Director, Programs & Service Experience

The Director Programs & Service Experience is a senior leadership role responsible for connecting organizational strategy program and service design and development implementation planning and client experience to ensure Mitacs delivers high-impact programs and services that meet stakeholder needs.

The role provides leadership for Program Management and Service Design & Development and is accountable for ensuring programs and services are effectively translated from concept to execution. By bringing together planning implementation readiness service design client insights and operational coordination the Director ensures Mitacs programs and services are scalable effective client-centred and aligned with organizational priorities.

Working closely with Business Development Program Development Service Delivery Research Marketing Finance Operational Excellence and Technology & Product Management teams the Director drives cross-functional collaboration to support successful program launches stakeholder adoption operational excellence and long-term program impact.

The Director serves as a key organizational leader in shaping and delivering Mitacs programs and services across the client lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Program Strategy Planning and Enablement

• Provide strategic leadership for the planning implementation and continuous evolution of Mitacs programs services funding opportunities and strategic initiatives.
• Translate organizational priorities into executable implementation strategies operational plans governance frameworks policies and standards.
• Lead operational readiness implementation planning launch coordination stakeholder engagement training and adoption activities.
• Advise senior leaders on implementation feasibility risks dependencies organizational impacts and resource requirements.
• Lead cross-functional planning and execution across Program Development Business Development Service Delivery Finance Marketing Research and Technology teams.
• Monitor program performance risks and outcomes to drive continuous improvement operational excellence and program impact.
• Support enterprise transformation initiatives through effective implementation planning change readiness and adoption.

Client Experience & Service Design Leadership

• Champion a client-centered approach across the organization ensuring stakeholder needs insights and feedback inform decision-making program design and service delivery.
• Establish client experience goals standards and measures to strengthen satisfaction engagement and long-term stakeholder relationships.
• Lead the design and continuous improvement of end-to-end client and participant experiences across Mitacs programs and services.
• Oversee service design activities including journey mapping service blueprinting testing and implementation support.
• Partner closely with Product Management and organizational leaders to align service experiences business processes policies and digital capabilities with organizational priorities.
• Leverage client feedback operational data research and emerging trends to identify and prioritize improvement opportunities.
• Ensure service improvements enhance scalability efficiency consistency and organizational outcomes while promoting accountability for client experience results across the organization.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and develop high-performing teams responsible for Program Management and Service Design & Development.
• Foster a collaborative inclusive and accountable culture focused on service excellence innovation and continuous improvement.
• Provide coaching mentorship and development opportunities to support employee growth and succession planning.
• Ensure team structures capabilities and resources align with organizational priorities and future needs.
• Lead teams effectively through change promoting engagement clarity and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Business Administration Public Administration Communications Customer Experience Social Sciences or a related field.
• Masters degree considered an asset.
• 10 years of progressive and demonstrated leadership experience in client experience customer success stakeholder engagement service strategy program operations or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated success leading enterprise client experience or customer success initiatives.
• Experience developing and implementing client experience strategies measurement frameworks and continuous improvement programs.
• Strong understanding of client journey management experience design principles and organizational change management.
• Proven ability to influence senior leaders and lead cross-functional initiatives in complex organizations.
• Experience leveraging data analytics and client insights to drive strategic decision-making.
• Exceptional communication relationship-building facilitation and stakeholder management skills.
• Bilingualism considered an asset. Knowledge of written and spoken English is required in this role as you will interact with colleagues clients and stakeholders located across Canada.
• Mitacs is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous communities across Canada. Lived experience or perspectives connected to Indigenous worldviews are considered strong assets.

Equity diversity and inclusion and reconciliation are strong commitments at Mitacs: Equity Diversity and Inclusion - Mitacs. We believe a diverse workforce comprised of individuals with different lived experiences ideas strengths and backgrounds (e.g. gender identities and expressions Indigeneity race abilities sexual orientation and other identities) are crucial to our success. We welcome everyone to apply and encourage you to connect with us if you require accommodations during the recruitment process.

Hiring Range: $126675 - $160455

Hiring and Salary Range Transparency

Typically employees are hired transferred or promoted within the salary range specifically between the minimum and midpoint in the hiring range.

The salary range refers to the range of base salaries for a given position encompassing the minimum and maximum amounts. The midpoint of the range is positioned approximately halfway between the minimum and maximum indicating a fully qualified employee with comprehensive job knowledge and experience for the role.

Only in rare and exceptional circumstances where a candidate has the experience skills and expertise that far exceed those required for the position would we consider paying above the hiring range for this role.

Our recruitment process may use artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled tools to support activities. Any use of AI is subject to human review and all hiring decisions are made by a human member of our hiring team.

Required Experience:

Director