Director, Information Systems

At the University of Waterloo, we create and promote a culture where everyone can reach their full potential. As an employee, you get support & opportunities that empower you to advance your career. Explore how we can bring big ideas to life, together. The University is a welcoming workplace for those of all abilities, interests, and expertise. As part of our workforce, you can do what you do best, every day.

Learn more about our recruitment process.

Job Requisition ID:

2026-02968

Time Type:

Full time

Employee Group:

Staff

Job Category:

IT Infrastructure and Systems

Employment Type:

Permanent

Department:

Information Systems and Technology - Operations

Hiring Range:

$147,688.15 - $184,610.19

Posting Information:
This posting is for an existing vacancy.

Internal posting expires Friday October 16th at 11:59 PM

Job Description:

Primary Purpose

The Director, Information Systems, is responsible for planning, design, development, implementation and support of sustainable and secure information system and technology services to the University. The incumbent shares overall responsibility for day-to-day management of IST with the other Directors and the CIO, CISO, CDO, and DCIO. The Director demonstrates campus-wide leadership in the successful deployment, support and evolution of the University’s Information Systems and collaborates on Data infrastructure and EdTech. This includes, but is not limited to, the University’s three ERP systems which serve the Student, HR and Finance functions of the university, Departmental and Campus applications used by units across campus, and the Web Content Management System (WCMS), as well as the university’s data and integration infrastructure and services. The Director is responsible for defining, providing, refining, improving, and modifying the services provided in response to changes in business processes, next-generation technologies, and IST/University priorities. In addition to ownership of system-related relationships across campus on behalf of IST, the Director develops and maintains key relationships across the university to assist with alignment between Academic, Research and Academic Support information systems and initiatives.

Key Accountabilities

Establishes the direction and priorities for the Information Systems group

• Serves as an integral member of both IST’s Executive and Management Teams

• Participates in the development of the long-term vision and planning for the department

• Develops the Information Systems group’s annual plans and priorities, and is a key contributor to the creation and execution on strategic planning for both IST and IT on campus

• Leads the intake and successful delivery of information systems projects for IST and is accountable for the creation of related governance bodies for management and oversight of information systems projects (Steering, Management, Operational committees).

Within the Information Systems group, ensures the effective utilization, deployment and development of human and capital resources

• Oversees hiring and overall management of the Information Systems group

• Deploys staff to meet the goals and objectives of the Information Systems group most appropriately

• Coaches, trains, and develops employees to enable their professional development

• Gathers and submits budget requests for information systems across campus

• Reviews and approves ongoing information system expenses

• Approves annual performance plans and conducts regular reviews with direct reports

Core Services of the Information Systems group

Information Systems has primary responsibility for:

○ Building strong collaborative partnerships with all campus units to meet the Information Systems needs of the university

○ Definition, implementation and maintenance of technical and system strategies, including managing the university’s many cloud-based vendors and services

○ Design and implementation of technical solutions to meet business requirements

○ Integrity of applications through defined QA, testing, and vendor management practices

○ Solutions design and consulting support to units across campus

• For selected programs and projects, the Director may engage the services of a Project or Program Manager to ensure successful delivery of cross-departmental initiatives.

Applications Implementation and Lifecycle Management

• Plays a key leadership role for the university in the information systems pre-acquisition and acquisition processes (including Business Analysis, Requirements gathering, RFI/RFP processes, and contract negotiations)

• Maintains a future-oriented outlook for the University’s information systems, staying up-to-date on industry and higher education trends that may impact the University

• Implements ERP-level applications (Student, HR, Finance)

• Implements campus-scale applications (CEE, Advancement, Research)

• Implements department-specific applications (Parking, Bookstore, Athletics, Food, Safety, Campus Wellness, Campus Housing)

• Establishes and maintains the official web content management system (WCMS) for the university

Systems Integration

• Promotes and implements a modern system-to-system data architecture and integration capability that creates bridges between information systems to better the student and employee experience

• Ensures integration with core applications (e.g., Microsoft 365)

• Implements connectivity with external partners (e.g., banks, government ministries, etc.)

Infrastructure

• Oversees Applications Administration and Database Administration functions for IST

• Provides support for, and use of, both on-premises and cloud-based infrastructure platforms

• Ensures the requisite production support for campus information systems, including, where necessary, an emergency on-call service for critical information systems

• Provides support for, and incorporation of, guiding principles for cybersecurity, data privacy, usability and digital accessibility into all information systems and data platforms

Stakeholder and Vendor Management

• Establishes and maintains strong relationships with departmental leadership teams across the University

• Builds strong relationships and strategic alliances with external technology partners

• With the CIO and DCIO, works collaboratively with senior leaders across campus to be responsible for Information Systems at the University, including all aspects of applications lifecycle management

• High degree of vendor management, specifically in contract review and escalations.

Data Provisioning

• Provides support for the governance of data and related information from the primary data sources

• Supports specific requests and initiatives for information and its analysis

• Provides operational support for reporting, integration, conversion, and archival projects related to system implementations

• Supports access to datasets which support initiative and strategy of the university

Required Qualifications

Education

• University degree or equivalent post-secondary education and/or experience required.

Experience

• 10-12 years of progressive experience with a proven track record of achievement and success within Information Technology.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Proven ability to match information systems needs with the current and future business issues of the University.

• Strong leadership skills essential, with a demonstrated positive track record of leading a cohesive team with common goals and measurable outcomes in a complex IT environment.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to effectively present strategies and plans to senior administration of the university.

• Ability to communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to influence, negotiate, and develop relationships at senior levels and across a wide range of personalities and functions

• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills combined with excellent analytical and planning abilities

• Strong business acumen with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple competing priorities at once, and to create a collaborative strategic plan to align the efforts of a large team

• Flexible and adaptable management style. Ability to conceptualize and address current and future challenges in a logical manner.

• Results oriented with a proven collaborative approach to bring together units across the university.

• Demonstrated reasoning and decision-making ability at a senior management level

• Innovator with a high energy level

• Computing Skills: Application and Data Integration Technologies – Advanced; Project Management – Advanced; MS Office & SharePoint – Intermediate; Development Methodologies and Frameworks – Intermediate; Application Architecture – Advanced; Vendor Management – Advanced

Equity Statement

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is coordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion.  As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.