Director of Broadcast Engineering & Information Technology

The Opportunity

Knowledge Network, British Columbia’s Public Broadcaster is seeking a Director of Broadcast Engineering & Information Technology to lead the technical design, management and execution of our broadcast television channel, our corporate IT infrastructure and to provide support for the operation of our streaming platforms.

Knowledge Network provides a distinct television and streaming service for British Columbians. The Knowledge brand is unique – we are not selling a product but providing a service that embodies the values of community, curiosity and understanding. Our broadcast engineering and IT team provides the technological leadership and management for a linear television channel, two streaming sites (knowledge.ca and knowledgekids.ca) and numerous streaming apps for both our Knowledge Prime and Knowledge Kids brands in addition to corporate IT support for our small but mighty team of dedicated employees.

Reporting to the President + CEO and a key member of the Knowledge Leadership Team, you will be at the forefront of the evolution in broadcasting, leveraging the latest technologies and methodologies to ensure that our broadcast infrastructure is robust and future-proof, optimizing our viewers experience to ensure our platforms remain a trusted source of education and entertainment for British Columbians. Finally, you will lead a high-performing team of eight comprised of broadcast and IT engineers, operators and technicians to foster a culture of collaboration, inclusion, continuous improvement and innovation.

Who We Are:

British Columbia’s Knowledge Network is an independent provincial public broadcaster that operates a free and commercial-free television channel in B.C. and streaming services across Canada.

Our office is located in Burnaby on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples who continue to steward these lands and waters as they have since time immemorial. We recognize these Indigenous Peoples who actively create, shape and contribute to our thriving communities.

Funded by an annual operating grant from the provincial government and donations from loyal viewers, Knowledge Network offers curated content from all over the world and award-winning Knowledge Originals from BC filmmakers. Our programming informs, enlightens and connects British Columbians to each other and the world.

What You will be Doing:

Broadcast Engineering

Develops and executes a strategic roadmap for broadcast engineering activities, aligning with the organization’s broader goals and the evolving landscape of the broadcast and streaming sector.
Leads the research, design, installation, repair, and maintenance of all television, satellite and OTT transmission systems, production environments, and associated equipment.
Supervises the installation, operations, and maintenance of all master control, broadcast network infrastructure and technical servers.
Works in close collaboration with the Streaming Platforms department to deliver a high-quality streaming viewing experience for British Columbians, by contributing to technical system design, participating in the review of software solutions, and integrating linear components.
Regularly reviews and monitors the performance, observability and transmission of broadcast and streaming channels, implementing optimizations and solutions as needed to meet the needs of the organization.
Directs Master Control operations; ensures processes and procedures that provide technical operational support for broadcast activities; ensures communication protocols to inform the department, leadership and teams on the status of broadcast systems; leads live broadcast, live streaming and manages streaming impairment situations in real-time; and manages escalation protocols.
Ensures broadcast transmissions follow regulatory and industry specifications (close captioning, described video, SMPTE standards, etc.)
Leads the business continuity/disaster recovery plan for the organization.
Ensures the successful execution of engineering projects while ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
Collaborates with programming, business affairs, traffic and brand teams to ensure operational needs are addressed with efficiency and accuracy.
Manages relationships with third-party vendors through contract negotiations, project delivery and ongoing operations to guarantee efficiencies, value and high-quality service to the organization.
Manages support contracts and software subscriptions for the broadcast and streaming platforms.
Proactively researches industry trends, innovations and best practices for the benefit of the organization.
Maintains membership in relevant industry organizations and regular contact with peers at other Canadian broadcasters/streamers to ensure the sharing of information

Information Technology

Leads the organization-wide technology strategy, cyber-security strategy and infrastructure development.
Ensures IT systems are effective and functioning within the limits defined by the organization.
Develops an analysis of the current IT environment and recommends and implements solutions for continuous improvement.
Maintains the security of Knowledge Network’s IT infrastructure by ensuring that appropriate controls are fully implemented across the organization and operating effectively, and that alerts are investigated in a timely manner.
Oversees the selection and implementation of cybersecurity technologies, tools and services including firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and vulnerability scanners.
Manages the cybersecurity incident response and recovery efforts, including the investigation and resolution of security incidents.
Collaborates with other internal resources to balance organizational requirements while addressing security concerns and developing solutions that balance cost and operational efficiency with IT security requirements.
Defines standards and processes for system back-ups in line with evolving records retention requirements.
Leads the IT Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery plan.
Directs implementation, operations and ongoing refinement of IT Helpdesk technology systems, telephone, meeting room audiovisual systems and associated applications.
Works interdepartmentally to identify new technologies to increase efficiencies and optimize workflows.
Manages relationships with third-party vendors through contract negotiations, project delivery and ongoing operations to guarantee efficiencies, value and high-quality service to the organization.
Manages support contracts and software subscriptions for the corporate IT network.
Provides strategic advice to the President & CEO and the Knowledge Leadership Team related to IT security, IT threat and risk management, IT disaster recovery and associated information management and IT security controls.

