Director, Projects and Continuous Improvement

Director, Projects and Continuous Improvement
Calgary, AB
Corporate Services – CFO Finance Corporate Services /
Management Permanent Salary /
Hybrid
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SAIT is a global leader in applied education and an institution that empowers employees to make a difference in the lives of our students. Building on more than a century of history, we are looking for innovative employees wanting to create a future with us. As part of our team, you are encouraged to be bold and inventive, bringing new ideas to the table. Change excites you.
 
SAIT offers the chance to do work with a purpose — preparing the next generation of industry leaders, entrepreneurs, advocates and explorers. We develop leaders in the classroom and our workspaces, encouraging lifelong learning for both students and employees.
Your future starts now … at SAIT.
 
We are looking for individuals who align with our commitment to excellence and who demonstrates:
o a growth mindset through curiosity, creativity, and collaboration
o leads with a world-class customer experience mindset
o is dynamic and responsible to the needs of stakeholders, speed and agility are critical
o someone who embraces trial and error as an important part of learning
The Opportunity
The Director, Projects and Continuous Improvement plays a pivotal role in advancing SAIT's strategic goals and objectives by leading project-based continuous improvement across the institution. You will lead a team of project managers, business analysts and organizational change experts to complete projects and initiatives through the project lifecycle. You will work with executive and leaders to define and implement governance and key performance indicators, manage budgets, and create a portfolio roadmap for SAIT’s continuous business improvement initiatives.
The Role

• Provide leadership and direction to a team of project managers, analysts and change management experts responsible for delivering programs and projects within the portfolio
• Encourage and support responsive communication, respect and teamwork amongst department
• Manage and support employees through the employment lifecycle (hiring, training, mentoring, performance development and offboarding)
• Intentional Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) focused decision making
• Demonstrate excellent employee leadership, while focusing on coaching, skill development and opportunities for advancement
• Develop and implement evaluation and prioritization criteria to determine investment priorities, aligned with SAIT’s strategic plans, budgets, and risk assessments
• Develop a strategy for governance processes and tools that define how projects and initiatives are identified, evaluated, prioritized, budgeted, approved, and managed
• Connect with senior leaders to create a culture of governance and accountability, listening to and understanding department needs and challenges, while demonstrating the value of portfolio management
• Use critical thinking to determine which projects should be prioritized for investment and present recommendations to Executives. Communicate outcomes to SAIT leaders and departments, ensuring transparency of decision-making processes 
• Communicate regularly to SAIT executive and leaders about the progress of the portfolio and the impacts to SAIT’s strategic goals and objectives
• Lead the development of a portfolio roadmap incorporating all current and planned initiatives, future budget considerations and potential investments
• Act as a bridge between various departments by communicating the dependencies of various projects, risks, and the impacts projects have institutionally 
• Manage and report on the budget associated with all projects within the continuous improvement portfolio and define key performance indicators
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including SAIT leaders and departments, partners, vendors, and clients, to support collaboration and alignment on portfolio objectives
• Drive innovation within the department, developing new approaches and utilizing continuous improvement methodologies

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, or a related field; advanced degree such as an MBA is preferred
• Project Management and/or Change Management certification preferred
• Minimum 10 years' experience in portfolio, program, and/or project management or related roles, preferably in a post-secondary or public sector institution
• Minimum 5 years' experience in a leadership role providing coaching and mentorship to a team of experts who utilize a high level of independence
• Demonstrated track record of effectively leading and motivating cross-functional teams
• Strong understanding of portfolio management principles, methodologies and best practices
• Strategic thinker with a results-driven mindset, capable of balancing short-term priorities with long-term strategic objectives
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders at all levels of the organization, and influence business decisions made by senior leaders
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts clearly and concisely to diverse audiences

Job classification: Director
Hours per week: 37.5
Salary Budget: $123,000 - 178,000
# of positions: 1
Posting closing date: March 6, 2024
Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is essential to achieving SAIT’s vision to be a global leader in applied education. We encourage applications from women, Indigenous people, racialized people, people with disabilities, people from gender and sexually diverse communities, and/or people with intersectional identities. Learn more about EDI at SAIT . 
At SAIT, we understand that experience comes in many forms. We’re dedicated to adding diverse perspectives to SAIT - so if your experience is close to what we’re looking for, please consider applying.
SAIT is committed to supporting persons with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. We will work with applicants to provide accommodations upon request to the Talent Advisor.  
 
To Apply
Please apply using Chrome, as applications are only supported using Chrome on desktop. To continue with the online application process click on the Apply For This Job button or use your LinkedIn profile. All applications should be made through our online system. By using this system to apply for this position, you agree that your candidacy will be visible to all hiring managers at SAIT. If you have concerns about this, please contact [email protected]. Please do not apply to this email address — all applications should be made through our online system.
 
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Career opportunities at SAIT will always be posted on the SAIT career site. If you are uncertain about the validity of a posting or offer, please forward the suspicious posting to [email protected].
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