Entry level information technology Jobs in Pickering, ON

Senior Manager, Information Technology - Whitby, ON

The Senior Manager, Information Technology reports directly to the Assistant General Manager and leads Makita Canada's IT department. The role has three direct reports - an IT Manager, a Senior IT Technician and a Senior Data Coordinator - and is accountable for IT services at every Makita Canada location across the country.
The focus of this role is cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and project delivery. The Senior Manager owns Makita Canada's security posture and is our primary point of contact with Makita Corporation (Japan) for systems and security matters, including the annual Makita Group cybersecurity assessment. Day-to-day implementation of security controls on our ERP, servers and network is carried out by the IT Manager, who reports to this role.
Our ERP and network, end-user technology and business intelligence reporting each have an experienced specialist responsible for them. The Senior Manager sets direction, removes obstacles, manages priorities and budget, and supports each of these specialists rather than replacing them.
We are looking for someone who wants to build something. Security, process improvement and the practical use of artificial intelligence are company priorities, not side projects, and the person in this role will own them. They will also be an active member of the leadership team.

How Makita Supports Our Team Members:

• Company-paid benefits (medical/dental/vision/employee assistance plan)
• RSP plans
• Work life balance with paid/unpaid leave, including paid vacation, family related leave & personal days

What We Offer:

• Leadership of the IT function for a national organization, with an established team of specialists, direct access to Canadian leadership, and a direct line to Makita's global head office.
• A clear mandate to modernize - security, process improvement and AI adoption are company priorities with executive support.
• Support for professional development and certification.

Responsibilities:

Cybersecurity and Information Security (primary focus)

• Owns Makita Canada's information security posture and is accountable for the implementation of Makita Group security policies and controls, the identification of risks, and the development and execution of remediation plans.
• Acts as the primary point of contact with Makita Corporation's (Japan) cybersecurity team and with our managed security service provider, including escalation of critical alerts outside regular business hours.
• Leads the annual Makita Group cybersecurity assessment: completes the questionnaire, collects and submits supporting evidence with the IT Manager, represents Makita Canada in online hearings, and delivers management-approved improvement plans on schedule.
• Sets security standards and reviews their implementation across identity and access management (Microsoft 365 and Entra ID, Conditional Access, multi-factor authentication, least privilege), endpoint protection, vulnerability and patch management, backup isolation and network segmentation, working through the IT Manager and the Senior IT Technician.
• Establishes and maintains the incident response organization, escalation paths and procedures; takes command during a security incident, runs periodic exercises, and reports incidents to management and to head office.
• Delivers security awareness training to employees and reports security posture, risks and progress to Canadian leadership and to Japan.

Artificial Intelligence and Business Improvement

• Leads Makita Canada's adoption of artificial intelligence - identifies practical use cases with business departments, evaluates tools, runs pilots, sets usage and data‑handling guidelines, and builds internal capability through training and internal champions.
• Works with the Senior Data Coordinator to improve business intelligence and reporting, strengthen data quality and governance, and make company data usable for both reporting and AI initiatives.
• Identifies and implements process improvements that raise quality, increase efficiency and reduce cost, working directly with Finance, HR, Legal, Purchasing, Sales and Service.
• Advises leadership and head office on system upgrades, new platforms and technology investments, with clear cost and risk analysis.

Project and Vendor Management

• Leads IT projects end to end: scope, schedule, budget, resourcing, vendor coordination, testing, cutover and post-implementation review.
• Develops the multi-year technology plan and the IT budget, and monitors IT-related costs across all departments.
• Manages technology vendor and service provider relationships, contracts and renewals.
• Oversees and determines timeframes for major IT work including system updates, upgrades, migrations and planned outages.
• Leads, schedules and develops a small team of experienced specialists covering ERP and network, end-user technology, and data and reporting; provides coaching, mentoring, and formal and informal performance feedback.
• Builds credibility with long‑serving technical staff, draws on their knowledge of our systems, and creates an environment where they can take on new responsibilities.
• Ensures the team is trained, properly documented and able to cover for one another, and participates in recruiting for department requirements.
• Communicates clearly with non‑technical colleagues at every level of the company, in person and remotely, including group presentations.
• Is accountable for company and departmental objectives.

Systems Oversight

• Accountable for the availability, performance, backup and recovery of servers, networks, cloud services and business systems, including the AS400 (BPCS) ERP platform, which is maintained day to day by the IT Manager.
• Ensures infrastructure and support services - servers, desktops, mobile devices, communication systems and end‑user support - are delivered effectively at every location, in person and remotely.
• Maintains documentation, change management records and audit‑ready evidence.
• Performs other duties as required.

To Be Successful, You Will Have:

• Diploma or degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Technology or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive IT experience, including at least 2 years leading a team, or leading projects with formal accountability for the outcome. We welcome senior administrators and team leads who are ready to step into their first full management role.

What you bring to the team?

• Demonstrated ownership of information security in a business environment: implementing controls, managing risk, and responding to audits, assessments or customer security reviews. Familiarity with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework or CIS Controls is an asset.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft 365 and Entra ID security (Conditional Access, MFA, Intune, Defender), Windows Server and Active Directory, networking and firewalls, and backup and disaster recovery - deep enough to set standards, review work and challenge specialists constructively.
• Practical understanding of artificial intelligence in a business context - for example Microsoft Copilot or other generative AI assistants - and genuine interest in applying it safely and usefully to everyday work.
• Project management skills: planning, budgeting, vendor management, documentation and on‑time delivery.
• Experience leading or working alongside experienced technical staff, and the judgement to know when to direct and when to rely on their expertise.
• Strong written and verbal communication in English, with the ability to explain technical risk to non‑technical management and to work effectively with overseas head office teams. Japanese language ability is an asset.
• Exposure to ERP systems (AS400/BPCS or similar), EDI, or business intelligence and reporting tools, or a manufacturing or distribution environment, is an asset.
• Security or Microsoft certifications (for example CompTIA Security+, SC-300, MS-102, AZ-500, CISM) are an asset.
• Occasional travel to company locations across Canada is required, as is availability outside regular business hours for critical incidents.

Salary range

• $100,000 - $120,000 annually

Recruitment & Accessibility Statements

Unless specifically stated, all job postings at Makita Canada are to fill existing vacancies within our organization.

We thank all those who apply for employment opportunities, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Every application is initially reviewed by a member of the HR team. Applications that advance may then undergo an AI‑assisted review by the hiring manager to support the evaluation of experience, skills, and job‑related qualifications. AI is used solely as a support tool; all applications are personally reviewed by members of the Makita hiring team, and AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

Makita Canada is an equal opportunity employer. We value workplace diversity and provide inclusive, barrier‑free recruitment in accordance with Human Rights and Accessibility Legislation. Accommodation is available throughout all stages of the recruitment process upon request.

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