Position Overview
Reporting to the M365 Program and Applications Manager, the M365 Application Specialist will be a trusted resource in supporting the development and maintenance of customized applications, automations and analytics solutions for the organization. The Technical Specialist position is a senior position, considered to be a subject matter expert and a self-sufficient member of the M365 team able to work autonomously to drive and sustain the custom dev solutions arm of the team’s service delivery offerings.
The role involves providing proactive system administration, maintenance, and support for existing and new M365 custom applications and workflows. The individual will work very closely with various clinical and corporate departments as well as collaborating with vendors to ensure the smooth operation, optimization, and support of related systems. Other key responsibilities include work related to data mapping, data extracts, and ensuring the integrity and security of the systems.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing management of custom solutions, automations, and workflows within the M365 suite. Ensure all developments adhere to high standards of quality assurance (QA), with clear communication regarding testing results, documentation, and any necessary system maintenance.
- Plan, coordinate, and implement system upgrades, patches, and migrations, ensuring minimal disruption to business operations. Communicate planned changes to all stakeholders in advance, addressing any concerns or questions, and ensuring a smooth transition.
- Implement and enforce robust security measures, in compliance with industry standards and organizational policies, to protect systems and databases from unauthorized access, breaches, and security threats. Maintain clear communication regarding security protocols and any necessary policy updates.
- Collaborate closely with M365 Support Team members to maintain and optimize the Microsoft tenant, ensuring smooth operation and offering support across various applications, such as SharePoint, Power Suite, Fabric, Dynamics, and others. Ensure clear and transparent communication within the team to address any ongoing issues or improvements.
- Be an autonomous and reliable Applications Support personal in advisory and execution of projects and operational maintenance of the system. Act independently where possible to manage risks and client expectations.
- Serve as a key liaison between internal hospital clients, community partners, and the broader Information Management and Technology (IMT) team. Effectively communicate and gather requirements, facilitating the identification of technology-enabled workflows to meet organizational goals and improve operational efficiency. Ensure stakeholder needs are fully understood and aligned with organizational objectives.
- Provide consistent operational support, including monitoring the support ticket system (SysAid), addressing application issues, and offering timely solutions and updates. Maintain open lines of communication with users, keeping them informed about the status of their support requests and ensuring accountability for resolution timelines. Maintain transparency in communications, documenting problems and solutions clearly. Provide cross-functional training to end-users and IT teams to promote knowledge sharing and empowerment across the organization.
- Act as a liaison between departments and external vendors where appropriate, ensuring clear and timely communication regarding technical issues, requests, and resolutions.
- Document IT processes, workflows, and systems functionality comprehensively, ensuring that all information is clear, accessible, and up-to-date. Regularly review and maintain documentation related to system configurations, processes, and procedures, ensuring that all materials are accurate and up-to-date. Support the broader organization’s need for clear, accessible information.
- Work proactively with the team to establish and refine standard operating procedures (SOPs) and workflows, both internally within IMT and externally across the organization. Ensure these processes foster efficiency, accountability, and alignment with organizational goals.
- Drive the expansion and adoption of the M365 development suite, demonstrating its value by improving efficiencies, productivity, and collaboration across the organization and its partner network. Communicate the broader impact of these tools on the overall success of the organization.
- Oversee the administration, maintenance, and troubleshooting of back-end application systems including databases (latest 3 versions of MS SQL, Oracle, MySQL, etc.); server OS (latest 3 versions of Windows) and applications; server and storage hardware and systems (HP, Dell, EMC, IBM) ensuring consistent and high-quality system performance. Coordinate efforts to resolve issues, ensuring transparency in communications with stakeholders regarding status and outcomes.
- Collaborate with various departments to understand their back-end system requirements, ensuring alignment with the broader organizational strategy and objectives. Communicate technical solutions clearly to non-technical stakeholders, ensuring their needs are met effectively.
- Monitor system and database performance, identifying issues proactively and implementing measures to optimize efficiency, reliability, and recoverability. Ensure clear escalation processes are followed, providing timely status updates to relevant stakeholders and mitigating risks to system stability.
- Routinely review system redundancy and high availability with stakeholders, ensuring adherence to uptime objectives and requirements. Promote accountability for system reliability across the organization.
- Regularly assess and review backup and recovery processes, ensuring they align with recovery time and point objectives. Communicate any risks or gaps to stakeholders and take necessary actions to ensure alignment with organizational policies and best practices.
- Provide training and support to end-users and team members on system functionality, processes, and best practices. Ensure that communication regarding training opportunities is clear and accessible, promoting an informed user base across the organization.
- Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies, industry trends, and best practices. Provide thought leadership and communicate recommendations for system and process enhancements that will benefit the broader organization.
Education
- Bachelor's degree or diploma in Computer Science, Information Systems; or related discipline.
- Microsoft application training and certification is highly valued.
- Training in project management, business analysis, process improvement is valued.
Experience
- 5-7 or more years of experience in a similar role with a strong background in technical support and software development.
- 5-7 or more years of experience with designing, developing, testing, and deploying Microsoft-based applications (e.g., ASP .NET, PowerApps, MS SQL Server) to meet business needs within an enterprise environment. Healthcare experience is a plus.
- Strong expertise in database management, including database queries, performance tuning, and optimization.
- Strong understanding of data mapping, ETL processes, and data integration techniques.
- Experience with ASP.NET/MVC/C# .NET/HTML/CSS/JavaScript/jQuery/REST/OData/MVC/CDN and SQL.
- Experience with implementation of SharePoint-based workflows as well as development of Business Intelligence dashboards.
- Well-rounded knowledge of all functional and technical aspects of the Microsoft 365 applications, SharePoint architecture, Fabric, PowerApps, Co-Pilot studio etc.
- Well versed in the configuration, administration, maintenance and support of PowerApps, PowerBI, Fabric, Dynamics, SharePoint Online, Azure AD, and other relevant Microsoft Cloud and Dev tools.
- Exceptional interpersonal and customer service skills, including excellent verbal and written communication abilities to interact effectively with all levels of staff.
- An enquiring mind with the ability to be adaptable and think outside the box to search for answers.
- Must be highly organized with great attention to detail and providing quality results.
- Competent project management skills.
- Self-management and strong organization skills.
- Excellent troubleshooting and debugging skills.
All employees of Michael Garron Hospital (MGH), a division of Toronto East Health Network (TEHN) [formerly Toronto East General Hospital (TEGH)] agree to work within the legislated practices of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Ontario. All employees of MGH are responsible to contribute to a transparent culture of patient and staff safety by adhering to and abiding by patient and staff safety policies and procedures set by MGH. All employees are accountable for protecting the psychological health and safety of themselves and their co-workers through adherence to MGH's policies and practices.