Systems Analyst

The purpose of Calgary's Science Centre (Spark) is unwavering. Spark exists to make lives — and the world — better through an affinity for science. Through visits to Spark, and encounters with Spark in the community, people are lifted up by the positive power of curiosity, experimentation and creativity. Spark is a registered charity.

The outcome is profound. Spark helps people of all age's fuel up for the future because at Spark, science, technology and invention are embedded in cultural experiences. This means designing and delivering transformative moments that engage and delight through story, technology, immersive experiences and human connection. Through this we create new points of access to the disciplines at the core of innovation. The Spark team transform lives and inspires the future.

Position Overview

Spark is currently recruiting for a full-time Systems Analyst on a 6 month maternity leave contract basis. Reporting directly to IT Manager, this role will be making important contributions to building the interfaces and integrating applications used by multiple departments to create a world class visitor experience. In addition, they will support both daily operations and decision-making at Spark, with a focus on expanding, maintaining, and troubleshooting critical business systems, as well as expanding reporting and dashboards derived from those systems. Projects will involve working independently or collaboratively, and range in scope from preparing single new items for sale, to complete overhaul or replacement of a critical business system. This role is based in Calgary, Alberta and candidates need to be based in Calgary to be considered for the role.

Key Responsibilities

Act as an agent of change to identify organizational improvements for business growth

Extract and analyze information from a variety of data sources - summarize and report findings to meet the specific needs of the management team.

Analyse, design and implement new analytics and dashboarding systems at Spark to meet the needs of the growth agenda and support and enable increased levels of business activity.

Liaise with end users, vendors and programmers in order to design the new information system, integrating systems across the organization, including ticketing, programs, rentals, retail and other areas.

Map and document processes, relying on information collected from a variety of sources (e.g. databases, management team and business unit partners), recommend process and operational improvements and efficiencies.

Train and motivate employees to use new systems.

Develop and maintain ongoing process and training documentation.

Create, maintain, and update ad-hoc and self-serve reports and dashboards to meet the needs of different Spark teams.

Maintain and reconcile business systems on an ongoing basis and expand as needed.

Work with internal and external support if/when issues must be escalated.

Due to the nature of a science centre, occasional evening, weekend, or on-call responsibilities may be required.

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Knowledge

Strong working knowledge of SSRS, Power BI, Microsoft SQL Server, Excel.

A minimum of five years of experience or expertise in a developer or analyst role especially focused on systems or data.

Previous experience with Galaxy, Counterpoint, EventPro, or Shopify would be an asset.

Desire to work on a high performing team with a continuous upgrading culture to achieve high impact results. Fluidity and a desire to work hard and grow are essential.

A proven track record of adding value to an organization's culture and initiatives.

A high degree of creativity with the ability to leave your ego at the door.

Proven problem-solving skills.

Quick self-learner.

Ability to prioritize and manage time effectively across multiple projects for multiple clients.

Strong ethics and ability to manage confidential data if required.

Ability to model high performance, flexibility and kindness in a rapidly changing growth environment.

Willingness to learn and adapt to change.

Culture at Spark

Spark's goal is to become one of the top 10 most-worth-visiting science centres in the world. Through skilled and confident programming, Spark will attract visitors from around the city, province and globe, and immerse them in emotive experiences as they explore ever-evolving, quirky and thought-provoking galleries. The skilled programming at this level of success will only be possible with an organization-wide commitment to effective performance. High performance at Spark is both defined and experienced by diverse cultures and proactively advances equity among all human beings as part of the definition of effectiveness.

Spark's high performance culture is driven by a shared purpose. Team members are united by values and proud of the reputation we are building together. What does high performance look like at Spark?

Commitment to Purpose. Everyone at Spark is a purpose driven leader. You are passionate about entertaining people of all ages in creative encounters with science, technology and engineering, and the output of your work reflects our values: collaboration, curiosity, courage, commitment, and creativity.

Commitment to Continuous Learning. Your individual growth is driven by a desire to be a part of the team that makes Spark one of the best science centres in the world. Every day is a professional development day at Spark. You are expected to seek out learning opportunities and pursue professional growth. At times the growth may be uncomfortable, and you embrace it as part of the journey.

Agents of Change. We are a culture of experimentalists. It is expected and encouraged for staff to make suggestions that can improve a program, presentation, process or service. It is also expected and encouraged for suggestions to be accepted and tried with a thank you for helping each other get even stronger.

Coaching Mindset. Sparklers are committed to helping each other become even stronger in our roles. Upgrading each other's work is enjoyable and rewarding because teams are built on trust. Supervisor feedback feels like coaching, not criticism or punishment. Remember, you can say anything if you are kind, clear and non-judgmental. This is how high performance teams are built.

Winning and Losing as a Team. We work together to drive action and results that are aligned with Spark's mission in the outside world. We encourage healthy debate and science-based decision making. Our relationships allow us to make big asks of each other and get big things done together with a sense of urgency and excellence. If someone appears to fail, you ask, "What did I do or not do to contribute to that, as it is my failure too."

Achieving Results. Spark is dedicated to excellence in all aspects of communicating science and we carry that dedication to excellence in every aspect of Spark's work. We encourage each other to set stretch goals and work together across all departments to exceed them.

We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women, people of colour, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Spark, we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace so if you are excited about this role please apply An excitement and passion for science can go a long way here so you may be just the right candidate for this or other roles at Spark.