Director, Strategic Initiatives

Who we are:

We are a bunch of people who really care about agriculture, food and the challenges facing farming. We want to help farmers with data driven decision making to help nature feed a growing population. Join our team of expert engineers, agronomists, entomologists, crop researchers, and data scientists who are continually conducting research to help drive innovation in agriculture.

Semios is a market leader in leveraging the internet-of-things (IoT) and big data to improve the sustainability and profitability of specialty crops. With 500 million data points being reported by our sensors every day, we leverage our big data analytics, such as in-depth pest and disease modeling, to empower tree fruit and tree nut growers with decision-making tools to minimize resources and risks.

Our innovative work has received several industry awards:

• AgTech Breakthrough Awards Program (2023) - Selected as winner of the “Overall Smart Irrigation Company Of The Year” award.
• Sustainability Changemaker by SDTC (2022) - Named as one of the companies which recognize homegrown innovation in sustainable technologies in Canada.
• AgTech Breakthrough Awards Program (2021) – Selected as winner of the "Pest Management Solutions of the Year" award.
• Google Accelerator (2020) – Selected as 1 of 9 companies for the inaugural Google for Startups Accelerator Canada cohort, who are all using technology to solve complex challenges.
• Global CleanTech Top 100 (2020) – Identified as one of the companies best positioned to solve tomorrow’s clean technology challenges.

One of our partners produced this short video which shows what we do and our positive environmental impact.

We know our journey is only achievable by having a great team who shares ideas, tries new things and learns as we go.

Who you are:

Motivated by meaningful work, you are looking for more than just a job; you want to work for a dynamic, growing company that finds solutions to real-life problems, such as helping the world reduce the use of pesticides and helping nature feed a growing population. Your ideal work environment includes a collaborative team spirit with the opportunity to learn and grow as you take the initiative to try new things.

The Director, Strategic Initiatives provides leadership in delivering solutions that have the scalability and flexibility to support the goals and priorities of the corporate strategic plan. This role is a champion for continuous improvement and proactively identifies and implements initiatives to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of services. This position builds relationships with business leadership to understand business objectives and identify initiatives to support these goals. 

What you will do:

Strategic Planning and Initiatives: 

• Provide leadership and determine strategic and tactical direction to shape business processes, supported by technology-enabled solutions that align with the priorities and goals of the corporate strategy 
• Work collaboratively with senior management to support the strategic planning process 
• Act as key liaison to facilitate the planning and prioritization of projects across the organization
• Oversee a portfolio of projects in support of key business initiatives
• Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to ensure that project outcomes meet or exceed expectations

Continuous Improvement: 

• Establish strong project management and portfolio management processes to achieve high quality outcomes delivered on time and on budget
• Implement standard project management methodology and tools to manage the project lifecycle 
• Prepare and distribute monthly operations metrics for executive review
• Communicate project progress, issues and risks to senior management
• Engage and coach senior leaders, managers and key stakeholders to embrace their role as change sponsors and leaders to help the organization through transformational and transactional change 
• Apply strategic and tactical thinking, with focused attention on details, results, and execution 
• Provide input, document requirements, and support the design and delivery of training programs. 
• Support organizational design and definition of roles and responsibilities 
• Proactively identify, review and prioritize initiatives to support continuous improvement
• Monitor and manage vendor performance to ensure business value is delivered
• Forecast financial requirements and prepare annual budget

Leadership: 

• Provide leadership to develop and motivate a high performing team
• Ensure a positive work environment and awareness by all staff of company goals and objectives and creates an environment oriented towards trust, open communication, creative thinking and cohesive team effort. 
• Inspire, educate and mentor employees to embrace key change management practices to ensure the successful adoption of new processes and systems
• Work collaboratively with the internal communication teams support the design, development, delivery and management of communications for initiatives

We want you to succeed so you will need:

• University degree in an IT-related discipline, Business Administration or equivalent industry experience
• 10+ years of experience in management consulting and/or project management 
• 5+ years in a senior role leading large-scale business transformation and organizational change initiatives
• Extremely thorough knowledge of project management disciplines and best practices.
• Thorough experience designing, development and implementing project management processes and tools
• Demonstrated understanding of key change management concepts and proven ability
• to effectively instill process change
• Comfortable with agile ways of working and delivery 
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with team members 
• Excellent communication, influencing, and organization skills supported by strong problem solving, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills 
• Strong organizational and time management skills 
• Ability to work effectively at all levels in an organization and have the ability to present to executive leadership team 
• Flexible and adaptable; able to work in ambiguous situations 
• Must be a team player and able to work collaboratively with and through others 
• Acute business acumen and understanding of organizational issues and challenges 
• Creative and resourceful, with ability to find innovative ways to provide solutions 
• Ability to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment

Salary range: $150,000 to $170,000 per year

Please note that the base pay offered may vary based on factors including but not limited to knowledge, skills and experience, as well as business and organizational needs. 

Why this is the opportunity for you:

• Sleep better knowing you're making the world a better place through more sustainable food production
• Opportunity to contribute and make an impact by working on meaningful projects
• Work with a team that values fun, laughter, and each other in a collaborative and casual work environment
• Flexible, hybrid working arrangements and strong work-life balance culture
• Multiple office locations, convenient via transit and bike paths
• Extended medical plan with a Health Spending Account with premiums paid by the company
• Group RRSP, which includes a 3% company paid match

At Semios, we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. We know that our differences often can bring about innovation, excellence and meaningful work—therefore, people from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply to our positions. We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish and we welcome everyone.