Director, Application Services
About The Position
Technology is reinventing higher education and at OCAS we play a vital role in helping shape this evolving landscape. We deliver dependable technology systems and business services to support our industry partners and create new pathways for learners exploring and applying to Ontario’s public colleges. Recently named a Waterloo Area Top Employer for the eleventh consecutive year, we’re looking for innovators who can bring their expertise and passion to our growing team. As Director, Application Services at OCAS, you’ll provide strategic and technical leadership for our core application platform and its foundational support systems, shaping the experiences for both applicants and colleges. You’ll lead two critical product areas – Application Experience and Core Systems – while setting the medium- and long-term product and technology direction for a platform that is modern, secure, reliable, and responsive to evolving sector needs. As a member of the OCAS team, you will work with remarkable individuals and colleagues who support each other in achieving high performance.
Requirements
- A bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field; a master’s degree is considered an asset
- 10–15+ years of experience leading product, software, or application platform development in complex environments
- At least 5 years of experience in a strategic leadership role within complex, multi-interest holder organizations
- Proven success leading modernization initiatives or large-scale platform and integration transformations
- Deep knowledge of modern software architecture, cloud technologies, software development, integration patterns, enterprise systems, and user-centred design principles
- Strong strategic thinking, communication, stakeholder engagement, and decision-making skills
- A demonstrated commitment to secure, accessible, equitable, and user-centred outcomes
Nice To Haves
- A master’s degree is considered an asset
Responsibilities
- Set and evolve product and technology strategy in partnership with the Vice President, Application Services, Data and Technology
- Create multi-year roadmaps that reflect user-centred design, accessibility, privacy, security, and long-term sustainability
- Provide strategic oversight of applicant- and college-facing experiences, as well as the core systems that power them
- Champion modern architecture, platform reliability, and performance while encouraging innovation and thoughtful experimentation
- Build trusted relationships across internal teams and public colleges, support sector governance, and lead cross-functional initiatives with vendors and partners
- Lead, mentor, and grow a multidisciplinary team by shaping talent strategy, strengthening consistent practices, and fostering a collaborative, high-performing, and innovative culture
- Oversee the Application Services budget, capacity planning, risk management, and operational readiness, including incident response and performance monitoring
Benefits
- Flexible hybrid work model
- 22 vacation days
- Paid company shutdown during the holiday season
- Defined benefit corporate pension plan
- Comprehensive benefits, including vision, dental, extended health care, life insurance, and more
- Paid volunteer time
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
