Student Information System_PM_03_2026 - Program Manager

Job Title: SIS_PM_03_2026 - Program Manager

Client: Great Plains College, Regina, Saskatchewan

Contract Duration: 10 months

Working Status: Remote

Location: Remote

Term: Anticipating start date of May 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027.

Requirement

A. Strategic Program Leadership

· Proven experience representing the client and leading large, multi-year, multi-organization programs with successful outcomes

· Strong leadership capabilities, including:

o Setting strategic direction

o Making complex, high-impact decisions

o Building and sustaining high-performing teams

· A clear approach to:

o Developing and managing integrated program plans and schedules

o Coordinating dependencies across multiple organizations

o Enabling organizational leads to deliver effectively, even without dedicated project managers

B. Stakeholder Management

· Proven ability to operate within complex stakeholder environments, including:

o Multiple organizations

o External vendors

o Funding partners

· Excellence in communication, including:

o Translating between technical teams, executives, and external stakeholders

o Providing transparent, proactive reporting

o Addressing challenges and difficult conversations early

· A defined approach to:

o Resolving conflicting stakeholder priorities

o Driving stakeholder engagement, alignment, and adoption

o Ensuring participation, ownership, and accountability across organizations

C. Vendor and Contract Management

· Experience managing vendors, contracts, and Statements of Work (SOWs), including:

o Defining scope, deliverables, milestones, and acceptance criteria

o Leading contract negotiations and managing changes

o Holding vendors accountable for performance

o Resolving contractual or delivery issues effectively and efficiently

D. Governance, Risk, and Issue Management

· Experience establishing and leading governance structures for multi-organization programs

· A proactive approach to:

o Risk identification, mitigation, and escalation

o Issue management and resolution

· Strong program control practices that ensure:

o Alignment across stakeholders

o Transparency in reporting

o Clear accountability at all levels

E. IT System Expertise

· Direct experience delivering major IT implementations, including:

o Legacy system replacements

o SaaS-based platforms

· A clear approach to:

o Data migration planning and execution

o System integrations

o Transitioning from legacy systems

o Managing SaaS considerations (e.g., configuration, updates, vendor coordination)

o Meeting regulatory and reporting requirements

F. Financial Management & Funding Accountability

· Experience managing large program budgets

· Strong financial oversight and accountability practices

· A defined approach to:

o Tracking and reporting financial performance

o Measuring and communicating benefit realization

o Managing milestone-based funding and payment structures aligned to deliverables

G. Relevant Local & Contextual Experience

Preference will be given to candidates with:

· Experience working with:

o Saskatchewan Regional Colleges or DTI

o Government of Saskatchewan

· Experience delivering Student Information System (SIS) replacement programs

· Ability to leverage existing relationships and contextual knowledge to accelerate program startup and delivery

Scope of the Services

The Program Manager will be responsible for providing strategic leadership, coordination, and oversight to successfully deliver the program in alignment with the Service Requirements. The Scope of Services includes, but is not limited to, the following:

A. Strategic Program Leadership

· Provide overall leadership and direction for the implementation of the SIS within each Regional College and DTI

· Establish and maintain the program vision, strategy, and integrated roadmap

· Develop and manage comprehensive program plans, schedules, and delivery approaches

· Build, lead, and sustain high-performing, cross-functional teams

· Make timely, informed decisions on complex, high-impact program matters

· Apply ongoing quality of assurance across program activities, applying continuous improvement through lessons learned, knowledge sharing, and refinement of approaches across successive college implementations

B. Stakeholder Management

· Lead engagement across the complex stakeholder environment, including Regional Colleges and DTI, external vendors, and Government of Saskatchewan ministries

· Establish and execute a stakeholder engagement and communications strategy

· Provide clear, transparent, and proactive reporting to executives and stakeholders

· Identify, manage, and resolve conflicting stakeholder priorities

· Foster alignment, participation, accountability, and adoption across all stakeholder groups

· Proactively address risks, issues, and sensitive matters through effective communication

C. Vendor and Contract Management

· Manage contract changes, negotiations, and amendments to vendor contracts and Statements of Work (SOWs)

· Define and manage scope, deliverables, milestones, and acceptance criteria

· Oversee vendor performance and ensure accountability for delivery outcomes

· Resolve vendor-related issues in a timely and effective manner

D. Governance, Risk, and Issue Management

· Establish and maintain program governance structures, including committees, reporting frameworks, and decision-making processes

· Ensure alignment and accountability across all stakeholder groups

· Implement and maintain program controls, including reporting, escalation, and decision tracking

· Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate program risks

· Manage issues through to resolution, including escalation where required

· Ensure transparency and consistency in program reporting and performance monitoring

E. IT System Delivery Oversight

· Oversee the delivery of the Thesis Elements solution being implemented by 3D Solutions for each of the Regional Colleges and DTI

· Provide oversight of data migration planning and execution

· Coordinate system integration activities across platforms and stakeholders

· Manage transition planning from legacy systems to new solutions

· Oversee SaaS implementation considerations, including configuration, release management, and vendor coordination

· Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, reporting, and operational requirements

F. Financial Management and Funding Accountability

· Develop and manage the program budget, forecasts, and financial plans

· Monitor and report on financial performance, including variances and risks

· Ensure strong financial controls and accountability practices are in place

· Align funding to program milestones and deliverables

· Support and report on benefit realization and value delivery

· Manage funding partner expectations and reporting requirements

Deliverables:

Deliverables will include, but not be limited to:

· Great Plains College instance of Thesis Elements product is ready for ‘go live’ as per the terms and conditions outlined in the project plan with the vendor. The product meets their immediate business needs and a document outlining future enhancements is in place.

· Statement of Work between Saskatchewan Regional Colleges, Gabriel Dumont Institute and project vendor is executed and adhered to by all parties with any changes documented through the Change order Process (CoP) with formal approval established by the Project Steering Committee.