Director, Cloud Platform Services

Role Responsibilities

Lead the Cloud. Enable What’s Next.

As Director, Cloud Platform, you will provide strategic leadership for the Government of Alberta’s cloud and digital platform services, enabling secure, scalable, reliable, and modern technology solutions across government. You will set the vision, priorities, and outcomes for a portfolio spanning cloud platforms, identity and authentication, messaging, web hosting, and related foundational services.

Reporting to the Executive Director, Business Technology Operations, you will lead a diverse team and work closely with senior leaders across IMT, business partners, and technology vendors to align services with government priorities, client needs, security and risk requirements, and fiscal and contractual obligations. You will foster a collaborative, agile, and innovative culture while ensuring service availability, continuity, and operational excellence.

Responsibilities:
Some of the responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:

Service/Platform Ownership
Lead the strategy, delivery, and lifecycle management of key technology services and platforms. Manage resources, budgets, contracts, vendors, and service agreements. Engage senior business leaders to align services with ministry priorities and client needs. Ensure services meet applicable security, privacy, legal, information management, and architectural standards. Oversee service performance, escalations, change management, and continuous improvement.

Leadership, Planning and Implementation
Lead workforce, financial, and operational planning to deliver effective technology services. Align priorities and resources across teams and stakeholders. Direct implementation of new solutions, projects, and services. Monitor performance, address issues, and report on progress and outcomes.

Service Level Management
Ensure services meet client and stakeholder needs and agreed service levels. Monitor service performance and drive improvements in service delivery. Contribute to GoA-wide service standards and practices.

Architecture and Standards
Provide direction on technology, architecture, standards, and processes across the portfolio. Ensure solutions align with GoA standards, approved environments, and business requirements. Advance modernization, innovation, and integration of technology services.

Risk Management
Identify, assess, and mitigate risks affecting services and initiatives. Provide leadership on risks related to cost, schedule, quality, security, and technical performance. Collaborate with Cybersecurity and other partners to address technology and security risks.

Unit Leadership and Operations

Develop and execute operational plans aligned with ministry and GoA priorities. Lead staffing, performance, workforce planning, and employee development. Oversee financial management, procurement, contracts, vendors, and service agreements. Foster a collaborative, inclusive, agile, and innovative workplace culture. Oversee executive briefings, correspondence, and other decision-support materials.

Branch and Division Leadership
Provide strategic advice and recommendations to executive leaders. Report on branch plans, performance, and outcomes to support division and ministry priorities. Collaborate across branches, divisions, and departments to advance shared priorities and service delivery. Drive collaboration, innovation, efficiency, and continuous improvement. Serve as Acting Executive Director, as required.

AI Stewardship
This role is designed with an AI-first mindset, requiring the successful candidate to leverage AI-powered tools and capabilities to strengthen stakeholder engagement through automated insights, personalized communications, and enhanced collaboration; create tailored, high-impact materials that align with stakeholder needs using AI-assisted content generation and feedback analysis; and develop, monitor, and refine key performance indicators.

To be successful in this position you will demonstrate:

• Exceptional communication, consultation, and engagement skills, with the ability to adapt approaches for diverse audiences.
• Strong political acumen and sensitivity, with the ability to navigate complex and sensitive situations effectively.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to assess complex and competing issues and develop practical recommendations.
• Expertise in building productive relationships across the ministry, Government of Alberta, partner organizations, and key stakeholders.
• Experience in leading and managing a variety of projects and processes and delivering high quality results within established timelines.
• Embraces technology and data by using AI-powered tools and performance metrics to inform strategy, measure success, and optimize delivery.

The Job Description is provided for further details on this position. 

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

 Some of the competencies critical for this position are:

• Systems Thinking: You will consider how work completed can impact various other groups/projects inside and outside the Alberta Public Service. 
• Agility: Proactively incorporates change into processes. Creates opportunities for improvement. Is aware of and adapts to changing priorities. Remains objective under pressure and supports others to manage their emotions. Proactively explains impact of change on roles and integrates change in existing work. Readily adapts plans and practices.
• Develop self and others: A commitment to lifelong learning and the desire to invest in the development of the long-term capability of yourself and others.
• Build Collaborative Environments: Collaborates across functional areas and proactively addresses conflict. Encourages broad thinking on projects and works to eliminate barriers to progress. Facilitates communication and collaboration. Anticipates and reduces conflict at the outset. Credits others and gets talent recognized. Promotes collaboration and commitment.
• Develop Networks: Leverages relationships to build input and perspective. Looks broadly to engage stakeholders. Open to perspectives towards long-term goals. Actively seeks input into change initiatives. Maintains stakeholder relationships.
• Creative Problem Solving: Engages the community and resources at hand to address issues. Engages perspective to seek root causes. Finds ways to improve complex systems. Employs resources from other areas to solve problems. Engages others and encourages debate and idea generation to solve problems while addressing risks.
• Drive for Results: You will work with your team to set goals and priorities and deliver outcomes that are consistent with the department's direction.

Qualifications

Requirements:

• University graduation in a related field such as Computer Sciences, Information Technology or other Technology related disciplines.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in developing and implementing new IT services and solutions in a cloud-based service environment
• Experience in a management/leadership position leading high performing technical teams.
• Experience in project management processes and methodologies like waterfall and agile.
• Strong IT technical expertise and the ability to guide operations and develop strategic roadmaps for enterprise technology services.

Equivalencies: Directly related education or experience considered on the basis of:

• 1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or
• 1 year of experience for 1 year of education

Assets:

• Experience with IT security, hardware and software, business change, and project management methodologies, including ITIL, COBIT, and PMBOK.
• Expertise in Agile methodologies, Lean practices, and Service Design.
• Leadership experience in leading teams through innovation, transformation, and organizational change.
• Knowledge of government and ministry priorities and the ability to translate them into operational plans and strategic decisions.
• Experience in assessing new opportunities and performing necessary due diligence around technical, operational and financial impacts.
• Experience working with Identity Access Management, M365 implementations, and Cloud Landing Zone environments.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

Notes

Term of Employment:  Permanent, Full-time position

Hours of Work: 7.25 hours daily / 36.25 weekly – Monday to Friday

Location: Edmonton or Calgary
 

A written assessment may be required as part of the interview process.

Final candidates will be required to undergo a criminal records check (CRC).

Applicants being considered for this position may be required to complete a Level 2 Enhanced Security screening (including an enhanced criminal record check along with a credit check) as part of the pre-employment checks for this position.

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies, across the Government of Alberta, at the same or lower classification level.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what we have to offer:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service.
• Management Employee Pension Plan (MEPP).
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information.
• Professional learning and development.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.