JOB TITLE: ITS Senior Specialist (Web & Mobile Development)
About TPL:
Toronto Public Library (TPL) is North America’s busiest public library system. TPL employs approximately 2,400 staff who provide high quality library services to the people of Toronto across 100 locations.
ASSIGNMENT – Front-End Digital Experience Development
This position focuses on front-end digital experience development and supports related technology areas as business needs evolve. The role contributes expertise across teams as required. The position is responsible for designing, building, and supporting modern, scalable, and secure front-end digital experiences for web and mobile platforms. This includes developing responsive, accessible, and user-centered interfaces using technologies such as React, Laravel, JavaScript/TypeScript, HTML5, and CSS3, and integrating applications with backend services and APIs, including those built on Laravel. The role translates business requirements and UX/UI designs into maintainable solutions and supports application modernization to improve accessibility, performance, and cross-platform compatibility. The position applies development and DevOps practices, including containerization and automated build and deployment processes, and uses monitoring and debugging tools to ensure reliable digital services through collaboration and continuous improvement.
HOURS PER WEEK AND SCHEDULE OF WORK (HOURS AND SCHEDULE OF WORK ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 19): 35 hours per week.
Week 1 & 2: Mon - Fri. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
Plus seven [7] variable hours. Variable hours will be required based on operational needs to accommodate support and IT changes scheduled for off hours and weekends.
JOB SUMMARY:
As part of an end-to-end delivery, the Web & Mobile Development Senior Specialist builds compelling digital products with a focus on channels such as web and mobile. From architecture and design through development to deployments and maintenance, the role will apply user-centered design to drive meaningful experiences for TPL’s customers. The role will focus on building out digital experiences primarily for the browser, using industry standard technologies and tools, and in conjunction with peers across disciplines such as creative, UI/UX, back-end service development and agile delivery. The role provides subject matter expertise on a grouping of digital products as well as supports product roadmap planning and is accountable to keep current with industry standards. In supporting the digital products portfolio, this Senior Specialist works with business stakeholders to ensure products deliver value and are meeting business requirements for functionality, availability, and performance.
DUTIES:
Under the general direction of the designated supervisor, and working within a team structure, this position is responsible for:
Product Design and Development
- Works closely with Enterprise Project Management Office staff or ITS Leads by providing and completing tasks for projects, while meeting timelines and ensuring high quality deliverables
- Analyzes and translates business requirements/needs into practical solutions that fit into the library’s overall technical architecture, future direction, and strategic plans.
- Participates in business workflow and process discussions in order to translate these to technical solutions
- Applies “inclusive design” principles and takes into account responsive and accessibility standards
- Maintains high standards of code quality within the team and helps establish good practices including capturing software defects
- Participates in peer-reviews of solution designs and related code
- Creates technical and support documentation and provides training to support team members (including Service Desk staff), for successful transition to management & support.
- Leverages emerging technologies, processes, and disciplines to deliver best in class solutions
- Works closely with the ITS solution architects, Security, and Enterprise Technology teams during product design for the assigned products and projects
- Creates user-centered products based on business and functional requirements and designs, user research, market analysis, customer feedback, and usability findings
- Develops conceptual diagrams, wireframes, visual mock-ups, usage scenarios, navigation maps, and prototypes
- Regularly incorporates end-user feedback into design and prototypes using Agile development concepts
- Designs and develops the front-end UI for mobile applications using Rich Media Application knowledge
- Develops the back-end server-side scripting needed to interface with the front-end UI
Product Management and Support
- Acts as technical subject matter expert and provides support, issue resolution, and request management for selected products while working closely with other internal ITS teams, business, and vendors to resolve incidents and problems requiring multi-department involvement
- Works with teammates to migrate legacy web properties to newer technologies
- Monitors all critical production processes and technologies that have high visibility and impact on business operations
- Proactively identifies product risk and mitigation, capacity availability & continuity management. Provides input to organizational disaster recovery and emergency planning
- Partners with business and technical groups to support ongoing business requirements
- Works with the business and ITS lead/manager to assess, scope, prioritize, solution, test and implement product enhancement requests
- Creates and maintains support documentation for assigned products
- Ensures all product changes are thoroughly tested and implemented into production following the change management process
- Researches, develops, tests and recommends process improvements, automation for driving efficiencies, stability, cost savings and communicates them with the lead/manager and team
- Actively participates in regular team, project, business, and committee meetings
- Collaborates with business units to improve the end-user experience and adoption of digital channels
- Performs other duties as required.
- Evening, weekend and callback work may be required
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Post-secondary degree in Computer Science Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
- Minimum of eight (8) – Ten (10) years relevant hands-on work experience in a in a development role – leading, designing and producing web / mobile / enterprise solutions in a professional development environment
- Solid grounding in Object Oriented design and development principles
- Proven development experience (ex. HTML5, CSS3/Sass, JavaScript)
- Demonstrated experience building server side applications (ex. React JS, Ruby on Rails, Java/Java EE, Linux / shell scripting, Git/SVN source control)
- Able to effectively communicate technical concepts to a nontechnical audience
- Demonstrated experience implementing and developing with service oriented architectures
- Demonstrated experience developing and integrating third party Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
- Skills and knowledge necessary to design applications on multiple smart
- Programming experience on multiple operating
- Experience working with a multi-disciplinary team using Agile methodologies. Software life cycle experience and tools (i.e. Bug Tracking, Requirements Management, etc.)
- Experience using a Unix-like operating system such as Linux and/or Mac OS
- Knowledge of relational and non-relational database systems
- Experience in system administration and configuration management
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with experience leading discussions, developing and fostering teamwork and facilitating team dynamics.
- Experience with introducing and implementing technology paradigm shifts in organizations (E.g. DevOps, APIs, etc.)
- Ability to work independently and in a team-oriented environment with the ability to collaboratively lead technical teams
- Ability to balance logical problem solving with innovative thinking
The Toronto Public Library does not ask for a credit card, banking information, or social insurance number during the recruitment process. Do not respond to emails or requests for information about jobs at TPL that are not sent from an @tpl.ca address.
ACCOMMODATION:
We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require Code-protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to meet your needs.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Toronto Public Library (TPL) invites applications from all qualified individuals. The Library is committed to equal opportunity, diversity in the workplace, equity and reconciliation, and welcomes applications from Indigenous people, Black and racialized groups, people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQ+ people and women.
All applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada. Toronto Public Library (TPL) will be using email to communicate with you for all job competitions. It is your responsibility to include an updated email address that is checked daily. As we send time sensitive correspondence, we recommend that you check your email regularly. If no response is received, we will assume you are no longer interested in pursuing the opportunity. Please be advised that a Criminal Record Check may be required of the successful candidate. Should it be determined that any background information provided be misleading, inaccurate or incorrect, Toronto Public Library (TPL) reserves the right to discontinue with the consideration of your application.
