Manager, Information Technology

The Town of Canmore is nestled in the Bow Valley in the Alberta Rocky Mountains. The Town is 106 Km (66 miles) west of Calgary, AB on the Trans-Canada Highway, 7 Km (4 miles) east of the Banff National Park gates and 22 Km (12 miles) east of the Town of Banff. Based on the 2016 Census, the Town of Canmore recorded a population of 13,992 permanent residents, with an additional estimated 20-30% of non-permanent homeowners with its surroundings. Canmore is the 9 th largest Town in Alberta. Adjacent municipalities include the MD. of Bighorn No. 8. First Nations within the region include the Iyarhe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina nations and the Blackfoot Confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani all within Treaty 7, and Metis Nation of Alberta, Region 3.

The Town is legislated under the Alberta Municipal Government Act and is governed by a Council comprised of a mayor and 6 councilors. Canmore’s economy is supported predominantly by tourism, eco-tourism, outdoor and wildland recreation, adventure sports, and an immersed-in-nature mountain lifestyle.

Canmore offers a variety of education options from pre-school, elementary, middle school, and high school. Canmore has a general hospital and a variety of health and wellness facilities and services. There are seniors’ care and supportive living facilities in the Town.

Reporting to the General Manager of Corporate Services, the Manager of Information Technology is responsible for the provision and planning of technology solutions through the leadership and administration of the Information Technology Services team. As a member of our management team, the IT Manager role oversees the Town’s digital transformation through the investment, delivery and sustainment of citizen-centric digital information technology and business applications. This position will direct the planning and implementation of major enterprise IT projects, the provision and management of technology infrastructure and business systems, corporate data and analytics, cyber security, business continuity and emergency management, the development and management of annual operating business plans and budgets, as well as IT policies, procedures, directives, and best practices. This position plays a critical role in continuous business improvement by aligning technical resource strategies with current and future business needs ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of internal business processes and improved service delivery.

The incumbent will work closely and collaboratively with all levels of internal and external stakeholders involved in or affected by the delivery of information technology solutions in support of Town programs and services.

• Provide leadership, coaching and strategic support to all Town departments in the development and implementation of technology solutions, programs, and services.
• Provide leadership and support to the Information Technology services staff including direction, mentorship, orientation, development, training, evaluation, and recognition/appreciation to ensure overall team success.
• Involve and inspire the Information Technology team to develop innovative solutions, think outside the box, discover new and better ways to accomplish the work and improve customer service for internal and external clients.
• Intentionally and purposely develop self and others; demonstrate willingness and commitment to learning over time for improved service delivery and organizational effectiveness.
• Ensure that Information technology and other departments align with the business and technology strategy and continue to evolve that strategy in line with changing business, security and technology requirements.

Core values

• Awareness and acceptance of Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, issues of social justice, and equity, diversity, and inclusion and a commitment to addressing these issues and working toward developing a welcoming and inclusive community.
• Prioritize team development through mentoring and coaching staff and providing honest feedback in a timely manner.
• Lead relationships between the IT team and its stakeholders, Council, staff, and the public.
• Ensure that all staff are well oriented and trained in Town procedures, operational duties, and customer service standards.
• Actively lead and engage team meetings to identify patterns, trends, and issues as well as best practices for team and organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Establish an environment of collaboration, shared ideas, and group participation in problem solving.
• Identify and be open to opportunities for improvements.
• Confident, personable, and approachable nature with a calm demeanor under pressure.
• Exercise discretion and judgment in handling sensitive information.

Operations

• Oversee the Technology Services Team on systems planning, development, systems support, projects, administration, hardware, and software at all Town Facilities.
• Provide leadership, direction, technical assistance and training to Town staff to support achievement of corporate plans and assist in the delivery of capital and operating projects which include a technology element.
• Ensure all technology infrastructure, workflows and information remain current to accomplish the Town’s business, optimizing the use of available resources for timely and accurate decision-making.
• Ensure integrity of organization-wide data, proprietary information and related intellectual property through information security and controls, and the management of risks and cybersecurity.
• Provide guidance and support to the Information technology team in the definition, execution and reporting of projects subject to leading practices and the Town’s Project Management methodology.
• Evaluate current and future information technology needs of all departments; propose recommendations to maintain and improve the quality of service; Create annual work plans to coordinate and implement improvements in service.
• Ensure effective IT project management through planning, organizing, monitoring, and implementing on time and within budget utilizing a mix of internal and external resources.
• Apply a combination of waterfall and agile project management approaches to mitigate business interruptions.
• Evaluate existing and potential third-party IT support systems and services.
• Develop, implement and evolve the IT strategic business plans and report progress to council and senior leadership team.
• Lead RFP, RFQ and tender selection processes for project / service contracts in accordance with Town policies.
• Evaluate and oversee the integration of data sources throughout the corporation ensuring the appropriate access and security of all corporate data.
• Develop Information Technology capital and operating budgets and monitor expenditures and deliverables against planned budget and project scope.
• Identify user training needs and coordinate with team to develop training plans and resources to ensure organizational literacy.

