Manager, IT – Canada Mainframe Applications
About the role
Work Schedule
Standard Office Hours (40/wk)
Environmental Conditions
Office
Job Description
Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Customer Channels Group is seeking a Manager for Canadian Mainframe Applications to lead the evolution, maintenance, and optimization of core mainframe systems supporting our Canadian operations. This role will focus on modernizing legacy functionality, ensuring compliance with Canadian regulatory requirements, and delivering system reliability for business-critical processes. You'll collaborate with multi-functional IT and business teams to implement improvements, streamline workflows, and ensure our platforms meet the operational demands of today—and tomorrow.
A day in the Life:
- Lead the enhancement, stability, and long-term maintainability of Canadian mainframe applications through continuous improvement and modernization.
- Translate business needs into a clear roadmap of technical enhancements, using data and stakeholder feedback to guide prioritization.
- Collaborate with development and cross-functional teams to ensure solutions are well-understood, scalable, and aligned with business objectives.
- Monitor and analyze system performance metrics, proactively addressing issues to minimize downtime and maintain reliability.
- Apply a structured approach to resolving compliance gaps, system inefficiencies, and legacy technical debt.
- Encourage detailed documentation and change control to maintain audit preparedness and ensure business continuity.
- Discover opportunities to streamline workflows through automation and phased modernization, reducing manual effort and risk.
- Communicate clearly with partners to manage expectations, report progress, and align technical delivery with organizational goals.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
- Advanced degree (e.g., MBA or Master’s in IT Management) is a plus, particularly if combined with technical leadership experience
Experience
- Curiosity and Improvement: Stay updated with new technologies, especially in mainframe and legacy modernization.
- Communication: Adapt your communication style for different audiences, from technical teams to non-technical collaborators.
- Multifunctional Navigation: Balance the needs of IT, business partners, and compliance teams while aligning mainframe initiatives with broader goals.
- Leadership: Lead critical systems with a strong understanding of legacy mainframe environments and their integration with modern platforms.
- Agile Delivery: Use agile or iterative methods to plan and deliver mainframe enhancements, even within traditional development cycles.
- Team Collaboration: Encourage collaboration with your positive energy and problem-solving approach, making you a valued team member.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience managing or supporting mainframe applications in a complex, regulated environment (Life Sciences, Healthcare, or similar industries preferred)
- Solid technical background with mainframe technologies such as COBOL, JCL, CICS, and VSAM
- Previous experience as a developer, system analyst, or technical lead in a mainframe environment
- Familiarity with modernization strategies or integrating legacy systems with digital platforms
- Experience supporting global teams or cross-border IT operations
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
About Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue of approximately $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD.
For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.
Manager, IT – Canada Mainframe Applications
About the role
Work Schedule
Standard Office Hours (40/wk)
Environmental Conditions
Office
Job Description
Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Customer Channels Group is seeking a Manager for Canadian Mainframe Applications to lead the evolution, maintenance, and optimization of core mainframe systems supporting our Canadian operations. This role will focus on modernizing legacy functionality, ensuring compliance with Canadian regulatory requirements, and delivering system reliability for business-critical processes. You'll collaborate with multi-functional IT and business teams to implement improvements, streamline workflows, and ensure our platforms meet the operational demands of today—and tomorrow.
A day in the Life:
- Lead the enhancement, stability, and long-term maintainability of Canadian mainframe applications through continuous improvement and modernization.
- Translate business needs into a clear roadmap of technical enhancements, using data and stakeholder feedback to guide prioritization.
- Collaborate with development and cross-functional teams to ensure solutions are well-understood, scalable, and aligned with business objectives.
- Monitor and analyze system performance metrics, proactively addressing issues to minimize downtime and maintain reliability.
- Apply a structured approach to resolving compliance gaps, system inefficiencies, and legacy technical debt.
- Encourage detailed documentation and change control to maintain audit preparedness and ensure business continuity.
- Discover opportunities to streamline workflows through automation and phased modernization, reducing manual effort and risk.
- Communicate clearly with partners to manage expectations, report progress, and align technical delivery with organizational goals.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
- Advanced degree (e.g., MBA or Master’s in IT Management) is a plus, particularly if combined with technical leadership experience
Experience
- Curiosity and Improvement: Stay updated with new technologies, especially in mainframe and legacy modernization.
- Communication: Adapt your communication style for different audiences, from technical teams to non-technical collaborators.
- Multifunctional Navigation: Balance the needs of IT, business partners, and compliance teams while aligning mainframe initiatives with broader goals.
- Leadership: Lead critical systems with a strong understanding of legacy mainframe environments and their integration with modern platforms.
- Agile Delivery: Use agile or iterative methods to plan and deliver mainframe enhancements, even within traditional development cycles.
- Team Collaboration: Encourage collaboration with your positive energy and problem-solving approach, making you a valued team member.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience managing or supporting mainframe applications in a complex, regulated environment (Life Sciences, Healthcare, or similar industries preferred)
- Solid technical background with mainframe technologies such as COBOL, JCL, CICS, and VSAM
- Previous experience as a developer, system analyst, or technical lead in a mainframe environment
- Familiarity with modernization strategies or integrating legacy systems with digital platforms
- Experience supporting global teams or cross-border IT operations
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
About Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue of approximately $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD.
For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.