Avp, Portfolio Management & Governance

We are looking for an AVP, Portfolio Management & Governance

Our Infrastructure & Operations Technology group (I&O) is looking to hire an Assistant Vice-President, Portfolio Management & Governance (PM&G) who will report to the SVP & CTO.

In this role, the successful candidate will be accountable for the planning, governance, and delivery of work programs within I&O and across the Canada Life organization where I&O plays a fulfilment role.

Through progressively developing highly effective and sustainable program and project strategies, resource management capabilities, work management and ways of working techniques and methodologies, this role will enable and drive continuous improvement for I&O’s services and products fulfilment capability.

In leading a team of professionals, championing modern ways of working and collaborating closely with other leaders, this role ensures ongoing visibility and management of work effort, priorities, and backlog for I&O across all program and initiative types.

What You Will Do

• Establish project dependencies, funding requirements, resource requirements and business impact assessments.
• Planning
• Support all I&O areas in the development and ongoing maintenance of technology and service roadmaps, to be used as input into the annual I&O planning process.
• Lead the annual I&O planning process for all externally and internally identified needs, resulting in annually published upcoming and multi-year plans for all initiative, BAU and Capital Program work items.

• Facilitate proper prioritization, issue escalation and stakeholder decision making, through leadership of the Steering Committee(s).
• Ensure regular reporting of work progress and status, including return to green plans for projects that are deviating from approved baseline.
• Delivery Leadership and Oversight
• Manage the overall delivery budget and provide detailed spend / expense data for the purpose of tracking, prioritization, and decision making.
• Articulately present program and project material required for stakeholder decision making.
• Direct the portfolios of I&O annual delivery work in alignment with Canada Technology strategies, goals and objectives.
• Ensure effective cross I&O resource management by establishing active work management methods and reporting, providing support to resource managers, and ensuring the sustainment of ongoing work management practices.
• Ensure delivery of programs and projects in accordance with approved budgets, scope, schedule, benefits, and quality measures.
• Facilitate the prioritization of new work items and rebalance the portfolio of work as required to adjust for new unplanned work that has a high priority
• Intake and Demand Management
• Establish I&O intake methods, working with other IT areas, and business areas as applicable, ensuring all externally driven work enters I&O in a structured manner.

• Establish and manage the annual operating budget for the Portfolio Management & Governance team and adhere to appropriate cost optimization and expense management practices
• Serve as process owner, control owner and / or operator as required.
• Partner with the Office of the CIO to ensure that the methodology is known and understood and executed by all practitioners.
• Ensure alignment and adherence to Company provided delivery methodologies and initiative governance through adoption into I&O practices and ways of working. Support all I&O areas in adhering to such provided methods, including the development of stage gate deliverables, business cases, establishing work priorities, securing funding, providing progress reports and aligning work based on demand / capacity.
• Unit leadership
• Establish methodologies required by I&O for successful execution of its mandate where Company provided delivery methodologies are not
• Lead the development, adoption, and support of modern work methods including Scrum and Kanban across I&O and in I&O’s interaction with other areas driving continual fulfilment improvements.
• Methods
• Provide people management to the Portfolio Management & Governance team.

Experience Required:

• Specialized Knowledge/Experience with cloud, product models, modern architectures, Dev Ops, and sound financial knowledge and knows how to apply to a Technology area.
• 10+ years of experience in increasingly more senior information systems leadership positions, with demonstrated experience in the areas of infrastructure and / or application delivery
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with IT infrastructure including on-premise and cloud environments, modern architecture, product models and Dev Ops considered an asset
• Demonstrated experience with IT financial management practicing including Technology Business Management considered an asset
• Demonstrated experience utilizing agile ways of working including Scrum and Kanban considered an asset
• A post-secondary degree in Computer Science or Engineering, or equivalent work experience.
• 10+ years of experience working in a large, complex enterprise organization.

Capabilities:

• Managing complexity and ambiguity
• Finding the right balance between building relationships and driving necessary change
• Demonstrated ability to lead changes brought about by the implementation of new technologies and the impact on the organization and its people and processes
• Strong leadership, delegation, coaching and mentoring skills
• Demonstrated high level of innovation and the ability to utilize and implement best practices, as well as creating new ways of working
• Decisiveness coupled with decision quality
• Flexibility to adapt and manage within a fast-paced, dynamic business environment
• Managing multiple demands while meeting established deadlines
• Ability to develop high and maintain high performing teams through recruitment, onboarding, coaching and mentoring
• Creative problem solver with proven analytical skills to identify meaningful solutions
• Excellent communication skills with ability to communicate vision, strategy and key objectives
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders and partners
• Demonstrated project management skills

Given the size and scope of our organization, we have the flexibility for this position to be located in the following head office locations: Toronto, London, Winnipeg.

Be your best at Canada Life- Apply today!

Being a part of Canada Life means you have a voice. This is a place where your unique background, perspectives and talents are valued, and shape our future success.

You can be your best here. You’re part of a diverse and inclusive workplace where your career and well-being are championed. You’ll have the opportunity to excel in your way, finding new and better ways to deliver exceptional customer and advisor experiences.

Together, as part of a great team, you’ll deliver on our shared purpose to improve the well-being of Canadians. It’s our driving force. Become part of a strong and successful company that’s trusted by millions of Canadians to do the right thing.

Canada Life serves the financial security needs of more than 13 million people across Canada, with additional operations in Europe and the United States. As members of the Power Financial Corporation group of companies, we’re one of Canada’s leading insurers with interests in life insurance, health insurance, investment and retirement savings. We offer a broad portfolio of financial and benefit plan solutions for individuals, families, businesses and organizations.

We are committed to providing an inclusive, accessible environment, where all employees and customers feel valued, respected and supported. We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities in which we live, and to creating an environment where every employee  has the opportunity to  reach their potential.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Canada Life policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact [email protected] .

Canada Life would like to thank all applicants, however only those who qualify for an interview will be contacted .