The Director, Enterprise Application Services & Modernization is a senior IT leader at De Havilland Aircraft of Canada responsible for the strategic direction, management, and evolution of enterprise applications. This includes oversight of the ERP platform, custom-built applications, and third-party integrations.

The role ensures the delivery of secure, scalable, and business-aligned technology solutions that support operational excellence and corporate transformation goals. It requires a forward-thinking leader experienced in application modernization, custom development, and service delivery, with a proven ability to lead high-performing teams in dynamic environments.

Working collaboratively across business and IT, the Director drives the enterprise applications roadmap, enabling digital transformation, innovation, and organizational growth. The successful candidate will bring a servant-leadership mindset focused on empowerment, trust-building, and shared success.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Develop and execute an enterprise applications roadmap aligned with organizational strategy and operational needs.
• Provide strategic and operational leadership for enterprise systems including ERP, custom-built, and integrated third-party applications.
• Lead modernization initiatives for legacy and custom-built applications through re-platforming, refactoring, and re-architecting.
• Oversee the full lifecycle of application development and ERP platform management, including integrations and collaboration with business stakeholders.
• Establish standards and governance for application development, support, and compliance.
• Partner with IT Security to ensure enterprise applications meet security and regulatory standards.
• Manage the enterprise applications stack, driving architecture simplification and cost optimization.
• Lead software procurement, vendor management, and contract negotiations aligned with compliance and business needs.
• Build, coach, and lead a high-performing technical team with strong onboarding, performance management, and development practices.
• Promote a culture of accountability, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration within the application services function.
• Actively contribute to IT strategy, budgeting, and roadmap planning, ensuring resource alignment and stakeholder engagement.
• Define and maintain SLAs and KPIs for application services, ensuring transparency and performance tracking.
• Ensure robust service delivery including patching, monitoring, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning.
• Maintain system documentation and centralized knowledge repositories.
• Support change management, user adoption, and stakeholder engagement across initiatives.
• Collaborate with the IT leadership team to drive integrated, enterprise-wide technology strategies.

Education & Experience

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience managing enterprise applications in mid-to-large organizations.
• At least 7 years leading enterprise IT application projects in manufacturing or complex operational environments.
• Proven success in ERP lifecycle management, including upgrades, vendor coordination, and integration.
• Experience modernizing legacy/custom applications with hands-on involvement in re-platforming and migration.
• Strong background in designing, developing, and supporting custom business applications.
• Experience managing distributed teams, vendor solutions, and hybrid sourcing models.
• Leadership experience during periods of growth and organizational change.
• In-depth understanding of IT governance, service delivery frameworks (e.g., ITIL), and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated success managing large-scale deployments from planning through execution and change management.

Skills

• Business & Strategic Alignment
• Ability to partner with business units to translate operational needs into technology solutions.
• Success in leading digital transformation initiatives through enterprise applications.
• Expertise in aligning application strategy with business innovation and growth objectives.
• Technical Expertise
• Strong knowledge of enterprise architecture and application integration.
• Experience with modernizing legacy systems and cloud-native architectures.
• Proficiency in Agile, DevOps, and microservices-based development environments.
• Program & Service Delivery
• Skilled in full lifecycle project management for enterprise-wide initiatives.
• Knowledge of ITIL and service management practices (incident, change, release).
• Ability to define, track, and communicate application performance KPIs.
• Leadership & Team Management
• Proven leadership of technical teams through complex projects and organizational change.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to engage with technical and business stakeholders.
• Collaborative leadership style fostering shared accountability and innovation.
• Commitment to team development through coaching, feedback, and recognition.
• Advocate for team needs at the leadership level, promoting empowerment and inclusion.
• Foster a culture where all team members feel seen, heard, and valued.