Strategic Leadership & Management

Participates in strategic planning, decision-making and collaborates on cross-departmental initiatives.
Provides leadership, oversight, mentorship and guidance for all team members to support a high-performing, inclusive and respectful workplace.
Develops and refines systems and processes to ensure clear communication of objectives and high-level coordination of team priorities, activities and projects.
Manages the annual department budget, plans and objectives, tracking actuals and reporting on progress with strategic and operational goals and objectives.

What You Bring to the Team:

Experience & Knowledge:

10 years of increasing technical responsibility in a broadcast engineering or information technology environment
5 years of increasing management responsibility leading a role diverse technical team
Must have sufficient university, college, and/or technical training to effectively lead and manage a department of highly skilled and performing broadcast engineers, technicians and operators.
Possess a deep contemporary knowledge of broadcast network and streaming technologies.
A thorough understanding of the broadcast, livestream and video-on-demand ecosystems.
A solid understanding of CRTC regulations for television stations, Broadcast Distribution Units and the streaming industry.
Proficient in latest technology for IT systems and management and a thorough understanding of IT and practical applications
Experience with implementation and execution of infrastructure, security procedures and controls, process improvement and vendor management.
Experience establishing plans, developing processes that allow for efficient workflows.
Expertise in overseeing large-scale projects from inception to completion, ensuring they stay on track and within budget.
Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Strong cross-cultural competencies.

Skills & Abilities:

A leader committed to creating an inclusive culture and a representative workplace with a diversity of thought and experience.
An exceptional communicator with outstanding written and verbal skills and with the ability to communicate highly technical information in a concise and clear manner to an audience of varying technical aptitudes.
A strong analytical thinker, with an innate ability to think through complex issues and design innovation solutions while removing roadblocks and presenting solutions for immediate and long-term challenges.
A problem solver focused on diagnosing and resolving root causes and building on and supporting effective solutions.
A strong coach and mentor, who can direct and motivate a high-performing team, clearly communicating objectives, ensuring an understanding of “the big picture”.
A learner adaptable to new tools and technologies quickly, while staying up to date with industry best practices and innovations.
A relationship builder who can work with colleagues, direct reports, management, industry peers and external vendors to establish trust and connection inside and outside the organization.
A project leader who is detail-oriented, organized, resourceful, and proactive.
A strategic thinker with the ability to set priorities, multi-task, problem solve and meet deadlines.
A belief in the value of public broadcasting and a commitment to public service.

Preferred Knowledge of (or Similar Equipment/Products):

Broadcast

Imagine Communications Versio and ADC
Telestream Vantage
Telestream Diva
Various HD-SDI video equipment, including Grass Valley and Blackmagic
Broadcast Video Standards (Captions, VChip, Audio, etc.)
Broadview Traffic Software

Information Technology

Microsoft Systems (Active Directory, Exchange, SQL Server, IIS, etc.)
Microsoft Cloud Services (Azure, Office 365, etc.)
AWS Cloud Services
VMWare Vsphere
Operating Systems (Windows Server, Windows 10/11, Linux, MacOS)
Networking Equipment and Technologies (Switches, Routers, Firewalls, etc.)
Information Security Tools and Practices

What We Bring:

At Knowledge Network, we are a stable, trusted and inclusive employer who believes employees are our number one asset. As such, we offer competitive benefits including:

A Competitive Salary - $121,857 – $155,307 annually
A Defined Benefit Pension Plan – College Pension Plan with employer contributions
Generous Vacation Entitlement - starting at 4 weeks along with 13 annual statutory holidays.
100% Employer-paid dental, extended health, vision care for you and your family
Wellness supports, including an Employee and Family Assistance Program, lunch and learn seminars, and mental health resources.
Work-Life Balance – hybrid work option with flexible work schedules.
Training and Professional Development funds to support your continuous learning and development.

Knowledge Network is committed to employment equity and building a skilled, diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we serve. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and encourage candidates to voluntarily indicate in their cover letter if they are a member of a First Nations group, Inuk or Métis; a racialized person; a person with a disability; a woman; or LGBTQ2S+.

Knowledge Network is committed to developing inclusive, barrier-free selection processes and work environments. If you require accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, including but not limited to, mental health, physical disability, religious practices or medical conditions, please let us know by contacting hr@knowledge.ca.

If you are passionate about this opportunity and want to contribute your experience and expertise, please submit a cover letter and resume to hr@knowledge.ca, by March 1, 2024. We thank all applicants for their interest; only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

This position is only open to those legally entitled to work in Canada and with the ability to commute to our office in Burnaby.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $121,857.00-$155,307.00 per year

Benefits:

Company pension
Dental care
Disability insurance
Employee assistance program
Extended health care
Flexible schedule
Life insurance
Paid time off
Vision care
Work from home

Schedule:

8 hour shift
Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Burnaby, BC

Application deadline: 2024-03-01

Knowledge Network

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Director of Broadcast Engineering & Information Technology