Customer Service

• Responsible for ensuring the delivery of optimal customer service to all Town departments as well as external clients and stakeholders.
• Understand and anticipate user needs and plan responses to help achieve short and long-term goals.
• Work with other departments to coordinate service delivery in accordance with the Town’s plans, budgets and priorities ensuring linkages and information flows between functional areas of the Town are identified, created and maintained.
• Support the Technology Services Team to be solution and team orientated, fostering communication and collaborative work relationships with other Town departments.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with external organizations and stakeholders such as; provincial and federal government entities, Town of Banff, MD of Bighorn and other municipalities through involvement in the Municipal Information Systems Association (MISA).

Political Acumen

• Build respectful and productive relationships at all levels of the organization and be relied on as a trusted advisor and partner.
• Attend council meetings as needed and understand council priorities and their vision for the community and organization.
• Be intuitive to when issues may be politically sensitive and then communicate appropriately.
• Perform in alignment with the Town’s values and policies; identify when things are out of alignment and act as an agent for positive change.

Business Acumen

• Lead strategic and operational planning of Information Technology initiatives and service delivery that aligns with the strategic priorities of the Town of Canmore.
• Assist with the formulation of long-term capital planning, budgets, staffing and resource requirements for the development of long-term strategic plans, growth and implementation of the Town’s information systems.
• Provide recommendations via business case on any new systems, software, hardware, or other process enhancements to existing applications and operations.
• Ensure accountability for proper business, security, and information management practices throughout all Town departments.
• Develop, implement, and encourage Information Technology team strategies for continuous improvement and innovation and ensure alignment to Town goals, objectives, and priorities.
• Assist diverse business units in identifying process improvement opportunities which leverage information technology to accomplish key deliverable and create operational capacity.

Communication

• Prepare and present impactful reports to Council; deliver complex technical concepts in a way that is comprehensible, clear and meaningful to a non-technical audience.
• Communicate respectfully and tactfully with all clients and co-workers ensuring the team remains abreast of pertinent information.
• Listen and seek to understand concerns and issues for the most successful and appropriate resolution, looking for winwinwin based solutions.
• Maintain a high personal and professional standard of confidentiality of all information.

Health and Safety

• Understand and carry out the Manager responsibilities as outlined in the Town of Canmore Health & Safety Directive.
• Lead by example to ensure the success of the Town of Canmore Health & Safety Management System by providing a safe working environment and injury free workplace for all employees in compliance with all pertinent education & Certifications.

Interpersonal Qualities

• Embody the Core Values of Town of Canmore: Wellness, Respect, Integrity, Service, Teamwork.
• Confident, personable and approachable nature.
• Enjoy working both independently and with teams.
• Exercise discretion and judgment in handling sensitive information.
• Analyze and solve problems systematically and can make decisions during stressful situations.
• Strong oral and written communication.
• Self-starter who demonstrates initiative.
• Promote a positive, professional image of the Town of Canmore at all times.

Education and Certifications

• Post-Secondary Diploma or Degree in a related field such as Computer Sciences and/or Applied Technology Information Systems.
• Other Relevant education combined with relevant senior level experience will also be considered.
• Ideally experience and education in one or more of the following: Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) or Scrum Fundamentals Certified (SFC), IT Information Library (ITIL), COBIT 5 (data/IT governance), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

Experience

• Minimum 8 years related experience, including project management and familiarity in a complex organization servicing multiple lines of business.
• Preferably exposure or experience working within the public sector.
• Previous leadership experience and demonstrated people and project management skills.
• Accomplished in cyber security, IT risk management policies, and data governance.
• Experience with various applications of agile and waterfall project management.
• Knowledge and experience in the areas of technology strategy development, innovation and continuous improvement utilizing digital tools and technologies, and designing and implementing creative solutions to business problems.
• Experience successfully leading a mid-size city/equivalent size organization through a digital transformation and or an ERP transformation.
• Experience presenting information, progress reports and professional advice to councils or senior management for decision making.
• In depth knowledge of SharePoint and Nintex.

The Town of Canmore is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognizes that a diverse staff benefits and enriches the work environment and contributes to organizational excellence. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals including candidates from diverse backgrounds and those with disabilities.

A competitive compensation package commensurate with skills and experience. Further details will be discussed in a personal interview.

The Town of Canmore maintains a mandatory COVID 19 vaccination directive (available for review). Finalist will undergo a Criminal Records and Credit background check.

In compliance and consistent with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”), HumanEdge shall respect the privacy and confidentiality of all personal information provided directly or indirectly verbally, electronically or in print throughout the process of candidate engagement in our search assignments.

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