Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide highly specialized technical expertise to staff and assure the quality of software development, testing, software distribution and change control, and implementation for all systems development and maintenance.

To provide team leadership, overall project coordination and control of activities in the development, implementation, maintenance, and delivery of high quality, integrated technology solutions for complex major province-wide systems that effectively meet the business needs.

Duties / Responsibilities :

1. Providing specialized technical expertise in the overall analysis of the design and architecture of systems solutions. Evaluating recommendations, advising the best approach, and ensuring all recommended solutions for improvement are congruent with the project goals and objectives.

2. In consultation with management and clients, identifying short and long-term project goals/objectives, and as a senior technical expert, defining and identifying program and service delivery requirements in support of the development and/or acquisition of client applications; identifying costs and benefits for the project.

3. Providing technical expertise and guidance for the development or implementation of computerized solutions to support end users, project teams, or peer technical staff. Providing technical leadership for technical project work, including preparing project plans, leading teams, developing estimates of cost/resources/staffing required, determining schedules, monitoring activities, providing status reports, project control, hardware and software troubleshooting, testing, communication of change, promotion of changes, identifying training needs of technical users.

4. As a senior technical expert, providing coaching and direction to junior team members throughout the program/services, related to the development and/or acquisition of a diverse range of client applications through all stages of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC), determining all appropriate technical requirements, resources and cost estimates for the project are met. Providing reports to management and clients on the overall status of the project.

5. Overseeing the full range of research into the acquisition of technology, systems and products. Evaluating options and developing detailed specifications based on client requirements. Making persuasive recommendations to management to adapt new systems development solutions that meet clients' needs and promote cluster I&IT strategies and objectives. Overseeing negotiation with servicing/acquisition providers within defined parameters.

6. Providing quality control ensuring that the systems are developed in way that the deliverables satisfy the quality requirements as well as the specifications of the customers. Ensuring that the development work is produced right the first time with minimum rework and following standards and best practices.

7. Ensure adherence to standards of all I&IT components of business solutions for cost effectiveness, support strategies and performance issues. Analyze existing technology to recommend areas of improvement and/or new developments to existing technical design problems and provide solutions to improve productivity. Is responsible to work with specific Ministry architecture teams to ensure adherence to Ministry standards.

8. Management has the right to assign other duties.

Knowledge :

Provide senior technical expertise for complete systems analysis activities related to the development, implementation, and maintenance of a very diverse range of cost effective I & IT solutions and services and for problems with a wide range of difficulty in order to meet programs/service goals and objectives. Job requires knowledge/experience in:
a) I&IT technology (e.g. hardware, software, networks, data, application, networking, security), tools, skills, techniques, industry trends and methods (e.g. systems analysis, design, development, testing, implementation, installation, operations, capacity planning, and performance management). Cluster I&IT plans, client programs, services, processes and requirements relevant to assigned projects to: provide technical leadership, coaching and direction in the analysis of a diverse range of client I&I& program/service delivery needs, requirements, goals/objectives and identify priorities; develop and recommend systems development solutions. Leading or carrying out research into the acquisition of related products and services; develop, document, test, implement, train, and support new or modified systems. Recommending and directing the measurement and improvement of tools, techniques, standards and performance criteria to control the quality of application development initiatives.
b) System technologies (operating systems, both custom application software, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) packaged applications, Cluster standard/commonly used and client customized software, networks), internet technology services.
c) Advanced theory and principles of systems design and development, the SDLC, and related methods, techniques, best practices and standards to develop and/or lead acquisition of information relating to the technical components of a very diverse range of client applications that are broad in scope, through the SDLC.
d) Project planning methodologies to plan and coordinate all the technical activities, plans and schedules of project teams and determine all appropriate technical requirements, resources and cost estimates for developing, testing, and implementing a wide range of client applications.
e) Cluster/Ministry/OPS administrative policies and directives to ensure compliance with recommendation on the procurement of technology and services.
f) Develop/maintain code code and extensions to support and sustain the major Applications and the Ministry's business requirements by: providing advice and leading/resolving critical sustainment problems; developing / maintaining major Application extensions and customizations; creating development documentation (e.g. Estimates, Technical Specifications, and Installation documents)
g) Position requires working knowledge of the clusters' systems development and client requirements in order to provide quality assurance and advice to the team members, senior manager, and clients.

Skills :

- Analytical and interpretative reasoning to: assess client I&IT needs and develop I&IT solutions that are cost effective and improve client program/service delivery; develop and/or acquire the technical components of client applications through all stages of the SDLC; determine all appropriate technical requirements, resources and cost estimates for developing, testing and implementing client applications; and recommend and direct the measurement and improvement of application development tools, techniques, standards and performance criteria
- Quality assurance and quality control skills as applied in an ESC application development environment in order to ensure that client expectations, standards, and industry best practices are met.
- Effective interpersonal; conflict resolution, team building and client relationship management skills to: discuss client I&IT program/service delivery needs, requirements, goals/objectives and priorities; lead and conduct feasibility studies and cost/benefit analyses for proposed client I & IT initiatives; develop and recommend systems development solutions; and train/support clients after implementation of new/modified application systems
- Oral communication skills to: discuss client requirements, lead or participate in project teams, and discuss system development recommendation with stakeholders in clear, non-technical terms, while communicating advantages and disadvantages of various options and their impact on the clients program/service delivery
- Written communication skills to: prepare project reports, analyses, recommendations, systems documentation, manuals and senior level briefing materials