Manager, Information Technology at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in Montreal, QC

Manager, Information Technology

(French below/Français suit)

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a global learning company with the mission of changing people's lives by fostering passionate, curious learners. Among the world's largest providers of pre-K-12 education solutions, HMH combines cutting-edge research, editorial excellence and technological innovation to improve teaching and learning environments and solve complex literacy and education challenges. HMH's interactive, results-driven education solutions are utilized by 50 million students in over 150 countries, and its renowned and awarded novels, non-fiction, children's books and reference works are enjoyed by readers throughout the world.

The Information Technology organization is transforming to realize our mission: Become a leader in HMH’s digital transformation, and as a strategic partner, innovate and deliver highest value, competitive advantage solutions across all corporate and business functions. Our ambition is to be a digital leader through innovation and develop and deliver leading edge technology such as robotic process automation and artificial intelligence to solve some of HMH’s greatest operational business challenges. Our professionals will have business relevant skills to connect our HMH partners to technologies that propel the businesses to deliver the greatest value for HMH and our customers. We are building a team of IT professionals with an insatiable appetite to learn, a relentless focus on customer service, a technological curiosity toward future possibilities, and a creativity in solving business challenges with leading technologies. Our team will find ways to work together, create a sense of community where it’s safe to take risks and learn together, develop our careers, and all have an opportunity to work on new technologies. We will work together, learn together and have fun together. As a team, we will lead HMH’s digital transformation.

The Opportunity – IT Manager

The Information Technology Manager builds and maintains strong relationships with technology and business stakeholders, acts as strategic advisor to the business area leadership, plans, budgets and works across the IT organization to ensure the delivery of IT projects and services to the business. Responsible for managing a team of full time and contractor resources with a broad scope of applications, systems, and processes to support.

This role will also be a key collaborator and heavily engaged in the Next Gen Digital Operations initiative at HMH which will focus in upgrade front office and back office infrastructure to transition the organization to Digital First.

Duties & Responsibilities: 

Duties & responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Collaborates with Global Supply Chain business to understand IT requirements and priorities
• Works very closely with the Enterprise Architecture team for the assessment of new tools or redesign of existing ones.
• Defines, prioritizes, and sponsors program and project initiatives for the business
• Communicates business needs with appropriate IT teams to gain alignment between business needs and technical capabilities
• Manages SAP Center of Excellence, oversees a team of full-time employees and contractors responsible for the ongoing maintenance and enhancements of the SAP application stack
• Maintains up-to-date awareness of the current and future directions of the industry and associated technologies, and, where appropriate, makes recommendations for implementation of new/upgraded systems and technologies
• Monitors and manages financials for areas of responsibility

Skills & Requirements:

Required

• Minimum 3+ years of proven working experience as IT Manager
• Minimum 3+ years of experience using agile methodologies, including lean and continuous improvement environments
• Demonstrated record of managing external vendors to deliver technology solutions
• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills—able to communicate technology solutions to non-technical stakeholders by focusing on business outcomes and value
• Self-starter and strong leader capable of organizing teams to deliver quality and timely solutions to our internal customers
• Extensive knowledge of IT industry standard service delivery, operations, processes, standards, tools, and capabilities with a focus on applications and project management
• Track record of developing and implementing IT system and process changes to improve business performance

Preferred

• Strong preference for someone with technical know-how of SAP and surrounding ERP ecosystems
• Ability to work across multiple functions / organizations and build trusted working relationships
• Ability to learn and follow processes while also identifying opportunities for process improvement
• Ability to handle conflict and difficult situations

Physical Requirements:

• Might be in a stationary position for a considerable time (sitting and/or standing)
• The person in this position needs to move about inside office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer
• Must be able to collaborate with colleagues via face to face, conference calls, and online meetings