Director, Design and Solutions

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce; Toronto; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is seeking a seasoned technology leader in Toronto to guide application delivery and solution design across strategic initiatives. You’ll shape architecture, manage cross-functional teams, and align projects with business goals while driving risk-aware, scalable, and secure IT solutions.

You’ll partner with executives and delivery teams to prioritise work, remove roadblocks, and explore opportunities in AI, automation, and modernization to advance CIBC’s

Qualifications

• 10+ years in technical architecture, solutions design, and executive stakeholder management.
• Ability to translate business needs into scalable IT solutions.
• Strong leadership and coaching capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery, design, and solutions for large applications.
• Define options and align technology roadmap across initiatives.
• Partner with business and delivery teams to assess feasibility and requirements.
• Drive opportunities in AI, automation, and modernization to advance the tech roadmap.
• Mentor and develop a high-performing team.

Skills

Technical leadership

Solution design

Project management

Stakeholder management

Architecture

AI opportunities

Job description

We’re building a relationship-oriented bank for the modern world.

We need talented, passionate professionals who are dedicated to doing what’s right for our clients. At CIBC, we embrace your strengths and your ambitions, so you are empowered at work. Our team members have what they need to make a meaningful impact and are truly valued for who they are and what they contribute. To learn more about CIBC, please visit CIBC.com

What you'll be doing

As a member of CIBC’s team, the role is a seasoned professional in leadership and coaching responsible for providing direct application delivery, design, and solutions. The role applies leadership skills and technical expertise to direct, manage and support large and critical applications. Responsible for shaping solution design and architecture across strategic initiatives and planned projects. This role drives key technology decisions, develops scalable and secure solutions, and brings multiple projects together into a clear, aligned technology roadmap. You’ll partner closely with business and delivery teams to assess feasibility, define solution options, remove roadblocks, and ensure implementation meets design specifications. The role also challenges delivery approaches, vendors, and costs to improve outcomes, while identifying opportunities for artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and modernization. As a trusted technology partner, you’ll connect business priorities to execution, manage cross-project dependencies and risks, and bring emerging technology trends into strategic decision-making. At CIBC we enable the work environment most optimal for you to thrive in your role. Details on your work arrangement (proportion of on-site and remote work) will be discussed at the time of your interview.

How you'll succeed

• Advance innovation - Keep an eye on emerging technologies and use your insight to help the organization explore practical opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and modernization.
• People Leadership - Lead and coach a high performing group team of individuals. Direct, motivate, and develop your team, maximizing their contributions and professional growth.
• Share knowledge and collaborate to come up with effective solutions to problems.
• Relationship Management - Work closely with project teams, executives, stakeholders and business partners to develop, and implement application programs. Impact and improve the business by advising application owners on the technology implementation possibilities and requirements.
• Moderate the Solution Creation Process: Lead, facilitate and coordinate the solution design, including ensuring alignment across multiple workstreams.

Who you are

You are a seasoned technical leader. You have 10+ years of demonstrated experience in technical architecture, solutions design, project management, and senior executive stakeholder management. Influence strategic direction - Build trusted relationships with business and technology leaders to guide decisions that balance business value, technical feasibility, risk, and long-term sustainability.

Connect planning to execution - Turn complex business ideas into clear solution pathways, helping teams move from early concept and feasibility assessment through to delivery with confidence.

Enable enterprise alignment - Bring consistency across initiatives by identifying shared opportunities, surfacing interdependencies, and helping stakeholders make informed priority and investment decisions.

Strengthen solution quality - Promote thoughtful, well-governed technology outcomes by evaluating options, challenging assumptions, and encouraging approaches that improve resilience, security, and operational effectiveness.

Reduce delivery friction - Anticipate issues early, support teams through complex decisions, and help remove barriers that could slow progress or affect implementation quality.

It's an asset if you have fulfilled leadership and advisory roles for major functions and/or initiatives with the responsibility, authority and discretion for decision-making. You also have a technical background, sufficient depth and breadth to be able to recognize and successfully exploit opportunities for effective development or usage of IT, and lead/guide fully experienced technical specialists. You have highly developed analytical and conceptual skills. You are adept at developing efficient and effective solutions to diverse and complex problems. You are a bold and authentic leader. You're passionate about developing and coaching to bring out the best in people. You have led diverse, high performing teams. You embrace and champion change. You'll continuously evolve your thinking and the way you work in order to deliver your best. You're driven by collective success. You know that collaboration can transform a good idea into a great one. You understand the power of an inclusive team that enjoys working together to create a shared vision and Values matter to you. You bring your real self to work and you live our values - trust, teamwork, and accountability.

What CIBC Offers

At CIBC, your goals are a priority. We start with your strengths and ambitions as an employee and strive to create opportunities to tap into your potential. We aspire to give you a career, rather than just a paycheck. We work to recognize you in meaningful, personalized ways including a competitive salary, incentive pay, banking benefits, a benefits program*, defined benefit pension plan*, an employee share purchase plan, a vacation offering, wellbeing support, and MomentMakers, our social, points-based recognition program. Our spaces and technological toolkit will make it simple to bring together great minds to create innovative solutions that make a difference for our clients. We cultivate a culture where you can express your ambition through initiatives like Purpose Day; a paid day off dedicated for you to use to invest in your growth and development.

*Subject to plan and program terms and conditions

What you need to know

CIBC is committed to creating an inclusive environment where all team members and clients feel like they belong. We seek applicants with a wide range of abilities and we provide an accessible candidate experience. If you need accommodation, please contact [e-mail] CIBC is committed to clarity in our hiring process. All roles posted are opportunities we’re actively recruiting for, unless stated otherwise. You need to be legally eligible to work at the location(s) specified above and, where applicable, must have a valid work or study permit. We may ask you to complete an attribute-based assessment and other skills test (such as simulation, coding, French proficiency). We use artificial intelligence tools during the recruitment process. Our goal for the application process is to get to know more about you, all that you have to offer, and give you the opportunity to learn more about us.

Job Location: Toronto-81 Bay, 11th Floor

Employment Type: Regular

Weekly Hours: 37.5

Skills: API Design, Collaboration, Emerging Technology Trends, Leadership, Strategic Direction, Team Development

At CIBC, we are in business to help our clients, employees and shareholders achieve what is important to them. Our ability to create value for all CIBC stakeholders is driven by a business culture based on common values: Trust, Teamwork and Accountability. Working with CIBC makes you a part of a work environment committed to our clients, employees and communities - a place where you can excel. Every day, our 48,000 employees help our clients achieve their financial goals, because what matters to our clients, matters to us.