Job details

Director, Business Systems

As the largest Canadian-owned and operated K-12 publisher, Nelson Education Ltd. is Canada's only heritage education content provider, known for its innovative products and solutions catering to learners across the country.

Nelson is on a mission to make learning accessible, engaging, and effective for all. That's why Nelson continuously strives to create dynamic curriculum-aligned content that caters to diverse learning styles, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and life-long learning.

In response to the evolving education landscape, Nelson developed Edwin, a digital learning ecosystem. Edwin is a learning platform for classroom success, providing curriculum-linked content, engaging tools and unparalleled support to reach every student.

Nelson is redefining education and making a positive impact on the way knowledge is acquired and shared by creating the possible, one learner at a time.

About the Role

Reporting to the Vice President, Technology Services, the Director of Business Systems will be responsible for overseeing the seamless operation of all business systems, ensuring their alignment with Nelson's strategic objectives. This role is responsible for managing all operational activities of existing systems, collaborating with other business leads, and providing direction and support for new solutions that enhance business operations. The Director will work closely with decision-makers in other departments to identify, recommend, develop, implement, and support cost-effective technology solutions for all aspects of the organization.

Key Accountabilities

Manage business systems’ operational and strategic planning, including business requirements, project planning, budget, and resource allocation
Oversee ongoing maintenance, optimizations, improvements, and enhancements
Direct research on potential technology solutions, integrations with partners, and implementations in support of new initiatives
Enforce best practices and standards for business systems throughout their development/product lifecycles
Create methodologies and processes for master data management and integrity across all business systems
Direct the analysis of documentation and technical specifications for any new application under deployment or consideration
Direct the analysis of test planning to discover and report any defects, bugs, errors, configuration issues, and interoperability flaws
Develop change control processes, practices, and guidelines for new and existing technologies
Determine the selection and appropriate usage of partners, automated tools, accessibility tools, data collection tools, and other tools to support the business
Apply established metrics to determine the readiness, quality, and operability of software, systems, and products due for release
Review performance of Business Systems to determine operating costs, productivity levels, and upgrade requirements
Benchmark, analyze, report on, and make recommendations for the improvement of the Business Systems
Manage all members of the business systems team including analysts, developers and quality assurance, leveraging agile methodologies and ensuring that deadlines are met
Train, coach, and mentor staff, and plan and conduct performance appraisals
Cultivate and disseminate knowledge of systems
Understand project requirements and ability to work closely with team on feature releases and being pro-active

University degree in software engineering, computer science, or other related post-secondary Technology field.
8+ years direct experience in overseeing the design, development, QA, and implementation of technology systems
8+ years direct experience as a Technology Manager for major application integration and/or major application product release
8+ years of experience managing a team of technology professionals
8+ years of experience working with internal business systems, web applications, browsers, APIs, databases and other software
Experience with functional, integration, regression, stress, and smoke testing
Strong understanding of Agile development methodology, Scrum, and software used to manage technology projects, i.e. Atlassian, Confluence, JIRA, etc.
Strong knowledge of system metrics, best practices and methodologies
Extensive experience with core business applications: ERP - NetSuite, CRM - SalesForce
Direct hands-on experience with ad hoc query programs, automated tools, reporting software, API platforms
Proven data export/import/analysis and problem-solving abilities
Good project management skills and/or substantial exposure to project-based work
Excellent understanding of the organization’s goals and objectives
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Excellent coaching, listening, presentation, and interpersonal skills
Ability to communicate ideas in both technical and user-friendly language
Able to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment
Creative and analytical thinker who is self-driven and capable of working in a fast-paced environment
Strong MS Office skills - Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint
Strong systematic troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
Keen attention to detail
Knowledge of applicable data privacy practices and laws
Experience working in a team-oriented, collaborative environment
Willing to provide support outside regular work hours
Must be located in the GTA; Hybrid role (in office + work from home)

Hybrid working model
Flexible working time
Competitive compensation
Great company culture
Flexible health & dental benefits
Great benefits and perks, including summer Fridays, partner discounts and more!

Don't have 100% of the above qualifications? Do you still think Nelson is a great fit for you? We encourage you to apply anyway!

Nelson is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity. As part of this commitment, we do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, gender, gender identity, colour, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship, veteran status, or disability status.

Should you require any accommodation during the recruitment process, please reach out to peopleandengagement@nelson.com.

Average salary estimate

$100000 / YEARLY (est.)

min

max

$80000K

$120000K

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What You Should Know About Director, Business Systems, Nelson Education LTD

Are you ready to step into a pivotal role where you can make a significant impact? At Nelson Education Ltd., Canada’s largest owned K-12 publisher, we’re on a mission to transform education for learners across the country. As the Director of Business Systems, you'll be a key player in overseeing the seamless operation of our business systems, ensuring they align perfectly with our strategic objectives. Collaborating closely with decision-makers across departments, you'll be integral in identifying and implementing innovative technology solutions that enhance our operations. Your responsibilities include managing the operational and strategic planning of our business systems, and overseeing optimizations and enhancements. You will direct research and enforce best practices throughout the development lifecycle while cultivating a culture of collaboration and excellence within your team. We're looking for a seasoned professional with an extensive background in technology management, excellent project management skills, and a knack for creative problem-solving. You'll need at least 8 years of relevant experience, along with a degree in software engineering or a related field. If you’re someone who thrives in a dynamic, collaborative environment and is ready to support our vision of making learning accessible for all, then we want you to join our passionate team at Nelson!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Director, Business Systems Role at Nelson Education LTD

What are the key responsibilities of the Director of Business Systems at Nelson Education?

The Director of Business Systems at Nelson Education is responsible for overseeing the operational management and strategic planning of all business systems. This includes collaborating with other departments to identify technology solutions, managing project planning and budget allocation, and ensuring the continuous optimization and improvement of existing systems.