Manager, Applications and Integration Services

Vancouver Island University; Nanaimo; Hybrid; CAD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development opportunities

Desirable pension plan

Flexible work opportunities

Well-being initiatives

Job summary

Vancouver Island University seeks a strategic Manager, Applications and Integration Services to lead the ITS Applications Team, guiding modernization of the SIS/ERP suite and related integrations. The role emphasizes collaboration with third parties, governance, and continuous improvement.

The ideal candidate brings 5+ years in application development, strong SQL/Oracle knowledge, and experience with Agile practices, ERP/SIS systems, and team leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
• 5+ years of progressive experience in application development.
• Deep understanding of SQL and Oracle relational databases.
• Experience leading projects and teams through complex change.
• Ability to develop in modern coding languages (C# preferred).
• Experience with Agile methodologies.
• Familiarity with ERP systems and Student Information Systems.
• Proven track record of working with business units in software development.
• Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop ITS Applications Team.
• Manage performance, assess, and hire team members.
• Foster a collaborative, learning-focused culture that encourages innovation.
• Conduct performance evaluations, establish goals, and provide coaching.
• Build team capabilities through training and knowledge sharing.
• Manage workload distribution, resource allocation, and capacity planning.
• Oversee application architecture, modernization, and data governance.
• Develop pipelines and automation for release and development strategies.
• Drive Agile delivery and align with institutional priorities.
• Collaborate with business units and analysts on design and development plans.
• Communicate with stakeholders and maintain relationships with administrative and academic leaders.
• Establish SSDLC practices and oversee security testing in CI/CD pipelines.
• Ensure compliance with cybersecurity standards and policies.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Project management

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Mentoring

Agile methodologies

Team development

SQL proficiency

Oracle familiarity

C# programming

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field

Tools

Git

CI/CD tooling

ERP systems

SIS familiarity

C#

Job description

Manager, Applications and Integration Services is a strategic leadership role within the IT department responsible for overseeing the university's custom applications and integrations. These applications focus on the Student Information System (SIS) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and include many additional custom-coded tools and integrations. VIU is modernizing this suite of applications and collaborating with third parties to integrate proven solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop ITS Applications Team
• Manage performance, assess, and hire team members
• Foster a collaborative, learning-focused culture that encourages innovation and professional growth
• Conduct performance evaluations, establish goals, and provide ongoing coaching and feedback
• Build team capabilities through skills development, training programs, and knowledge sharing initiatives
• Manage workload distribution, resource allocation, and team capacity planning

Application Architecture and Modernization

• Ensure data is decoupled from business logic
• Isolate the presentation layer from data and business logic layers
• Refactor existing applications and workflows to accelerate delivery and streamline execution
• Establish integration architecture standards and patterns
• Modernize legacy code and workflows using industry best practices
• Manage and reduce technical debt and application lifecycle risks
• Develop modernization plans aligned with institutional priorities

Data Governance and Storage

• Improve data storage strategies to support institutional data governance initiatives
• Evolve mitigation strategies to minimize the risk the Oracle implementation imposes on the institution
• Establish standards that protect data integrity while enabling reliable integrations across enterprise systems

Development Pipelines and Automation

• Ensure all business logic is maintained in version control (Git)
• Develop pipelines and automation to streamline release and development strategies
• Establish standards and best practices for automated build, test, and deployment of applications and integrations
• Drive continuous improvement in development workflows, reducing manual processes and accelerating delivery

  Agile Delivery and Practices

  • Continue to implement an Agile development methodology across the Applications teams
  • Foster iterative delivery, continuous improvement, and clear prioritization of application work
  • Align sprint planning, backlog management, and release practices with institutional priorities

  Collaboration and Stakeholder Management

  • Collaborate with business units and analysts to create design, specifications, and development plans and strategies
  • Coordinate with the Director of Applications, Automation and AI on strategic initiatives and technology roadmaps
  • Communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders across the university
  • Build and maintain collaborative relationships with key administrative and academic stakeholders
  • Participate in institutional planning to identify application and integration improvements

  Application Security and Compliance

  • Establish Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC) practices
  • Embed automated security testing into CI/CD pipelines
  • Oversee application vulnerability remediation processes
  • Ensure compliance with university cybersecurity standards and policies

  Operational Excellence

  • Establish and maintain operational processes, documentation, and pipelines for application development
  • Implement monitoring, alerting, and incident response procedures to ensure application reliability and availability
  • Lead root cause analysis efforts for application and integration incidents and drive preventive measures
  • Ensure change management processes balance innovation with stability and risk management
  • Maintain vendor relationships and evaluate emerging technologies that could benefit the institution

  Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field and 5+ years of progressive experience in application development. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

  Required Qualifications

  • Deep understanding of SQL and Oracle relational databases
  • Experience leading projects and teams through complex change driven by software development
  • Ability to develop in modern coding languages (C# preferred)
  • Experience with Agile methodologies
  • Familiarity with ERP systems and Student Information Systems
  • Proven track record of working with business units in software development
  • Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work across technical and business teams
  • Demonstrated ability to translate technical concepts for diverse audiences

  Preferred Qualifications

  • Three or more years of leadership experience, including coaching, and recruitment, and workforce planning
  • Master's degree in a related field
  • Experience in higher education IT environments
  • Professional certifications in software development and management
  • Understanding of application development and microservices architectures
  • Understanding of MortarCAPS or equivalent PSI data structures
  • Familiarity with compliance frameworks relevant to higher education (FOIPPA, PIPEDA, etc.)

  Key Competencies

  • Strategic thinking and planning
  • Technical leadership and vision
  • Business process analysis
  • Risk management
  • Change management and organizational transformation
  • Release management
  • Problem-solving and analytical skills
  • Budget and resource management
  • Vendor and stakeholder management
  • Team building and talent development
  • Continuous improvement mindset
  • Adaptability in evolving technology landscapes

  Working Conditions

  • Standard office environment with hybrid/remote work flexibility(within BC)
  • Occasional after-hours work for maintenance windows and incident response
  • On-call rotation participation as needed- May require occasional travel for conferences or training

  Benefits

  VIU is pleased to offer eligible employees a comprehensive benefit plan; ample paid holiday time; professional development opportunities and a desirable pension plan. As part of the VIU campus community, our employees work with supportive colleagues within an encouraging environment and are provided with the tools and training that promote learning and development. The perks of VIU employment are multiple, and include well-being initiatives and services, strategic discounts, and flexible work opportunities.

  Note

  • Short-listed candidates must provide original transcripts, or applicable original certifications at time of interview.
  • All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

  Vancouver Island University (VIU) is collectively committed to building and sustaining a diverse and inclusive working and learning environment for faculty, staff, and students. In our journey towards greater diversity, we invite applications from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of all gender identities and sexual orientations who bring value to the VIU community through their lived experiences. We encourage members of all equity-seeking groups to self-identify within their application cover letter. When a candidate voluntarily discloses this information in their cover letter, the information will be used only for the fulfillment of the career opportunity. Disclosure and/or self-identification with an equity-seeking group will not lead to advantageous treatment of a candidate who is not qualified.