Program Manager, Mobile Applications - Remote

OVERVIEW

The Manager, Mobile Applications is responsible for the end-to-end oversight of the organization’s mobile app ecosystem; spanning strategy, planning, delivery, vendor management, user experience, risk management, and ongoing operational performance. This role ensures the app consistently meets resident, community/municipality, and stakeholder needs while aligning with organizational goals, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices. Success comes from being highly organized, cross-functional, and technically fluent, with a strong ability to translate business requirements into successful digital experiences. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Intake & Prioritization (Run-the-App)

Operate an intake process to manage changes to zones, mapping, new addresses and any other change related activities.

Triage and prioritize using a transparent rubric on onboarding approach and communication prioritization based on regulatory requirements.

Maintain the business backlog and work with technical or product teams to prioritize.

Establish a service‑level framework (SLAs/OLAs) for intake requests to ensure timely review, decisioning, and execution.

Coordinate dependency mapping across Operations, Marketing, and Product teams to ensure sequencing of changes does not create downstream conflicts.

Ensure all intake items are properly documented with acceptance criteria, data requirements, and expected user impact.

Change Management

Plan hyper-care for larger releases and seasonal changes (e.g., holiday schedules).

Keep SOPs current (missed pickup flows, contamination incidents, exceptions).

Develop and manage the release calendar in partnership with Product and Operations, ensuring synchronized communication across all touchpoints.

Coordinate cross‑functional readiness checks prior to each release (technical, operational, marketing, customer care).

Monitor change‑related KPIs (e.g., adoption, churn, call impacts, issue frequency) and lead post‑release retrospectives.

Content Governance (Accuracy)

Govern accepted materials lists, zone/route names, collection schedules, and push notification approach.

Establish a version‑controlled content governance process to prevent outdated or inconsistent information.

Conduct regular accuracy audits across all app content, including seasonal or municipality‑specific variations.

Partner with Marketing to ensure content tone, readability levels, and accessibility guidelines are consistently applied.

Technical & Vendor Oversight

Serve as primary business owner for the mobile app platform, ensuring alignment with product roadmap, operational needs, and resident experience requirements.

Manage relationships with platform vendors, developers, GIS partners, and integration providers; monitor performance, SLAs, and contract compliance.

Review and approve technical designs, data flows, and integration changes to ensure accuracy, security, and maintainability.

Coordinate incident triage with vendors, including reproduction steps, priority classification, and business impact assessment.

Maintain a deep understanding of how backend systems (HHBD, GIS, CRM, customer portals) integrate into the app ecosystem.

Risk, Compliance & Security

Identify and mitigate risks related to data accuracy, service provider inputs, user confusion, or operational dependencies.

Ensure compliance with municipal/regional regulatory requirements for materials lists, collection schedules, or contamination guidance.

Support privacy reviews, data handling protocols, and secure release practices in collaboration with IT and legal teams.

Maintain business continuity plans for outages, data issues, or disruptions from service providers.

Strategic Planning & Roadmap

Develop and maintain a multi‑year roadmap for the app, incorporating organizational strategy, technology evolution, resident needs, and regulatory changes.

Identify opportunities for new features, automation, or integrations (e.g., real‑time GPS tracking, personalization, AI search).

Facilitate cross‑functional planning sessions to align on priorities, capacity, and upcoming operational changes from municipalities or service providers.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operational Management

Geographic Information Systems an asset

PMP certification an asset

Change Management certification an asset

Experience

6–8+ years of program, project in digital, technology, or mobile environments.

Direct experience managing or supporting a mobile app (resident‑facing, consumer-facing, or multi-stakeholder).

Experience working with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Marketing, Operations, Customer Care).

Experience with third-party vendors, developers, or platform partners.

Demonstrated ability to manage complex data inputs

Strong background in intake management and prioritization frameworks (Kanban, Agile, RICE, MoSCoW).

Knowledge/Competencies/Skills

Strong Leadership Skills: Proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop a team.

Strong understanding of mobile app architecture, APIs/integrations, data flows, and release cycles.

Ability to translate technical documentation and requirements for both technical and non‑technical audiences.

Strong program leadership, including planning, prioritization, risk management, and cross‑functional coordination.

Experience with change management, stakeholder communication, and release readiness planning.

Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, including root‑cause analysis and KPI interpretation.

Excellent communication and relationship‑building skills across internal teams, municipalities, vendors, and service providers.

Familiarity with GIS tools (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS), spatial datasets, and structured operational data (routes, schedules, addresses) an asset but not a requirement.

Advanced analytical abilities with proficiency in Excel, CRM reporting tools, and performance measurement.

WORKING CONDITIONS

All CM employees work 40 hours per week, remotely from a home office environment.

PAY TRANSPARENCY

Expected Compensation: 

An annual base salary in the range of $      to $      OR// This position is exempt from salary disclosure requirements.  

The salary range listed complies with the Ontario Employment Standards Act and reflects a potential base salary range for this role.  The actual salary offered will be determined within the range, and will depend on factors, such as the candidate’s unique qualifications, relevant experience, work location and expected contributions.   

Job Vacancy Reason 

This position is a new role OR// current vacancy.  

Artificial Intelligence 

AI is not used during our hiring processes.  

Applicant and Interviewee Communication 

We thank all applicants for their interest. However, only those under consideration will be contacted. 

Applicants who have been interviewed will be informed whether a hiring decision has been made within 45 days of their final interview. 

Record Retention  

Job posting records and associated application forms will be retained for at least three years.  

ABOUT CIRCULAR MATERIALS 

Circular Materials is a national not-for-profit producer responsibility organization (PRO) that supports producers in meeting their extended producer responsibility (EPR) obligations across Canada. Created by producers for producers, Circular Materials develops, implements, and supports effective and efficient recycling programs to advance innovation, deliver improved environmental outcomes and drive value across the recycling supply chain. Our full-service offerings include collection, management, promotion and education, and reporting.  

Together, we are advancing the circular economy where materials are collected, recycled, and can be returned to producers for use as recycled content in new products and packaging. As we develop enhanced recycling systems across Canada, we work to ensure more materials are looped into the circular economy, benefiting both people and the environment.  

Learn more at circularmaterials.ca.  

Circular Materials is an equal opportunity employer, seeking team members with a diversity of thought, skills, experiences, culture, and ethnicity to help us achieve our purpose of accelerating a circular economy for people and the planet. As a national organization operating across Canada, our goal is to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of the many provinces and territories where we do business.  

Our inclusive hiring practices aim to foster a culture where all employees feel a strong sense of belonging. We are proud of our recent diversity survey results which showed that:  

51% of Circular Materials employees identify as women. 

53% of Circular Materials employees identify as visible minorities. 

97% of employees believe Circular Materials fosters a strong sense of belonging for employees of all backgrounds.  

95% of employees recommend Circular Materials as an inclusive workplace.   

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including women, Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis), persons with disabilities, racialized individuals, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.  As part of our commitment to reconciliation, Circular Materials is working to advance Indigenous representation and partnerships within our organization and across our programs.  We acknowledge that Circular Materials operates on the traditional territories of diverse Indigenous Nations, and we recognize the importance of respecting Indigenous rights, governance, and contributions in the workplace and beyond. 

Circular Materials supports reasonable requests for accommodation in accordance with all applicable provincial accessibility standards. Requests for accommodation will be provided by Circular Materials through the recruitment and/or assessment processes, upon contacting [email protected]. This email is only used for accommodation requests.