Platform Lead (Computer Services Officer 4)

Competition # : 49523

Department: Cyber Security & Digital Solutions

Location: HALIFAX

Type of Employment: Permanent

Union Status: NSGEU - NSPG

Closing Date: 18-Aug-26 (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

About Us

At CSDS, we prioritize people—both within our team and in the communities we serve. Our mission is to redefine how Nova Scotians engage with government by creating accessible, reliable digital solutions centered around user needs.

In today’s tech-driven world, CSDS empowers government departments with essential digital solutions to meet Nova Scotians’ expectations. As a trusted partner across government, we enable departments to fulfill their mandates with secure, user-friendly services. From healthcare and education to public safety, we collaborate to transform how services are designed and delivered.

We don’t just implement technology; we modernize outdated systems and reimagine processes. Our agile, data-driven approach ensures that digital services are both efficient and adaptable to Nova Scotia’s evolving needs.

Joining CSDS means contributing to work that makes a real difference. From providing vital tech support to healthcare professionals to strengthening cybersecurity and developing scalable digital platforms, you’ll play a key role in building a more inclusive, responsive government for Nova Scotians.

Together, we’re setting new standards for digital public service, delivering resilient solutions that meet today’s needs—and anticipate tomorrow’s challenges.

About Our Opportunity

Reporting to the Manager of Digital Collaboration, the Platform Lead provides expert insight and technical stewardship for Power Platform, Dynamics 365 and Microsoft 365. The role leads the strategic visioning, planning, and definition of cross-platform capabilities and activities within the Modern Collaboration Architecture.

The Platform Lead takes ownership of productive and collaborative solutions and platform services, providing guidance to users and leaders and supervising analysts and specialists. The position ensures services and products meet the needs of client departments across the Provincial Government, Nova Scotia Health (NSH), and IWK, and support outcomes for citizens of Nova Scotia. The role evolves platform capabilities to continuously align with government and client needs.

Primary Accountabilities

As the Platform Lead, you will provide strategic leadership for the Government of Nova Scotia's Microsoft Power Platform, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and emerging collaboration technologies. You will shape the future direction of these platforms, ensuring they remain secure, scalable, innovative, and aligned with business priorities across government.

In this role, you will lead platform and product strategy, establishing roadmaps, growth objectives, and service plans that support business outcomes and enhance the user experience. You will oversee enterprise governance for Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, Power BI, Dataverse, and Microsoft Copilot, ensuring these technologies are used effectively while meeting security, privacy, compliance, and risk management requirements.

You will define and maintain key platform standards, including environment management, application lifecycle management (ALM), and maker enablement practices. By implementing governance frameworks, data loss prevention policies, connector controls, and tenant management strategies, you will help create a secure and well-managed technology environment that enables innovation while protecting government data.

As the owner of the Power Platform Centre of Excellence (CoE), you will leverage analytics, monitoring tools, and governance dashboards to assess platform health, identify risks, analyze adoption trends, and provide actionable recommendations to leadership. You will continuously improve governance processes and platform performance using data-driven insights and industry best practices.

Working closely with business and technology partners, you will plan and prioritize platform enhancements using agile, customer-focused approaches. You will promote the adoption of modern digital solutions, identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs, and evaluate emerging technologies to support the ongoing evolution of government services.

You will also provide leadership to a team of analysts and specialists, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing culture. Through coaching, mentoring, and talent development, you will build team capability, encourage continuous learning, and promote a product-focused mindset that supports the delivery of modern digital services across government.

Qualifications and Experience

As an experienced Platform Lead, you must have a relevant degree and five (5) years of relevant and progressive experience; or graduation from a recognized Information Technology Program and five (5) years and six (6) months of relevant and progressive experience; or an equivalent combination of training and experience may be acceptable.

You can demonstrate with evidence your experience with the following:

• Provide deep technical expertise in Power Platform, Microsoft 365 (e.g., SharePoint, OneDrive), and/or Dynamics 365 and related productivity and collaboration tools.
• Lead technology change initiatives and platform deployments, including stakeholder readiness and adoption.
• Develop and execute strategic technology plans, translating priorities into an achievable roadmap.
• Engage users and stakeholders and use qualitative and quantitative insights to drive platform service and product improvements.
• Deliver platform products and services using agile product management practices (e.g., user stories, MVP definition, and roadmap/backlog prioritization).
• Work effectively in multidisciplinary teams and apply practices such as user research, service design, usability, analytics, and accessibility.
• Make sound decisions and trade-offs to manage a platform backlog and roadmap through design, delivery, and continuous improvement.
• Design and lead efficient, collaborative platform operations and support, including incident and service request workflows.
• Define, monitor, and report on measurable platform performance targets and service outcomes.
• Communicate clearly in writing and verbally, translating complex technical concepts for diverse stakeholders across government and health.
• Manage scope, resourcing, and budgets to deliver new and existing products that meet user needs.
• Foster empowered teams by delegating effectively and providing coaching, feedback, and support.
• Apply a strategic, innovative, and problem-solving mindset.

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Experience in a similar role, and Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Dynamics 365 certifications, are considered assets.

We will assess the above qualifications and competencies using one or more of the following tools: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.

We recognize that everyone brings different skills and experiences to the table and that not everyone “checks all the boxes”. We encourage you to apply anyway! Tell us why you’re the right fit for the job.

Equivalency

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.

What We Offer

• Career development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career
• Engaging workplace: our employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies
• Countless career paths
• A Dynamic, client-focused office environment where service excellence and teamwork are our focus.
  
  

Pay Grade: PR 17

Salary Range: $3,410.48 - $4,005.58 Bi-Weekly

Employment Equity Statement: Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.

Accommodation Statement: We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Candidates may request accommodations based on any grounds protected by the Human Rights Act. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process, please contact us at competitions@novascotia.ca.

This is a bargaining unit position initially restricted to current civil service employees represented by the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union (NSGEU). If applying from outside a government office, employees must apply correctly via this link:

Failure to apply correctly means that your application will not be given first consideration as a bargaining unit applicant, and will only be included if external applications are pursued.

External applicants and current casual employees will only be considered if there are no qualified civil service bargaining unit candidates. PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.

If you are receiving a pension from the Nova Scotia Public Service Superannuation Plan (PSSP) or any related plans, you cannot receive pension payments while contributing to the same plan. If you accept a position that requires PSSP contributions, your pension payments must be stopped. Please contact the Nova Scotia Pension Services Corporation for more information.

Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to Competitions@novascotia.ca.