RQ00127 - Solutions Designer - Intermediate

Advantages
- Hybrid work model
- Opportunity to work on enterprise-scale cloud migration projects
- Collaboration with cross-functional teams in a public sector environment
- Competitive compensation and professional growth opportunities

Responsibilities
Manages and provides technical input to the day-to-day execution of delivery teams that are implementing technology solutions to address the business' needs. The Technical Solution Manager also validates Service Provider outputs and manages incremental releases to ensure business stakeholder outcomes are realized and works closely with the I&IT Architecture team to ensure application solutions are aligned with the overall technical roadmap.

KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
- Supports the definition of the I&IT team’s yearly operating plan and performance objectives to monitor for quality and excellent delivery of services.
- Manages I&IT teams towards successful technical delivery, release, governance and validation of outcomes for assigned I&IT applications.
- Delivers expertise, advice and direction to I&IT team and Service Provider resources responsible for the delivery of related projects and services across the portfolio.
- Collaborate with Enterprise Architecture teams to support the development of the I&IT technology roadmap.

Application Validation/Roadmaps
- In consultation with Enterprise Architectural, translates overall decision records into application level solutions to deliver business needs.
- For I&IT’s most complex initiatives, confirms solution designs and tracks progress through development, resolving problems, managing changes, in collaboration with stakeholders and the I&IT team, and addresses business expectations in the event of development issues.
- Collaborates with Delivery team to translate 12 – 18 month roadmaps into shorter initiatives (i.e. 3 month delivery plans with 4 week sprints).
- Leverages technical expertise to validate that I&IT solutions meet and/or exceed business expectations.
- Supports quarterly production releases by providing inputs to the delivery schedule and oversight to solution maturity through execution of the plan (i.e. from technical requirements to successful release) and makes corrections as needed.
- Provides oversight to confirm alignment with technical design at key checkpoints during the delivery process and assumes the required responsibility for artifact development, attendance at governance mechanism and measurement of key metrics.
- Validates and confirms that the solution design, configuration/development artifacts and quality control results meet the expectations of I&IT stakeholders and business users who use the product.
- In partnership with Enterprise Architecture, identifies and manages the integration points between solutions within various applications and interfaces.
- Provides input into and maintains I&IT and Vendor Performance KPIs.
- Provides expert input to support maintenance and continuous improvement of I&IT’s Delivery Methodology.

Risk Management
- Proactively manages risks pertaining to product project delivery and release management for Metrolinx (e.g. reduce the likelihood and impact of customer, transit and operational system risks and issues).
- Identifies, assesses and communicates technical delivery risks and contributes to product project delivery, release management and planning;

Service Provider Relationship Management
- Supports managing the relationship with Service Providers, which includes reviewing the most complex Provider statements of work, proposals, and providing input to the I&IT Commercial Office for Value for Money analysis and Service Provider performance reviews.
- Provides guidance and support to Service Provider teams and confirms they are equipped to deliver successfully, including pointing Service Providers to the appropriate standards, reference material, and technical validation resources within I&IT and business units.

Foundational Technology & Infrastructure Engineering
- Designs and builds foundational technology and infrastructure solutions at scale (e.g. SaaS, public and private managed cloud solutions, virtualization, network, storage, compute, hybrid).
- Integrates and enables product application monitoring, automation and orchestration in solutions.
- Collaborates with I&IT teams and stakeholders to perform system capacity, performance, availability and health management to meet business needs.

Customer/Stakeholder
- Collaborates with stakeholders across I&IT to support the successful planning and delivery of products, projects and confirm product outcomes final solution meet I&IT standards and policies.
- Liaises with all stakeholders and I&IT teams to confirm product technical designs, track progress through development, resolve problems, manage changes and address business expectations in the event of development issues.
- Provides input to and identifies dependencies in the technology roadmaps and provides oversight to product solution development through execution of business requirements and makes corrections as needed.
- Collaborates with I&IT Service Providers and internal delivery teams to develop and implement effective knowledge capture and sharing processes, models and ideas. This includes developing knowledge repositories to capture and share I&IT product portfolio information and product lifecycle management artifact templates/standards.
- Supports relationship management of Service Providers delivering services and products to Metrolinx I&IT as required;

Operational Excellence
- Keeps current, advises the Senior Manager, I&IT Product Operations regarding the direction of emerging tools and products that would improve the technology maturity of the organization.
- Provides input to the development of product technology roadmaps that utilize current tools and formal methodologies to oversee and support product development and eventual delivery to production.
- Provides resolution to escalated team issues (i.e. policies, programs, strategy).
- Manages the alignment of activities with overall I&IT and corporate governing frameworks, standards and methodologies that support business requirements and enterprise-scale efficiencies.
- Identifies and recommends the practical application of emerging technology to improve business performance and reduce risk. This includes bringing innovative ideas forward to satisfy unmet needs and solve existing problems.
- Responsible for advancing I&IT capabilities as part of continuous improvement activities and maintaining Project Delivery practice in alignment with I&IT groups.

