Job ID #31853: Functional Lead, Planning Permitting and Licensing System

Contribute to the City of Hamilton, one of Canada’s largest cities - home to a diverse and strong economy, an active and inclusive community, a robust cultural and dining scene, hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails and natural beauty just minutes from the downtown core, and so much more. Join our diverse team of talented and ambitious staff who embody our values of sensational service, courageous change, steadfast integrity, collective ownership and being engaged empowered employees. Help us achieve our vision of being the best place to raise a child and age successfully. #BeTheReason

Job ID #31853: Functional Lead, Planning Permitting and Licensing System

Union: Non-Union

Job Description ID #: 7815

Close date: Interested applicants please submit your application online at www.hamilton.ca/city-council/jobs-city
by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday April 1, 2026.

Duration: Temporary Full-Time (up to 9 months)

Vacancy type: This posting is for an existing vacancy.

Internal applicants should apply with your work e-mail address. External applicants are considered only after the internal posting process has been completed. Only applicants chosen for an interview will be contacted.

SUMMARY OF DUTIES

Reporting to the Manager Strategy, Continuous Improvement and Open for Business, oversees the implementation of a new planning, permitting, licensing system technology in one of the functional areas:  Building, Planning, Growth Management or Licensing and Bylaw. The Functional Lead serves as a key liaison between business stakeholders and the implementation partner (vendor) and serves as a member implementation project team, ensuring that business processes and system functionalities align with operational needs of their assigned division. This role represents key business process and functional team members from across their division’s areas of expertise.

Utilizes deep experience in their functional area, leads activities including consultations with internal and external stakeholders, subject matter experts, and technical experts to make decisions about system configuration, security, workflows, data management, analytics, reporting and system integrations. The Functional Lead works closely with the Divisional Director and Divisional Management Team members to facilitate quick decision making and ensure leadership is engaged and kept up to date on all aspects of the project. The incumbent participates in creating policy and risk protocols for the overall operations enabled by the new technology and in activities related to user adoption. The Functional Leads oversees and supports data migration, data conversion, process design, system configuration, report design, documentation, user acceptance testing, and go-live and post go-live troubleshooting activities on behalf of their division.

GENERAL DUTIES

Pre-implementation

Provide knowledge of the functional area as delivered currently inside and outside the technology solution.

Through an analysis of current state needs, confirm future operational goals for the functional area. Make decisions or recommendations to senior leadership as appropriate on process changes to improve data accuracy, user experience and increase efficiency.

Preliminary process design and evaluating impacts of process changes.

Provide input to key project deliverables (e.g., project workplan).

Contribute to establishing the work process and relationships of the full project team including others in Building, Planning, Growth Management, Municipal Law Enforcement, Information Technology, and other stakeholders across the city.

Support development and implementation of communication plans, change management plans and change activities to support both internal and external stakeholders. Acts as a change champion throughout the project lifecycle.

System Design

Identify needs, dependencies, and constraints for functional area in consultation with subject matter experts, stakeholders, and experts from implementation partner (vendor).

Act as the single point of contact to identify and collect information from subject matter experts in functional area to ensure timely and accurate information.

In consultation with subject matter experts and with the identified future business requirements, make decisions on future state functionalities.

Identify system requirements and map processes.

Identify change impacts for end users and other stakeholders.

In consultation with Labour Relations, determine impact of collective agreement interpretations on process design. Evaluate system design and changes to ensure alignment with collective agreement requirements.

Understand the cross functional technology capabilities and provide input into other areas for alignment across the technology.

System Configuration

Ensure business requirements are appropriately reflected in system configuration (end to end processes) and aligned with the future service delivery model.

Sign off on processes and configuration values.

Ensure alignment of functional decisions with business requirements by evaluating effectiveness of new processes, adapting to changes in design and discussing significant process changes with other Functional Leads.

Manage communication between internal subject matter experts to get a comprehensive understanding of decisions’
impacts on the overall solution.

Provide feedback as prototypes are developed.

Resolve escalated risks, issues and decisions related to process design and configuration.

Escalate risks with a significant cost or time impact to the Project Manager.

Data Conversion and Reporting

Coordinate with subject matter experts, and project team to make decisions related to data conversion from current systems.

Support data mapping and validation for mock conversions. Contribute to reporting requirements and ensure business requirements are understood by the technical teams.

Manage data conversion validity through iterations including data transformation, loading and reconciliation.

System Documentation and Training

Contribute content for training materials for end-user training.

Review and sign off configuration documentation.

Sign off on documentation for training and change activities.

Testing

Collaborate with technical teams to design testing scenarios and scripts.

Identify and coordinate staff from business area who will participate in testing and provide support for testers during the process.

Confirm if system is working as per the functional and business requirements.

Provide input to system configuration adjustments and other changes based on testing.

Provide sign off on adjustments made based on testing.

Go-live and post go-live support

Support development of training plans and coordinate delivery of training for business users.

Contribute to the cutover plan and manage cutover tasks for go-live.

Answer end user system related questions, resolve issues and support end user transition and adoption.

Contribute to strategies for end-user adoption. 

Report on any system capabilities not working as expected and resolve with technical teams.

Solicit feedback on user experience and satisfaction with system functioning.

Identify opportunities for process and system improvements and make necessary adjustments.

Establish routines for system upgrades and sustainment utilizing vendor resources and expertise.

Act as a central point of contract for business users to help troubleshoot and report any technical issues.

QUALIFICATIONS

Extensive experience related to the duties above normally accompanied by a minimum 3-year University/College Degree in a related field or equivalent experience.

Extensive experience working in the stated functional area. Experience with business processes at the City of Hamilton within the functional area preferred.

Excellent understanding of business processes and procedures. Progressive experience working in a planning, permitting, licensing system is preferred.

Demonstrates practical experience with reports and analysis.

Possess strong analytical skills in order to be able to review relevant data inputs from multiple sources and use them to reach informed business processes procedures and conclusions to management.

Strong problem-solving skills in order to effectively address business process inefficiency and redundancy with the ability to exercise sound judgement.

Ability to work with multiple priorities and strict time constraints.

Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Proficient in a computerized Windows based environment with a working knowledge of Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint).

SALARY: Salary Grade 6

HOURS: 35 hrs/week

THE INCUMBENT SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR THIS POSITION AND THE WORKPLACE.

Disclaimer:

Be advised that Human Resources frequently audits resumes of internal/external applicants to ensure/validate information provided is consistent and trustworthy. Falsification of information provided at any time throughout the recruitment process may be grounds for disqualification, and for internal applicants, subject to discipline up to and including termination.

Terms:

The City is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes. Consistent with our Values and Corporate Culture Pillars, the City of Hamilton is committed to providing equitable treatment to all with respect to barrier-free employment and accommodation without discrimination. The City will provide accommodation for applicants in all aspects of the hiring process, up to the point of undue hardship.  If you have an accommodation need, please contact Human Resources as soon as possible to make appropriate arrangements.