Location

Location: Thorold, ON

Temporary Duration

Approximate Duration: 12 to 18 months

Division

I.T. Solutions

Important Notices & Amendments

This position currently falls within our hybrid model, allowing the employee to typically work a minimum of 50% of your time at your regular work location and the other 50% of time at home. As an employer of choice, Niagara Region offers competitive salaries and benefits, a defined benefit pension plan, a corporate wellness centre, access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), mentorship and training programs, employee recognition programs, and more. In addition, the Region recognizes the value of having flexible work arrangements to support better work-life balance for our employees. Hybrid work arrangements may vary from one employee to another and may also differ in the number of remote workdays.

These opportunities remain subject to the alignment of operational needs, business requirements, and customer service expectations.

Job Summary

Provide reporting to the Manager IT Project Delivery & Business Analysis, the Senior Business Specialist, Information Technology is responsible for finding efficiencies and improvements in existing client systems and planning and implementing new systems and processes that help business units align with strategic objectives while being consistent and in line with IT Solution’s technological architecture. As a Senior Business Specialist, you will need to stay continuously updated on the latest advancements in IT and adapt to the evolving needs of various business units across the region.

Education

- Post-secondary degree in Computer Science or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Formal training in business analysis, ITIL, project management or other similar discipline.
- CBAP or PBA eligibility or similar designation preferred.
- LEAN/Six Sigma or similar methodologies preferred.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) or PRINCE2 preferred.
- Agile certifications such as PMI-ACP, Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or Secure Agilist preferred.
- Minimum of 8 years systems planning, support, conceptual design and feasibility study experience in a medium to large organization of a complex diverse nature.
- Experience leading end-to-end IT projects, including ERP implementations, system migrations, and digital transformation initiatives.
- Experience with business process modeling, data analysis, and gap analysis.
- Knowledge of business process modeling, structured analysis, design, programming techniques, lean practices and/or continuous quality improvement methods
- Knowledge of Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid project methodologies
- Proficiency with requirements management tools such as JIRA, Confluence, or Azure DevOps
- Strong understanding of enterprise systems such as ERP, CRM, and HRIS platforms
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Visio, Power BI, and cloud-based platforms like Microsoft 365
- Familiarity with IT compliance and regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, SOX).

Knowledge

Responsibilities

Leads and facilitates business analysis activities and architectural design sessions with business area experts, managers, senior leaders and IT Solutions staff. (40% of time)

- Advises business management on how best to leverage technical resources for business-specific activities, providing recommendations to IT Solutions management for alignment with business unit’s strategic direction.
- Provides recommendations for process improvement and automation. Learns the new technology / system that is being implemented or updated.
- Gathers client business requirements, formulating logical statements of business problems and facilitating/leading the process for devising solutions to business problems using information technology or other means.
- Conducts feasibility studies, develops systems designs, prepares use cases, assists system implementations, develops or recommends changes to client area work methods and leads such initiatives.




- Provides cost effective solution alternatives to meet departmental objectives through the application of information technologies or through business process improvements.
- Prepares system prototypes for user consultation and contributes to the design, development, testing, modification, documentation and implementation of client systems.
- Identifies and documents problems and consults with key invested parties to develop options to select and implement the most appropriate solutions
- Researches and recommends future systems to enhance department productivity
- Develops and co-ordinates training for clients on new systems/procedures.
- Develops user-acceptance scripts and documents testing of solutions with clients for sign off.
- Reviews and evaluates the results of program and systems testing with team members and clients.
- Prepares end-user documentation as required to support client applications and increase understanding/acceptance of new processes.
- Recommends standards, policies and procedures and ensures they are adhered to.

Leads client projects, ensuring delivery of defined scope within budget and on time while adhering to the quality as agreed with the client. (25% of time)

