Central 1 cooperatively empowers credit unions and other financial institutions to deliver banking choice to Canadians. Central 1 provides critical services at scale to enable a thriving credit union system. We do this by collaborating with our clients, developing strategies, products and services to support the financial well-being of their more than 5 million diverse customers in communities across Canada. For more information, visit www.central1.com.

What we offer:

• Work-life flexibility
• Hybrid work environment
• Variable annual incentive plan
• Generous annual vacation allotment
• Top-notch flexible benefits plan including family building and gender affirmation
• Retirement Plan, matched contributions at 6%
• Access to a learning platform and educational assistance support
• Access to a virtual wellness platform
• Career development opportunities
• Wellness Flex Fund to support personal interest and activities
• Day off to volunteer in your community and other paid time off options
• Corporate discounts

*subject to employment agreement

Job Summary:

The VP, IT Governance & Project Management Office provides strategic oversight, best practices leadership and IT governance for Central 1’s Technology operations. This is a highly strategic, execution-focused role responsible for optimizing the effectiveness of the technology function at Central 1. The individual in this role will act as second in command to the CTOO.

This role drives the operational rhythm of the Technology Group, leading critical cross-functional initiatives, and ensuring the successful execution of the short- and long-term technology plan. This role requires a business-savvy leader with a strong technology background and exceptional communication skills.

What you'll be doing:

Strategic Execution and Planning (Including PMO Oversight)

• Operationalize Strategy: Translate the CTOO’s vision and the technology strategy into actionable goals and execution plans; provide leadership and direction to division and department heads ensuring all technology leaders, and the function overall, are effectively aligned to meet strategic business goals.
• Roadmap Management: Oversee the development and monitoring of strategic technology and data roadmaps, ensuring alignment with organizational business strategy and effective allocation and determination of short and long-term technology investments.
• PMO Leadership & Governance: Responsible for the Project Management Office (PMO), ensuring project delivery methodologies, high-quality, on-time execution, and comprehensive risk management across a large, diverse technology project portfolio. Evolve the PMO function overall, maturing project management processes and methodologies, and establishing consistent PM processes.

PMO Leadership Accountabilities:

• Portfolio Prioritization: Facilitate the annual and quarterly technology portfolio prioritization process in collaboration with business leaders, the Technology Leadership Team, and the PMO, ensuring all investments directly support the CTOO’s strategic imperatives.
• Resource Allocation: Accountable for optimal allocation of human and capital resources across all technology projects, managing capacity planning and addressing resourcing conflicts to maximize delivery efficiency.
• Performance and Reporting: Establish and enforce standards for project performance tracking, reporting, and dashboarding (e.g., status, budget, risks, scope), providing the CTOO and Executive Leadership Team (ELT) with a clear, consolidated, and accurate view of the portfolio health.
• Delivery Standards: Drive the continuous improvement and evolution of technology delivery practices within the PMO, promoting adoption of best-in-class agile, waterfall, and hybrid methodologies to enhance speed, quality, and predictability.
• Risk Mitigation: Proactively manage and track high-priority technology, financial, and business risks identified by the CTOO and the Technology leadership team.

Executive Communication and Stakeholder Management

• Executive Communication: Deliver key meetings on behalf of the CTOO, with critical senior stakeholders such as CEO, Board of Directors, and Executive Leadership team, as needed. Ensuring clear and substantive communication regarding strategic, operational, and financial decisions.
• Communication Strategy: Deliver executive-level, leadership communication, aligned with CTOO messaging, to provide reliable and clear direction across the organization. Proven ability to articulate the Technology group's success and contributions to business growth to all levels in the organization.
• Reporting & Metrics: Determine & implement key performance indicators (KPIs) and operating metrics (OKRs) for the technology organization, ensuring transparent and timely project delivery updates to internal and external clients and stakeholders.

Operational Excellence and Organizational Rhythm

• Operations leadership: Leadership of key meetings, such as Quarterly Business Reviews and Townhalls, and representing the CTOO in committee meetings, as needed.
• Budget and Financial Management: Responsibility for managing the Technology budget and investment portfolio (~85m), ensuring effectiveness and alignment with strategic objectives.
• Vendor and Partnership Management: Successfully manage relationships with key vendors, strategic partners, and service providers, tracking the successful contributions and results of managed services/programs and outsourcing efforts.
• Culture Development: Drive a high-performance culture across all technology teams, ensuring clear performance objectives and collaborative leadership styles. Demonstrated effectiveness leading an organization through change and transformation.

What you'll have:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Technology, Business, Finance, or a related field. An advanced degree (e.g., MBA) is preferred.
• Experience: 8+ years of progressive experience in technology leadership, strategy, operations, or management consulting, preferably within the financial services or payments industry.
• Domain Expertise: Deep understanding of enterprise technology functions, including application development, infrastructure, operations, cybersecurity, and enterprise architecture.
• Strategic Acumen: Proven ability to translate complex business challenges into clear, implementable technology strategies and plans.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated success acting as a trusted business advisor and communicating effectively with Executive Leadership and the Board of Directors.

Central 1 CTO's Strategic Imperatives (VP must support)

• Driving enterprise change through collaboration.
• Aligning and modernizing technology solutions to meet business needs.
• Ensuring the ongoing stability, resiliency, VP effectiveness, and scalability of key platforms.
• Implementing a comprehensive cloud strategy and deployment plan.

Salary range: $210,000 - $220,000 + 29% - 43.5% variable compensation

The salary represents the job rate determined for the successful candidate who is fully competent in the role. The actual salary will vary depending on market conditions and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training.

#LI-Hybrid

Central 1 does not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to screen, assess, or select applicants during our recruitment process. This job posting is for an existing, specific vacancy within our organization. All applications will be considered exclusively for the position described in this posting.

Central 1 is an equal opportunity employer and committed to building an inclusive workforce by creating an environment where everyone feels like they belong and has the opportunity to be successful. We welcome all applicants to join our diverse workforce and we will provide an accessible candidate experience including, but not limited to accommodations to interview sites and alternate formats upon request to our Recruitment team.