Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To manage major business systems projects and operations designed to meet business requirements of clients or to direct specific aspects of large-scale, complex systems projects and operations such as shared databases, common networks, application operation and maintenance, etc.

Duties / Responsibilities :

• Defines business systems requirements with client (e.g. common networks), identifies I&IT solutions and deliverables suited to client needs, defines project scope and approach, creates customer agreements.
• Participates in I&IT committees and other stakeholder forums to ensure business alignment of projects.
• Directs project planning for all phases of the project, establishes priorities, schedules and allocates work to staff or consultants, ensures compliance with relevant corporate I&IT strategy.
• Develops and negotiates project budget, and acquires project resources (e.g. contract staff, consultants).
• Manages project, resolves issues and provides experienced technical advice and guidance to clients and project staff throughout project.
• Reports to client's senior management, I&IT senior management and other project stakeholders on progress at various stages throughout the project.
• Directs project team including I&IT staff, client staff, and consultants.
• Directs development and implementation functions such as analysis, design, development and testing of business systems, purchase and modification of commercial systems, systems integration.
• Directs the testing of business systems quality and ensures business systems are implemented appropriately to address client requirements and according to established budgets, schedules and standards; develops performance measures for evaluation and conducts follow-up with clients to ensure satisfaction.
• Directs the full deployment of business systems, addresses all considerations relating to deployment including technology infrastructure implementation, I&IT service level agreements, organizational changes, business process changes, procedural changes, e.g. definition of records schedules; filing systems, project and operational transition requirements.
• Manages section staff including recruitment and selection, identification and implementation of skills enhancement strategies, provision of training and staff development, assignment of work, determining performance standards and conducting reviews, handling labour relations matters.
• Directs in the development and implementation of Quality Assurance strategies, plans, processes and tools to ensure quality deliverables in the areas of projects and operations
• Directs the implementation and management of ITIL processes and industry best practices to keep the Applications available and running as per the SLA
• Directs in the development of strategies and manages the plans to keep the Cluster I&IT assets (e.g. application architectures, codes, infrastructure, software versions etc.) current and sustainable
• Directs and manages the capacity planning of application platforms to support the application growth and future needs
• Leads and manages the Disaster Recovery plans for the supported applications and platforms

Knowledge :

Work requires knowledge of:

• Client operations and objectives and related I&IT solutions (e.g. common networks) to define effective project scope, approaches and establish mutually satisfactory customer agreements.
• Project management including planning, estimating, budgeting, scheduling, measuring, monitoring and controlling to effectively manage complex large-scale projects.
• Systems analysis, design, development, testing and implementation methods, and broad working knowledge of technology (including Oracle applications, rules engines, content management systems, testing tools etc) , data, applications, networking, and security in order to direct staff in design and development of business systems
• Problem-solving approaches in order to provide technical and general business expertise to direct staff in the resolution of I&IT analysis and design problems.
• Ontario Government I&IT strategies, plans, standards and directives to ensure project compliance.

Work requires:
• Communication and interpersonal skills to establish effective working relationships with I&IT management, clients, and other project stakeholders, and with project staff.
• Negotiation skills to develop and manage customer service agreements with vendors and clients.
• Management and administrative skills to manage staff and resources effectively and within budget allocated.

Judgement :

Works under direction of the Cluster Sr. I & IT Manager, and within the framework of the mandate of the OPS, its objectives and policies and within industry, I&IT trends and standards.

Exercised in:
• Identifying most appropriate business system solutions to meet client needs and requirements.
• Planning all phases of project, estimating project costs, determining project priorities and schedule, determining project resource requirements, risks, constraints and contingencies.
• Determining and selecting most appropriate resources for project.
• Identifying technical or business issues and determining appropriate course of action to resolve them.
• Ensuring business systems quality and compliance with government and I&IT management direction, client needs and technology standards.

Accountability - Programs :

• Plans, coordinates and manages all phases of mid-sized projects from start through completion within risk, time and resource constraints, where outcome may affect service delivery, government legislative programs and public expectations or services.

Accountability – Personnel :

• Responsibility for the direct management of staff assigned on a project basis, including external consultants.

Accountability - Finance and Materials :

• Preparation and management of own unit budget and budgets for mid-sized projects.
• Determines allocation and use of resources and recommends assignment of resources from other areas within I&IT project work; accountable for best use of resources including internal and contract service provider.

Accountability - Impact of Errors :

Errors in judgement, misguided management or ineffective technical advice on systems development could adversely impact on project success, result in client dissatisfaction and client failure to achieve business requirements, and could have indirect impact on program delivery affecting the public.

Contact - Internal :

• Regularly with client senior management and I&IT senior management to provide project status, advice, and recommendations, and to resolve issues and negotiate changes, resource requirements.
• Frequently with senior managers in multi-project environment to coordinate approach and schedule, resolve issues.
• Frequently with clients to ensure effective business systems solution implementation.
• Daily with project staff, professionals to provide direction, advice, guidance consultation and problem resolution.

Contact - External :

• Regularly with professional peers in I&IT community to keep abreast of developments.
• Regular contact with vendors, suppliers and external consultants to discuss plans for acquisition or address problems related to quality of delivery of services or products.