Director, Program Delivery

Director, Program Delivery

Type : Permanent

Location : Toronto (Hybrid)

Posting Date : February 13, 2025

At OPTrust, paying pensions today, preserving pensions for tomorrow is our mission and business.

When you choose OPTrust, you join a team of smart, talented people who fuel our success and have a passion for pensions. Everyone at OPTrust – in Toronto, London and Sydney – makes a meaningful impact. Our culture is driven by team members with different backgrounds and perspectives creating an inclusive and fulfilling place to work for everyone. We work in a fast-paced environment, but we find time to have fun and give back to the community.

What OPTrust offers you

Unique culture rooted in our core values – collaboration and teamwork, integrity, respect, flexibility, excellence and continuous improvement.

A purpose-driven environment where we all work towards the common goal of paying pensions today and preserving pensions for tomorrow.

Comprehensive benefits focused on your health and wellness, including dental, vision and extended health benefits, as well as membership in our world-class defined benefit pension plan.

A flexible, hybrid work model.

A dedicated inclusion, diversity and equity strategy with meaningful opportunities to participate, including our employee-led resource groups.

Extensive professional development opportunities and learning initiatives including access to LinkedIn Learning, guest speakers, tuition reimbursement, professional association memberships, leadership development programs, a mentorship program, monthly professional development time and more.

A competitive vacation package with additional work-life balance day.

About the role

Reporting to the Vice President, Pension Administration Transformation, the Director, Program Delivery will be part of the leadership team that is responsible for driving the multi-year and multi-million dollar pension administration transformation program at OPTrust (PATH). This transformation will include converting the existing data and processes, managing organizational change / business transformation, achieving business goals / vision, vendor management, and maintaining engagement of the PATH team throughout the program. PATH leadership would work with internal and external groups and stakeholders, and provide regular updates and report to the CEO, the Executive Team and the Board of Trustees.

The Director, Program Delivery will provide leadership, guidance and expertise to the internal team and stakeholders. This Director will oversee the program management, team management and vendor management to ensure the successful delivery of the PATH program transformation. This position is a member of the senior management team and may act for the VP in his / her absence.

What you’ll do

Program Management and Delivery

Lead the development of detailed end-to-end implementation plans, including formulation of recommendations regarding delivery / implementation approaches after consultation with key stakeholders on estimated effort, resource availability, cross-program dependencies and other implementation constraints.

Lead the execution of the implementation plan, including holding stakeholders accountable for progressing against established deliverables, scope, timelines and quality levels, while providing timely and effective communication on project status, risks, issues, analyses / findings.

Facilitate the following activities and ensure strong alignment in the execution of these activities : requirements discussions across stakeholder groups, documentation of detailed business requirements, creation of testing plan / strategies, system testing process, data conversion, user training, production readiness activities, and promotion of the system solution into production.

Serve as an escalation point for issues that cannot be resolved by the workstream and workstream directors and refer issues to the Joint Program Committee(s) for resolution.

Establish and maintain project standards, project methodology, key performance indicators, and standard reports such as resource analysis, status updates, decision logs, risk register, etc. within OPTrust.

Support the planning and execution of meetings with the PATH Executive Advisors, PATH Advisors, risk advisors, etc.

Lead the coordination of any PATH program audits.

Identify and proactively manage cross-stakeholder group (internal and external) interdependencies and ensure that key stakeholders are appropriately involved based on the PATH governance structure.

Build effective internal and external relationships to gather insights and best practices to improve delivery of the PATH program.

Monitor and address emerging needs and interests of internal and external stakeholders.

Team Management

Ensures the effective provisioning of shared resources to adequately support project management, business analysis and technology support within the PATH team.

Leads the establishment of an appropriate program delivery framework and the required operational processes (e.g., decision-making and approval processes, document management processes, processes to support establishment of required audit trails) and ensures that established processes are adhered to by the PATH team.

Manage and track PATH program expenses against approved budget.

Oversees office operations (e.g., office moves, planning of team events, other workplace logistics).

Vendor Management

Serves as the primary point for day-to-day contact with the vendor in implementing the PATH system solution.

Serve as OPTrust’s Project Director under the joint partnership model developed with OPTrust’s vendor. Under this joint partnership model, the Project Directors for each OPTrust and the vendor are jointly responsible for :

Development of the joint project management infrastructure;

Management of and reporting on project progress (status reports) to the Joint Program Committee, established by OPTrust and the vendor;

Support the management of the Joint Steering Committee;

Management of any third parties involved in the project;

Maintenance of appropriate project documentation; and

Identification of risks and risk mitigation strategies

Manage and develop a strong and positive relationship between OPTrust and the vendor.

Manage the vendor’s performance and provide oversight to vendor deliverables against the project plan and established agreements.

Manage the vendor costs against the approved budget.

Participate in contract negotiations with the vendor, as required.

Other Responsibilities

Support the development of the PATH strategy, and translate it into executable plans, including support for the financial planning process, resource proposals, etc.

Support the development and periodic review of the PATH business case, governance structure and other foundational frameworks to ensure their ongoing appropriateness.

Support the preparation of reports and materials for OPTrust board of trustees, executives and senior leaders, as well as other internal and external communication.

Lead and oversee the resolution of escalated issues, keep the VP informed and further escalate issues to the VP, where appropriate, to prevent issues from negatively impacting the implementation of the PATH Program.

Functions as a member of the senior leadership team, bringing forward appropriate matters for discussion and approval.

Leads or participates in inter-departmental committees, as required.

Support the VP in building and sustaining a strong and positive culture within the PATH team.

Leadership, performance management and development of staff, including supervision, coaching, and development of talent and training plans.

Responsible for partnering with PATH Leaders and the People Team to successfully execute team growth and recruiting, including development of job specifications as required, interviewing and assessment of candidates.

Other duties, as required.

What you bring

Undergraduate degree. Post-secondary degree (e.g., MBA) is an asset.

Project Management Professional (PMP) designation and agile / scrum (CAPM / CSM) certification preferred.

5-10 years’ experience in transformation, change management, management consulting and pensions, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Demonstrated record of success in program management is required.

Experience with financial services transformation is preferred.

Experience with defined benefit pensions, gained through direct involvement in pension system delivery, pension administration, pension policy and / or actuarial practice, is a strong asset.

Demonstrated success with leading the planning, execution and delivery of complex organization-wide projects involving multiple stakeholders and with leading various personalities through process and technology changes.

Strong business skills, including budgeting, project management, change management, stakeholder management, procurement and vendor management.

Advanced analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills, with a proven ability to identify and anticipate issues, and to develop insightful and creative solutions, while ensuring the risks and costs to OPTrust and stakeholders’ views are appropriately considered.

Strong strategic thinking skills.

Strong community awareness and astuteness.

Superior interpersonal skills and strong ability to influence, collaborate and build positive and productive relationships with all levels of an organization and with different groups of stakeholders (e.g., internal OPTrust staff, board of trustees, OPTrust employers, pension plan members).

Effective written and oral communication skills, demonstrating creativity as well as technical expertise, and the ability to communicate complex issues effectively at all levels and to a broad range of internal and external stakeholders.

Adapts easily to changing situations and demonstrates flexibility in juggling priorities with the ability to meet tight deadlines and successfully navigate in a fast-paced environment.

Proven ability to lead and supervise multiple teams simultaneously and effectively, including direct management and indirect influence of teams at different levels.

Demonstrated leadership skills demonstrated sound judgment, and excellent organizational skills.

Exemplify OPTrust’s values : collaboration and teamwork, integrity, respect, flexibility, excellence, and continuous improvement.

Please submit your application via Workday by February 27, 2025.

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