Information Technology Specialist

Overview:
**Term: 2 years**

The Information Technology Specialist (IT Specialist) is responsible for the provision and support of all information technology and related computing systems in the Faculty of Arts. These responsibilities include management of computing environments and supporting infrastructure enabling and improving outcomes for administrative, teaching, and research computing in the Faculty of Arts.

**Responsibilities**:
Provide excellent client service to the Faculty of Arts and associated individuals and groups in their use of computing and related technology.
- Document client requests
- Respond to initial requests for information or assistance within one business day, prioritizing response among multiple requests
- Work with clients to understand and resolve their computing and related technology issues
- Resolve problems where the incumbent has the required skills and resources. Forward problems to those who are best suited to solve them based on expertise and resource availability
- Keep clients informed of the progress toward resolution of their issues
- Develop the skills (appropriate to the incumbent’s USG level) to resolve client issues directly
- Communicate with clients and peers (within the department and elsewhere) effectively, clearly, and with empathy
- Provide documentation for both technical and non-technical audiences
- Record work activity for both internal and client use

Solve a wide range of problems creatively and efficiently
- Employ general principles to understand and solve problems
- Use a disciplined approach to all aspects of problem resolution
- Adopt an abstract approach to problem solutions, to be able to choose and create general, scalable, standards-based solutions to problems where possible. Seek solutions which can be applied to benefit large problem areas or client bases, extending to the entire campus when possible

Obtain and maintain technical knowledge appropriate to the incumbent’s USG level
- Through practical experience and professional development, keep abreast of current computing-related technology as it relates to currently used system configurations, technology used within the University, and potential acquisitions related to client needs
- As the incumbent progresses through the career path, develop and strengthen expertise in one or more areas of specialization while broadening knowledge in other areas
- Depending on the needs of the department and the Faculty, each IT Specialist in the department possesses at least one and may over the course of their career develop multiple specializations

Qualifications:

- Master’s degree preferably in Business Administration (MBA); A university degree in a computing discipline together with relevant experience will be considered
- Project Management certification preferably PMI - Professional Business Analyst (PMI-PBA) and experience with Project Management is required- Strong IT background; proven ability to operate at a strategic level from some years of progressive experience at a senior management level
- Strong leadership and client service skills and demonstrated ability to work as part of a team
- Ability to learn quickly and adapt to change
- Able to work with a minimum of supervision
- Excellent organizational, time management, and communication skills
- Proven ability to lead executive with better data management
- Proven ability to translate leadership business requests into data assets & reports
- Proven ability to develop workflow and/or use cases
- Strong understanding of various UW data sets
- Demonstrated ability to deal with core data assets
- PowerBI knowledge or other equivalents
- Strong collaboration skills and to working with various IT groups on campus
- Strategic development and management experience
- Experience in developing and engaging strategic plans
- Must be able to use verbal and written communication effectively with audiences of a wide range of levels of technical knowledge and understanding
- Travel to staff and faculty offices and computing labs in the Faculty of Arts is regularly required
- Hours of work are similar to standard office hours, with some flexibility in scheduling and the occasional requirement for work to be done outside of office hours for emergency situations or to minimize disruption to clients

Equity Statement:
The University of Waterloo is committed to implementing the Calls to Action framed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We acknowledge that we live and work on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River.