Financial Stewardship
- Supports Senior Management on creating input to annual and long-term budgets and staffing plans that adhere to corporate standards and applicable legislation; meets solution design service delivery objectives and oversees team activities within budgetary limits.
- Supports Inputs to the I&IT annual operating and capital budgets and staffing plans by providing inputs.
- Tracks initiatives, reviews progress and endorses scope, time or cost changes, escalates severe problems as required and informs business and Project Product Managers if there is an impact on the business’ requirements.
- Provides input to fund allocation of initiatives and ensures expenditures are tracked to meet technology roadmap plans for their respective portfolios.
- Strives to minimize costs and seeks methods to increase service delivery effectiveness and improve end-user productivity and training.
- Identifies opportunities to streamline processes that may lead to (cost and/or time) savings.

People Leadership
- Creates a working environment that is aligned with the organization’s desire to be “an employer of choice”, ensuring that people resources possess the required skills, are properly aligned, and are provided with the resources to do the job.
- Leads virtual teams (greater than 15 resources) of vendor project managers, technical experts, Project Delivery and production support resources responsible for delivering initiatives on assigned product roadmaps.
- Manages employees and a varying number of contractor and vendor resources and delivers timely feedback to ensure a cohesive operational unit and the optimum use of team skills; monitors work assignments to ensure adherence to timelines; monitors the achievement of performance objectives.
- Provides creative thought leadership with input from others to develop and deploy a strategic vision; connects and aligns projects with strategic corporate goals; demonstrates leadership and core competencies at a high level of development and is an exemplary model of living the corporate Values and Code of Ethics.
- Knowledge of Human Resources legislation (e.g. Employment Standards Act, Occupational Health & Safety Act, etc.) to monitor employees and contractors, including experience in the application of collective agreement provisions, and develop and manage staffing plans that adhere to corporate standards and applicable legislation.
- Advises other staff and provides expertise on product project delivery issues.
- Advises the client on how they can leverage technology more effectively to realize their business objectives.
- Provides senior technical leadership oversight and direction to staff and delivers timely feedback to ensure a cohesive operational unit and the optimum use of team skills; manages staff and monitors work assignments to ensure adherence to timelines; monitors the achievement of performance objectives; develops and implements action plans to address performance gaps.
- Develop working relationships with strategic Service Providers and their leadership teams.

Qualifications
Must Haves:
- Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert or TOGAF Enterprise Architecture Foundation/Practitioner Certified.
- Experience with migrating on-prem applications to cloud platform at the enterprise level, preferably in a public space.

Qualification:
- Expertise applying application integration and infrastructure integration methods, principles and techniques to manage the integration points between solutions within a portfolio and the integration between various I&IT technology solutions.
- Proficiency with multiple Agile Lifecycle Management tools (i.e. JIRA, Confluence, etc.).
- Knowledge of tools and techniques used for solution design and the ability to develop, maintain and support applications and service delivery in order to meet business requirements.
- Well versed in introducing new ways of thinking and working (i.e. DevOps, Lean, Agile, Bimodal IT) and the data implications and integrations required across internal and Service Provider teams.
- Comfortable working with remote team members.
- Well versed in IT and business strategy with specific experience to develop plans and drive solutions towards stated business strategy and goals.
- Expertise in alternative IT sourcing (e.g. contract staff, outsourced project delivery, the broker model, cloud services, IT outsourcing and business process outsourcing).
- Experience with Service Provider management to support development and delivery of externally provided applications and services and monitor contractor work assignments for adherence to timelines and the achievement of performance objectives outlined in the Agreement terms and conditions.
- Ability to validate that products are delivered effectively through selective review of product solution designs, configurations/developments artifacts and quality control results.
- Knowledge and understanding of advanced procurement vehicles and their application to I&IT (Collaborative Procurement Process).
- Experience leading a team of IT professionals in support of project delivery.
- Familiar with current and emerging solution design and management technologies.
- Project leadership to provide technical expertise and leadership through all project phases.
- Leadership, problem solving, interpersonal, and oral/written/presentation skills.
- Familiar with problem management.
- Ability to measure and communicate performance management to key stakeholders.

Summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a Solutions Designer to contribute to a major cloud migration initiative within a large public sector organization. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in solution design, technical oversight, and enterprise cloud architecture, with a focus on Azure or TOGAF methodologies. If you have a passion for optimizing cloud-based solutions and leading technical teams to success, we encourage you to apply.

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