client senior management and other IT groups; to develop project scope and timelines; manage resources over multiple concurrent projects; and to ensure optimal service delivery.
- Persuasiveness to present IT strategies and solutions to senior management; provide authoritative advice for resolving contentious systems issues at all stages; to lead client/stakeholder consultations that result in decisions and approvals; and to lead projects to successful conclusion.
- Stakeholder relations, to lead project status meetings, discussions with other internal resources, and other committees to discuss/determine strategy, priorities and resourcing for systems platform development; change management directions; and problem resolution.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

Analyzing and problem solving skills to:
- Assess and evaluate needs of clients for major government program delivery platforms; identify, assess appropriate IT solutions to meet complex requirements, including evaluating the technical performance and capacity of existing and new systems options.
- Plan and lead all phases of complex multi-ministry and jurisdictional projects, including estimating and ensuring availability of technical resources; and resolve competing priorities, conflicting deadlines and resourcing issues.
- Ensure the application of best practices for technology design, development, deployment and operation, for multiple complex system platforms.
- Develop systems integration strategies to ensure that components can be fully integrated to create the required delivery platform; identify and assess the impacts of new solutions or enhancements on existing services and infrastructure for performance, sustainability and robustness.
- Oversee and ensure platform components are designed to meet client requirements, are fully integratable, and will provide sustained delivery after implementation; identify, assess and resolve technical problems throughout the design, development and implementation stages.
- Oversee the implementation of complex infrastructure solutions for government program/service delivery, to ensure that both client and corporate requirements are met; and that solution performance is sustained over time.
- Understand, assess and develop solutions for mitigating risk, where system failure would affect high volumes of public access, and create significant negative impact on program delivery and security.
- Develop appropriate performance measures for project evaluation; assess and/or develop contingency plans for problem resolution situations; analyse technical quality of systems design; and ensure consistency and compliance of business solutions with ministry and OPS I&IT directions and standards.
- Assess ongoing system platform performance, identify necessary changes/improvements, and oversee implementation to sustain platform
performance.
- Assess and resolve critical incidents and develop protocols for dealing with/avoiding future incidents.
- Determine vendor/service provider technical capability to meet client requirements; develop technical contact components and timelines; and monitor vendor performance against contract requirements.
- Lead and/or participate in the analysis and evaluation of new cluster strategic/operational planning and policies and standards.

Decision Making / Responsibility :

Providing authoritative technical advice and expertise to the design, development, deployment and ongoing operation of complex integrated enterprise system platforms for delivery of high-profile government programs; where systems experience a high volume of public access and high dollar flow through, and where any system failure puts program delivery at high risk (e.g. health systems for patient information).
- Overseeing multiple solutions through their full lifecycle, including critical integration and deployment, to ensure that platforms meet client program delivery requirements, and continue to perform over the long term.
- Providing authoritative advice and expertise to resolve critical incidents quickly; and determining and implementing preventative measures to mitigate future risk; assessing all aspects of risk; and developing risk management/mitigation strategies.
- Developing performance metrics and monitoring ongoing system performance, to ensure that solutions continue to perform as required.
- Leading multiple complex enterprise systems solution projects to meet government program delivery requirements.
- Identifying complex systems issues, determining areas of risk, and recommending innovative alternatives and options for resolution to meet
client/ministry needs, to avoid negative impacts on client program delivery and broader ministry and corporate IT objectives.
- Providing input into strategic/operational plans and project management policies and standards; determining approach and developing business cases for systems solutions to ensure compliance with ministry and MGS directives and guidelines; developing reports and recommendations to support senior level decision-making.
Has latitude to :
- Provide authoritative advice to clients and I&IT management on complex systems platform development, deployment and operation; including introducing and managing innovative solutions to optimize platform life to support program delivery over the long term .
- Lead complex systems infrastructure projects, including determining project scope, resourcing requirements, budget and project plans; and leading concurrent projects through all stages.
- Recognize and evaluate risk in platform design, and take the necessary actions through all phases (design, development and deployment) to ensure that risk is minimized/avoided.
- Lead the resolution of critical incidents and develop mitigation strategies and protocols.
Decisions are guided by OPS/ministry I&IT directives, policies, standards and frameworks to meet critical client business requirements, and to provide strategic system advice/direction to senior client and ministry IT management.

Contacts / Stakeholder :

- Ministry clients (directors, managers), to determine program requirements, provide authoritative and persuasive advice and expertise on the design and development of complex systems platforms for delivery of government programs to the public; define I&IT service requirements; provide authoritative guidance on the best use of current and innovative new information systems, risk and risk management; provide project status updates, discuss and resolve service delivery issues, and provide authoritative advice and expertise to resolve and prevent critical incidents.
- Senior I&IT management to communicate and present IT solutions/strategies, obtain buy-in for funding of new systems development initiatives, identify and assess systems issues and opportunities, provide project status updates, and provide authoritative advice and expertise on systems infrastructure development.
- Project design, development and implementation teams, senior designers and architects, to ensure that systems are fully integratable and will meet both client and corporate requirements.
- Advisory committees, focus/review groups and other internal/external stakeholders to market and promote IT products and strategies, review/advise on major project milestones, and provide input to critical program decision-making.
- Systems managers in other ministries/clusters, to co-ordinate and facilitate joint systems activities having multi- ministry and/or multi-jurisdictional applications.
- Vendors, internal and external stakeholders and other public sector jurisdictions to review new products and systems, discuss technology trends, and initiate/build/manage partnerships for participation in integrated projects.

Guidance / Supervision :

- Provides authoritative technical expertise and guidance to client senior management, I&IT senior management, and I&IT technical teams (including senior architects and designers) to ensure the design, development, integration and deployment of complex systems platforms to meet government program delivery requirements.
- Leads multiple concurrent project teams, including defining project parameters, managing resourcing, developing work plans and priorities, assigning work, monitoring performance and quality of services and deliverables, explaining work procedures, and resolving technical and project delivery issues, with responsibility for the successful completion of the projects.
- Provides authoritative expertise and advice to resolve critical incidents and mitigate future risk for multiple complex systems platforms.

Demands / Pressures :

Work Demands :

- Routinely deals with unexpected service delivery issues and conflicting work demands.
- Routinely works within tight time pressures and conflicting work demands and priorities.
- Routinely deals with conflicting interests.

Mental / Sensory :

- Frequent requirement to concentrate when leading client consultations, defining requirements, assessing options and potential suppliers, analyzing
complex IT data, and in ongoing meetings with clients, I&IT colleagues, vendors, suppliers, project teams and staff.

Conditions / Environment :

Work is performed in a typical office environment.