Chief Information Officer

COMPANY OVERVIEW

The Prairie Payments Joint Venture (PPJV) is a joint venture owned by three Prairie centrals created to digitally transform and modernize payment services for credit unions in the Prairies. PPJV's goal is to ensure prairie credit unions are competitive in payments and have access to efficient, modernized payments processing infrastructure.

ROLE SUMMARY

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"), the Chief Information Officer ("CIO") is responsible for overseeing technology architecture, infrastructure management, information systems, and information security - either delivered in-house or through third-party partners.

In collaboration with the PPJV leadership team, the CIO develops and maintains the technology strategy and roadmap, ensuring alignment with emerging technologies, industry standards, and corporate objectives. With responsibility for leading decision-making related to related to technology services, cloud services, systems development practices, Dev/Ops, information technology (IT) service management, information securities architecture and operations, and enterprise architecture, the CIO ensures IT infrastructure operates efficiently and in accordance with industry best practices.

As the organization's technology leader, the CIO is accountable for enterprise and solution architecture, oversees governance, and integrates technology processes with the business enterprise strategy, organizational mandates and standards, and PPJV product and service offerings. The CIO leads all technical, development and information security resources within PPJV, and works closely with Client CIOs to align on strategic technology and business objectives.

Fostering a technology-driven, innovative culture across the organization, the CIO promotes IT best practices, builds partnerships with key industry stakeholders, and provides strategic insights on emerging technology trends.

Key Accountabilities

• Develop and maintain the technology strategy and roadmap, ensuring alignment with emerging technologies, industry standards, and corporate objectives
• Oversee technology architecture, and the design, build and management of core payments systems, clearing and settlement, and peripheral systems, including Interac e-Transfer, international and domestic wires, bill payments, cheques and Automated Funds Transfers (AFTs)
• Provide thought leadership and innovation with regards to technology and the associated impact on next generation payments and digital transformation
• Establish a strong relationship with key IT payments partners and Client CIO's
• Lead a council of technology executives, stakeholders and architects across the Prairie credit union ecosystem, including the credit union CIOs, to make strategic decisions for the design, development, and implementation of credit union services and related security and compliance solutions in the best interest of clients
• Define and evolve technology strategy and priorities for the PPJV payment services in alignment with the business strategy and objective of operating as a shared service
• Oversee the end-to-end cybersecurity model and ensure management of end-to-end platform security for PPJV and all related platforms and ecosystems in alignment with best practices, including Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) B13, NIST Security Framework (CFS), and ISO20022 standards
• Establish IT compliance standards and practices in alignment with best practices including the Disaster Recover program, data classification and retention programs
• Delivery of consistent productivity improvements and plans to meet service level targets
• Proactively manage risk and compliance for all services
• Actively engage with payments technology industry stakeholders, including Payments Canada, Interac, and provincial and federal standards and regulators
• Provide all services in the most cost-effective manner, managing all financial matters in accordance with best practices leading to improved financial efficiencies year-over-year
• Develop and coach technology talent
• Maintain actionable succession plans and a strong technology talent bench

The Individual

The Chief Information Officer ("CIO") is a seasoned technology executive with strong knowledge of the credit union ecosystem, payment systems, and broader Canadian financial services sector. With a deep understanding of digital transformation, open banking, enterprise payments, and mission-critical operations, the CIO has successfully led large-scale technology initiatives and driven innovation within complex, regulated environments.

A results-driven, innovative leader, the CIO excels in managing regulatory compliance, navigating stakeholder relationships, and delivering large-scale, mission-critical technology transformations. With strong interpersonal skills, the CIO brings extensive experience building high-performing teams and developing technical talent.

With strong proficiency in legacy and emerging technologies, including cloud platforms, big data, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and security services, the CIO is a strategic communicator, ensuring seamless execution of technology solutions that drive business growth while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

Key Qualifications

Professional Experience

• 15 years+ of senior management experience leading large-scale technology initiatives and strategy within a complex, highly regulated environment, preferably within the financial services sector
• Strong knowledge of the credit union ecosystem, partners, and systems
• Deep understanding of technology's impact in disrupting the credit union system
• Nuanced understanding of Canadian payments eco-system
• Strong understanding of payment processing and clearing & settlement services for Wires, AFTs, Bill Payments, Cheques, Interac e-Transfer and Real Time Rail payments
• Proven track record and ability in leveraging deep subject matter expertise in Financial Services, enterprise payments, Open Banking, digital transformation, to develop and deploy a vision and align others to that vision
• Experience aligning technology strategies with business objectives and delivering measurable outcomes in digital and core banking systems
• Expert knowledge or practitioner of legacy and emerging technology, including digital and core banking systems, cloud platforms, big data, API, Open Source, DevOps, Software Engineering, Security Services, etc
• Creative thought leadership required while also listening and engaging others to provide input in the shaping of vision
• Significant experience as a senior leader at a provincial or national technology-centric organization
• Knowledge of team building in a start-up environment, product development and deployment
• Broad management knowledge and extensive payments and program delivery experience
• Strong project management credentials and experience of execution of large technology transformations in a complex stakeholder environment
• Understanding of the regulatory environment for financial instructions and the payment industry at both the federal and provincial level
• Aware of industry trends to gain a deeper product understanding
• Strong people management skills with demonstrated experience in leading high performing teams
• Highly effective communicator who engages colleagues, business partners, external stakeholders, and colleagues
• Proven experience in managing complexity and navigating ambiguity
• Ability to assess the technical quality of the portfolio and develop continuous improvements at-scale and for purpose
• Proven experience in recruiting, assessing and developing technical talent

Personal Attributes

• Adaptability to Change - Ability to adjust to different situations, perspectives, and evolving job or organizational requirements
• Customer Service Orientation - Commitment to understanding and meeting the needs of customers and stakeholders
• Listening, Understanding, and Responding - Active listening skills to comprehend and engage effectively with others
• Results Orientation - Drive to achieve excellence by setting and meeting high-performance standards
• Teamwork and Cooperation - Willingness to collaborate and contribute effectively within a team
• Conceptual Thinking - Ability to identify patterns, connections, and key insights in complex situations
• Impact and Influence - Skill in persuading, influencing, and anticipating others' needs and concerns
• Information Seeking - Proactive effort to gather relevant details for informed decision-making
• Initiative - Readiness to take proactive action and address challenges or opportunities
• Problem Solving and Judgment - Capacity to analyze, evaluate, and develop effective solutions
• Self-Confidence - Trust in one's abilities to take on challenges and make sound decisions

Education

• Computer Science/Engineering degree considered an asset

The Environment

PPJV is a fast paced and focused environment where employees and contractors share the mission to deliver efficient, cost effective, modernized payments processing to prairie credit unions.

Interested candidates are asked to submit a resume & cover letter by 4:00 PM on March 24, 2025. We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.