Project Manager – CIC

UBC The University of British Columbia; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 98,000 - 147,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of British Columbia’s Cloud Innovation Centre (CIC) seeks a Project Manager to lead multiple concurrent cloud initiatives, including AI and generative AI projects using AWS. You will translate community and partner needs into defined projects with measurable outcomes and oversee delivery across cross‑functional teams.

Reporting to the Director, you will coordinate sponsors, technical leads and student staff, manage risks, and ensure quality delivery within CIC governance and AWS

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.
• In-depth knowledge of applications and the business requirements supporting them.
• Minimum of five years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

Responsibilities

• Leads concurrent small and medium scale cloud innovation projects, including complex AI initiatives, from challenge scoping, planning and team formation through development, testing, demonstrations and project closure.
• Works with sponsors, technical leads and subject matter experts to define requirements, success criteria, scope, constraints and deliverables; documents and maintains agreement on project objectives.
• Develops and maintains project plans, schedules, milestones and resource requirements; assembles teams, assigns responsibilities and balances competing demands across assigned projects.
• Evaluates changes to scope, schedules and resources, resolves dependencies and determines corrective action.
• Maintains appropriate professional designations and up to date knowledge of current information technology techniques and tools.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Education

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline

Job description

Staff - Non Union Job Category M&P - AAPS Job Profile AAPS Salaried - Information Systems and Technology, Level D Job Title Project Manager – CIC Department Cloud Innovation Centre | VP Academic Compensation Range $8,810.92 - $13,202.50 CAD Monthly The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date October 16, 2026 Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date. Job End Date December 31, 2027

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

The Cloud Innovation Centre (CIC) Project Manager leads the full lifecycle of multiple concurrent cloud innovation projects, including medium scale and technically complex initiatives involving artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI and Amazon Web Services (AWS). The role translates challenges proposed by community, government, higher education and not for profit organizations into defined projects that deliver proof of concept solutions, demonstrate feasibility and create practical learning opportunities for UBC students. The Project Manager is accountable for project scope, plans, schedules, resource coordination, delivery risks and agreed outcomes. The position assembles multidisciplinary teams, assigns responsibilities and makes project delivery decisions within the CIC mandate, approved resources and the UBC AWS collaboration agreement. It directly supervises project assistants and leads the project work of developers, consultants, senior solutions architects and student staff. As a member of the CIC management team, the Project Manager contributes to strategic and operational planning and establishes and improves project management practices that support reliable delivery, effective partnerships and student development.

Organizational Status

The position reports to the Director and works closely with UBC and AWS CIC colleagues, senior project sponsors, technical specialists, the Office of the Provost and Vice President, Academic, Faculties, UBC IT and other academic and administrative units. The role provides project leadership across participating organizations and represents the CIC in matters concerning assigned project delivery.

Work Performed - Specific Duties

• Leads concurrent small and medium scale cloud innovation projects, including complex AI initiatives, from challenge scoping, planning and team formation through development, testing, demonstrations and project closure.
• Works with sponsors, technical leads and subject matter experts to define requirements, success criteria, scope, constraints and deliverables; documents and maintains agreement on project objectives.
• Develops and maintains project plans, schedules, milestones and resource requirements; assembles teams, assigns responsibilities and balances competing demands across assigned projects.
• Evaluates changes to scope, schedules and resources, resolves dependencies and determines corrective action.
• Makes significant delivery decisions within approved parameters and escalates decisions requiring additional authority or resources to the Director.
• Tracks progress, risks and issues, anticipates delays and addresses barriers to delivery.
• Leads sponsor reviews of project outcomes and coordinates completion of agreed deliverables and project closure.
• Provides project direction to developers, designers, senior solutions architects and other specialists delivering serverless web applications, AI enabled tools and cloud solutions using AWS, infrastructure as code and related technologies.
• Works with technical leads to translate architectural recommendations and development constraints into delivery plans; manages interdependencies among data preparation, AI integration, application development, testing and release activities.
• Establishes project quality and validation objectives with sponsors and technical specialists.
• Ensures required architecture, security, development and compliance reviews are incorporated into project work and identified issues are addressed with the responsible specialists.
• Manages requirements validation, testing and pilot activities; coordinates demonstrations, technical and user documentation, and handover of prototypes and supporting materials to sponsors.
• Owns relationships with senior internal and external project stakeholders for assigned projects, clarifies commitments, negotiates feasible delivery expectations and resolves issues affecting scope, timing and outcomes.
• Leads project meetings, sponsor discussions and progress presentations; explains technical considerations, dependencies, risks and options in terms that support informed decisions by technical and non-technical audiences.
• Works with technical and communications colleagues to prepare project summaries, web content and other approved communications; coordinates sharing of project outcomes and open source materials in accordance with CIC practices.
• Selects, adapts and establishes CIC project management methods, procedures, documentation and quality objectives within applicable UBC requirements and the agreed UBC AWS innovation approach.
• Evaluates delivery results, lessons learned and student feedback; implements improvements to project practices, team coordination and the work integrated learning experience.
• Contributes to CIC strategic and operational planning by advising on project capacity, delivery priorities, risks and improvement opportunities.
• Maintains appropriate professional designations and current knowledge of project management approaches and relevant cloud and AI technologies.
• Mentors student and junior staff, identifies learning needs and ensures access to suitable tools, training and guidance.
• Balances learning opportunities with project requirements and delivery commitments.
• Addresses performance concerns within supervisory authority and works with the relevant supervisor, the Director and Human Resources on matters requiring formal action.

