Academic Solution Architect
Calgary, AB
Corporate Services – Information Technology Services /
APT Permanent Salary /
On-site
The Opportunity
The Academic Solutions Architect plays a pivotal role in shaping the digital learning environment at SAIT. This position is responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing technology solutions that support teaching, learning, and academic operations. Working at the intersection of pedagogy, technology, and strategy, the Academic Solutions Architect collaborates with faculty, IT, instructional designers, and academic leadership to ensure that digital tools and platforms are aligned with institutional goals and enhance the student and faculty experience.
The ideal candidate brings a deep understanding of educational technologies, systems integration, and user-centered design, along with a strategic mindset and strong communication skills. This role is critical in driving innovation, ensuring interoperability across academic systems, and supporting data-informed decision-making in a rapidly evolving post-secondary landscape.
The Role
- Design technology solutions that are interoperable across SAIT’s system platforms for the purpose of teaching and learning.
- Research and evaluate emerging technologies that are fit for teaching and learning.
- Work with faculty, instructional designers and academic leadership to assess new academic program initiatives and technology requirements
- Develop training strategies for onboard faculty and students to new tools.
- Assess teaching and learning challenges with technology and provide recommendations to improve the experience.
- Manage project teams and activities involved in implementation.
- Research proven solutions from other post-secondaries that can be replicated.
- Document and communicated technical constraints that can impact outcomes.
- Provide detailed reporting on solution designs and performance analysis to stakeholders.
- Pilot and test solutions before implementation with detailed roadmaps of deliverables to prove feasibility.
- Identify and report project risks so key decisions can be made by stakeholders.
- Develop proof of concepts that can be applied to on-prem our cloud infrastructures.
- Work with clients and vendors to evaluate new emerging technologies that can enhance teaching and learning.
- Work with subject matter experts to test and implement improvements.
- Work with faculty and vendors to purposefully modify, augment and adjust commercial software so it’s functional in classrooms for faculty needs.
- Understand and use best practices to safely contain experiential learning that might negatively impact campus infrastructure.
- Train and provide support documentation to operational teams on how to support implemented solutions.
- Participate in committees to represent and promote the value that ITS can provide towards learning at SAIT.
- Partake in professional development opportunities to upgrade skills that support delivery of information and technical solutions.
- Special projects and duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Experience
- 10+ years of supporting windows OS in a classroom or production environment, with strong troubleshooting skills
- 10+ years supporting complex application systems and post configurations
- Knowledge of all phases of software delivery solution life cycle
- Strong knowledge of defining solutions and ability to problem-solve
- Excellent time management skills
- Knowledge of computer networks, systems, and security best practices
- Knowledge of cloud computing environments and post-secondary learning delivery solutions
- Good understanding of business processes and risk assessments
- Strong organizational and analytical skills, and applied techniques
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills
- Experience with IT Service Management ticketing systems and ITIL processes
- Excellent collaboration skills in high pressure situations and tight deadlines
- Ability to prioritize projects and tasks
- Experience building reports and dashboards for stakeholders
- Demonstrated critical thinking, analytical skill with the capability of making appropriate judgement calls to minimize risks
Qualifications, Certifications or Designations
- 4-year Post-Secondary Degree in Information Technology or equivalent
- Class 5 Alberta Driver’s license
- CompTIA A+
- ITIL Foundations
Job Classification: P2041 - Systems Analyst II
Salary Range: $93,339.120 - $118,450.00
Posting End Date: September 24th, 2024
