Director, Critical Services

BMO; Toronto; On-site; CAD 122,000 - 212,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Tuition reimbursement

Accident and life insurance

Retirement savings plans

Job summary

BMO Financial Group in Toronto is seeking a senior technology leader to direct the delivery, support, stability, and risk management of critical applications. This role focuses on operational excellence, system health, and proactive risk controls across a major portfolio.

You will partner with technology, business, and vendor stakeholders, lead and develop teams, and provide clear, fact-based updates to senior leaders during incidents and strategic reviews.

Qualifications

• Prior financial services tech background in application support and production management.
• Strong incident and problem management skills with urgency.
• Ability to present updates to senior leaders with clear, fact-based decisions.
• Experience leading and developing teams; coaching and performance evaluations.
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities; adapt to new tech and processes.
• Independent, organized, proactive with attention to detail.
• Knowledge of application security, privacy, vulnerability management, cloud, DevOps, and SRE is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and direct delivery, support, stability and risk management for critical tech applications.
• Ensure operational excellence and system health; monitor risks and defects.
• Collaborate with technology, business and vendor stakeholders to remove barriers.
• Provide status updates to senior leaders and support data-driven decisions.
• Manage and develop teams, including coaching and performance evaluation.

Skills

Incident Management

Problem Management

Leadership

Executive communication

Analytical thinking

Team development

IT risk management

Cloud platforms

DevOps

SRE practices

Self-starter

Job description

Application Deadline:

09/03/2026

Address:

100 King Street West

Job Family Group:

Technology

Provides leadership and direction for the delivery, support, stability, and risk management of critical technology applications and services supporting the assigned portfolio group. Accountable for ensuring operational excellence, maintaining system health, proactively managing technology risk and operational defects, strengthening control and prevention practices, and responding effectively to problems and incidents. Partners with technology, business, and vendor stakeholders to understand gaps, balance priorities, influence outcomes, and remove barriers to effective service delivery.

Qualifications:

• Prior financial services technology background with emphasis on application support, application management, production support, and technology risk management activities.
• Strong Production Support Services background, with demonstrated experience supporting critical technology applications and services.
• Strong Incident Management and Problem Management skills. Exhibits a strong sense of urgency for high-severity incidents and escalations, and is able to assess customer impact and provide practical solutions.
• Comfortable interacting with senior leaders and executive stakeholders, providing clear status updates and supporting fact-based decisions on sensitive issues.
• Strong analytical and writing skills for senior leader and executive-level communications.
• Experience managing and developing teams, including coaching, career development, performance evaluation, engagement, and day-to-day leadership.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the ability to quickly adapt to new technologies, methodologies, and systems.
• Independent self-starter, highly organized and detail oriented, with a proactive approach and positive attitude.
• Ability to identify and assess complex IT risks and controls, relate them to the wider business environment, and express opinions and recommendations clearly to all levels.
• Knowledge of application security, technology privacy, privilege management, vulnerability management, cloud platforms, DevOps, and site reliability engineering practices is an asset.

Salary** :**

$121,600.00 - $211,800.00

Pay Type:

Salaried

The above represents BMO Financial Group’s pay range and type.

Salaries will vary based on factors such as location, skills, experience, education, and qualifications for the role, and may include a commission structure. Salaries for part-time roles will be pro-rated based on number of hours regularly worked. For commission roles, the salary listed above represents BMO Financial Group’s expected target for the first year in this position.

• performance-based incentives, discretionary bonuses, as well as other perks and rewards.
• health insurance, tuition reimbursement, accident and life insurance, and retirement savings plans.

To view more details of our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.bmo.com/global/en/Total-Rewards

About Us

At BMO we are driven by a shared Purpose: Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. It calls on us to create lasting, positive change for our customers, our communities and our people. By working together, innovating and pushing boundaries, we transform lives and businesses, and power economic growth around the world.

As a member of the BMO team you are valued, respected and heard, and you have more ways to grow and make an impact. We strive to help you make an impact from day one – for yourself and our customers. We’ll support you with the tools and resources you need to reach new milestones, as you help our customers reach theirs. From in-depth training and coaching, to manager support and network-building opportunities, we’ll help you gain valuable experience, and broaden your skillset.

To find out more visit us at https://jobs.bmo.com/ca/en.

BMO is committed to an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace. By learning from each other’s differences, we gain strength through our people and our perspectives. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. To request accommodation, please contact your recruiter.

Note to Recruiters: BMO does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to BMO, directly or indirectly, will be considered BMO property. BMO will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. A recruiting agency must first have a valid, written and fully executed agency agreement contract for service to submit resumes.