- Leads cross-functional teams by fostering accountability and collaboration
- Develops project scope, schedules, risk assessments and plans, assigning tasks, managing implementation activities, ensuring adherence to schedules and costs, tracking and monitoring progress and ensuring project team and clients are informed.
- Coordinates with appropriate Corporate areas (such as Legal Services, Purchasing, etc.) to manage contract and agreements and issuing and evaluating RFP’s, RFI’s, RFQ’s, etc.
- Ensures that all project and task timetables are kept up-to-date and provides weekly status reports to Supervisor and/or Manager
- Liaises with vendors to ensure that schedules, guidelines and protocols are adhered to and client requirements are met.
- Evaluates, selects and acquires hardware and software, ensuring adherence to budget plans and functional requirements.
- Mentor junior analysts and project team members, providing guidance on business analysis techniques, tools, and best practices.
- Facilitate resolution of complex project challenges through analytical thinking and diplomacy.
- Empowers clients to make decisions while providing strategic oversight.
- Champions Agile principles and practices, including Scrum or Kanban, to deliver iterative and incremental project outcomes, as applicable to the project.
- Serves as a Scrum Master or Agile Coach when necessary to guide teams through sprints, backlogs, and retrospectives, when used.

Manages relationships with internal/external invested parties, client business units and project participants. (10% of time)

- Provides feedback to and manages invested parties/client expectations.
- Shares information regarding initiatives and other best practices with Division and Departmental staff.
- Liaises with agencies, boards and commissions and other municipal partners to share information and identify opportunities for business/information systems integration.
- Develops strong working relationships with key staff members in supported departments.
- Provides advice and guidance on the proper use of technologies.
- Assigns work and monitors progress of internal and external analysts, programmers, etc.
- Guides and supports other Analysts in the Niagara Region on IT best practices and standards for project delivery.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to invested parties, ensuring alignment between business needs and IT deliverables.

Prepares technology-related reports, memos, drafts, letters,



guidelines and other correspondence and conduct presentations to meet departmental requirements. (10% of time)

- Contributes to the development of strategic and implementation plans, ensuring that major initiatives are in line with the Information Technology Solutions and the Region’s strategic direction, and providing ongoing support of automation initiatives within the supported departments.
- Utilizes analytics tools to gather insights from business processes and inform decision-making.
- Develops and maintains dashboards for tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) and project health metrics.

Identifies opportunities to improve/enhance processes and business solutions through continuous learning. (15% of time)

- Reviews technical literature regarding system methodologies, development productivity tools and techniques.
- Interprets new or revised legislation and legal or policy decisions in order to make appropriate recommendations concerning the application of process changes or technology solutions to meet the Region’s obligations arising from regulatory commitments.
- Provides recommendations for process improvements and automation opportunities through continual learning of the business processes.
- Act as a thought leader within the organization, advocating for continuous improvement and innovative solutions.
- Continuously monitor advancements in technology to assess their impact on current processes and systems.
- Recommend modern tools, methodologies, or systems that support organizational agility and scalability.

Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned or required

Special Requirements

- In accordance with the Corporate Criminal Record Check Policy, the position requires the incumbent to undergo a Criminal Records Check and submit a Canadian Police Clearance Certificate.
- Regional staff strive to enable the strategic priorities of council and the organization through the completion of their work. Staff carry out their work by demonstrating the corporate values.

About Us

Niagara Region serves a diverse urban and rural population of more than 475,000 and is focused on building a strong and prosperous Niagara. Working collaboratively with 12 local area municipalities and community partners, the Region delivers high-quality programs and services that support the well-being of individuals, families and communities. Nestled between Lakes Erie and Ontario, the Niagara peninsula is home to fertile agricultural land, the majesty of Niagara Falls, vibrant modern cities, Canada’s most developed wine industry, and communities rich in history, recreation and culture. With a temperate climate, breathtaking countryside and easy access to neighbouring New York State, Niagara attracts more than 14 million visitors each year, along with new residents and businesses. Niagara Region values diversity in background and experience and is committed to building an inclusive workforce that reflects the community it serves, strengthening programs and services across Niagara. While specific qualifications are important for certain roles, we invite individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply. Our recruiters will evaluate your suitability for the role.

Closing Statement

Uncover the wonder of the Niagara Region and join a team dedicated to meeting tomorrow’s challenges TODAY! Let us know why you would be an excellent team member by submitting your online application.

We thank all candidates for their interest however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

We confirm that we do not use AI in screening of applicants, and this position is an existing vacancy.

If you require an accommodation for the application process in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the alternate formats for contacting us are as follows:

- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (phone hidden) or 1-(phone hidden)
- Bell Relay: 1-(phone hidden)
- In-person: Sir Isaac Brock Way, Thorold, ON L2V 4T7 – Human Resources Department

📌 Senior Business Specialist IT (Thorold)
🏢 Niagara Region
📍 Thorold