Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), the VP Enterprise Technology & Data will be accountable for delivery, support, and strategic transformation for the Bank’s Enterprise Technology portfolio which includes Finance, Risk, HR and Enterprise Data Platform technologies & relationships. The VP is part of the senior Technology executive team that will enable EQ Bank’s Challenger Bank aspiration using cloud-native technologies and modern delivery methodologies. They are an executive leader that has the primary enterprise accountability of the organization’s data platform to drive value for analytics users and measurable business outcomes. This includes creating and aligning the executive teams on the Organizational target state, changes required, investment and measurable business outcomes. The VP needs to apply prior experience to get big transformations and projects over the finish line.
This is a time of significant digital transformation & modernization for the function, and this role is at the leading edge of driving an advanced target state technology vision and roadmap to rapidly advance risk & finance capabilities via data management, data governance, calculations, analytics & reporting, and system modernizations. The leader will be the bank’s enterprise data platform champion, to leap from a legacy data warehouse approach, towards a Cloud Data Platform utilizing the latest Fabric technologies to meet core operation and modernization needs while enabling modern analytics and AI capabilities. Creating and executing against a well-thought out and pragmatic strategy that considers People & Process changes in addition to Technology will be critical to establish a new Data Platform operating model.
The VP requires lived experience in designing and implementing Enterprise data solutions and operating models, in a control environment that meets regulatory and quality needs while also providing flexibility for our Challenger Bank growth aspirations. Significant leadership and change skillsets are required to drive a common vision, plan, solution, and organizational change management to achieve our Data objectives. Specifically, the VP must demonstrate a robust understanding of Enterprise & Credit Risk Management, including Basel, AIRB, BCBS-239, IFRS9, and other Canadian regulatory needs.
Given significant collaboration, the VP role is expected to be primarily in our vibrant office at 351 King Street East, Toronto, with some flexibility for hybrid work when needed (4+ days per week in office). We’re currently building a new office (8 floors of great people) next door to support our growth as well.
You will have direct accountability for software delivery and quality within the portfolio, and are expected to provide both breadth and depth across Application Design, Build, Testing, Implementations, and Tech Application Operations. Furthermore, the VP will be accountable to evolve hybrid delivery models towards a more Agile delivery model to ensure continuous delivery of value impactful outcomes and key results
The VP is also accountable for non-functional and parts of Tech operations such as resilience, security, and scalability and actively managing triage and resolution of application outages and problems.
The VP will manage costs and benefits to ensure continued re-investment based on our Return on Equity model application. The VP will also oversee vendor sourcing, contracts, performance, and ongoing costs with support from Enterprise teams to ensure risk and value are appropriately managed.
This VP will collaborate closely with other internal Technology Executives across Cloud Platforms & Operations, Cybersecurity, Upstream Application portfolio teams (source systems), and other external Partners and Vendors. In addition to core business relationships across Finance, Risk, HR and Enterprise Data, the VP will need to establish working relationships across all areas of the Enterprise to champion the Challenger Bank vision to improve our customers, employees and shareholder value through advancing data and operational effectiveness.
Job Complexities/Thinking Challenges
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- The incumbent will have successfully overseen the smooth execution and delivery of large, complex systems and programs. The VP will have strong & current expertise in information systems, software delivery, delivery methodologies, business analysis, quality assurance, process automation, product launches, and have a reputation for building world-class organizations in respect to people, processes, and modern technology.
- The position requires the incumbent to be a self-starter and make sound decisions as efficiently as possible to ensure customer experience and service expectations are exceeded.
- This position will require an individual to be creative and flexible to effectively manage constrained resources in a fast-paced, dynamic environment subject to constant change. The incumbent will have to quickly become familiar with systems, regulatory requirements, policies, and departmental processes.
- The position also requires the ability to work in ambiguously defined situations, drawing on experience with minimal supervision and delegate as required to achieve stated goals.
- As the focus on technology and digital solutions increases the need for a stable and scalable technical infrastructure increases; therefore, it is imperative that the incumbent be able to anticipate infrastructure and cybersecurity needs, and work with their Technology Executive counterparts to execute. They will need to be data-driven, organized, and a critical thinker and be able to juggle multiple priorities.
- The role requires the ability to develop and implement strategies to achieve business objectives through forward thinking and planning of internal support needs; interpreting business requirements and delivering a strong and stable stack of tech for multiple lines of business. The VP must ensure team’s adherence to internal policies and procedures across all aspects of their accountability; and develop policies and procedures that follow corporate standards.
- The VP will be required to conceptualize and think abstractly within a technically complex environment. As the prime technologist for the portfolio, they will need to apply subject matter expertise to enable the strategic and enterprise goals of the Bank while meeting security, availability, resiliency, scalability, and supportability needs in a cost-efficient manner.
Key Technical Accountabilities:
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- Own the integration of the end-to-end toolset that supports the SDLC and where needed, other Enterprise tools while working closely with BU stakeholders to understand and support the various needs of the businesses
- Evaluate core operational and delivery processes, and develop and measure key initiatives for process improvements and efficiencies
- Provide leadership and direction to the SDLC practice leads, and own co-ordination and facilitation of the overall technical delivery of a portfolio of Change the Bank projects and business as usual Run the Bank
- Work in concert with all BUs and Operations Management Leads to ensure Technology is delivered and supported with the appropriate resources; Manage supply and demand across resources, skills, and organizational design
- Develop and implement department-wide metrics dashboards that monitor the progress and health of project and program activities, in conjunction with the PMO
- Govern technology project delivery to ensure scope is delivered on time, on budget, and with the expected quality
- Plan, design and verify through performance testing that solutions are scalable and able to meet known and anticipated future needs
- Plan, design and verify that solutions meet enterprise and regulatory security requirements and expectations
- Provide leadership to resolve delivery issues and mitigate delivery risks
- Be bold in declaring when an initiative needs attention to maintain strong values of quality and value to internal partners, and ultimately customers
- Establish and manage governance and relationships with key suppliers and partners to ensure ongoing quality and support
- Ensure delivery tools and applications are supported and regularly upgraded / patched in line with enterprise and cybersecurity objectives
- Design sustainable solutions and processes, including contributing to regular infrastructure planning and health check reviews
- In partnership with DevOps and Release Management teams, manage the portfolio to establish, maintain and execute Application Release Plans which considers all project objectives and timelines
- Manage the team to manage problems and incidents; Provide leadership, oversite, and executive communications for critical outages (P1 Incidents)
- Continually assess ways to improve Equitable Bank’s systems efficiency and ways of working
Key Internal and External Contacts
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- The incumbent will report to the CTO
- The incumbent will work closely with internal departments (e.g., Project Management, Business Unit Representatives, Compliance and Legal etc.) to gather information, problem solve, and shape the growth of the bank.
- The incumbent will need to interact with external stakeholders (e.g., technology vendors, consulting firms, regulators, etc.) to define, govern, and manage solutions.