Core Duties

• Initiates projects following appropriate project management methodology including gathering and defining project requirements, developing project charters, project plans, budgets and schedules, identifying staffing requirements, and forming project teams.
• Selects and follows project management methods, procedures, and quality objectives, and tracks metrics for assessing progress.
• Balances workload, provides technical and analytical guidance and work direction to project team, including scheduling, assignment of work, review of project efforts and removal of roadblocks which may inhibit project success.
• Ensures that all team members have the tools and training required to perform effectively, and provides the team with constructive feedback as it pertains to project performance.
• Assesses variances from the project plans, budgets and schedules, develops and implements changes as necessary to ensure that the project remains within specified scope and is within time, cost, and quality objectives, and keeps management aware of the situation.
• Conducts formal review with business sponsor at project completion to confirm acceptance and satisfaction.
• Identifies potential areas for improvement in current methodologies and provides guidance to other less experienced project managers.
• Develops and maintains a productive working relationship with project sponsors, vendors and key clients.
• Maintains appropriate professional designations and up to date knowledge of current information technology techniques and tools.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.
• In-depth knowledge of applications and the business requirements supporting them.
• Minimum of five years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• - Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.
• - Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Progressive project and/or technology management experience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Experience in a university, higher education, or other public sector environment is highly preferred.
• Proven track record operating in a project manager role specifically managing, designing, developing, and implementing IT systems or processes.
• Experience with technology projects, software development, technical support, and the implementation of medium scale, complex, or enterprise level systems.
• Experience in change management, budget development, financial management, and risk management.
• Managerial experience (or equivalent combination of education and experience) with the ability to mentor and coach staff, act as a resource, and maintain high motivation.
• Understanding of key trends and players in the IT industry particularly regarding mobile applications and digital media, alongside knowledge of IT application development methodologies, best practices, benchmarks, and "rules of thumb."
• A Project Management Professional (PMP) designation is an asset.
• Effective leadership, consulting, consensus building, conflict resolution, negotiation, and team building skills.
• Ability to effectively facilitate groups to achieve appropriate outcomes, as well as develop and deliver effective presentations and workshops.
• Ability to develop and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships with current and potential customers.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities while working in a fast paced environment.
• Knowledge and experience with project management methodology and structure are important but the role will require being flexible, and not dogmatic.
• Emotional intelligence and elevated relationship management skills are important in navigating the complexity of relationships across a significant corporate sponsor, the high-profile nature of CIC outcomes, faculty, admin and student relationships.
• Working with students is a privilege and a challenge.
• Experienced PMs will need to exercise management skills that will elevate inexperienced staff while delivering at a high-level.

The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities globally. A large part of what makes us unique is the community of engaged students, faculty, and staff who are collectively committed to shaping a better world. Recognized as a leading employer in British Columbia and Canada, UBC supports inspired students, faculty and staff on their journey of discovery, and challenges them to realize their greatest potential. New ideas, changing infrastructure, innovative technology, and fresh approaches are opening up possibilities for the future of research, teaching, and work. Are you ready to embrace the future together? Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, and/or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. If you have any accommodation or accessibility needs during the job application process, please contact the Centre for Workplace Accessibility at [e-mail].