The Role
Provides technical leadership for complex IT projects and programs, translating business goals into technical plans, milestones, dependencies, and delivery decisions. Coordinates architecture, engineering, security, infrastructure, operations, product, vendors, and business teams. Guides design, testing, implementation, cutover, stabilization, and operational handoff while managing risks, governance, technical readiness, and stakeholder communication.
Summary Generated by Built In
This position requires in-person collaboration up to five days a week. This arrangement is subject to change based on business requirements.
Why WestJet:
Since our story took off in 1996, WestJet has strived to enrich the lives of everyone in our world; a career with us is no exception. We’re proud to be one of Canada’s most admired and respected corporate cultures and continuously aim for the highest standards of service and success.
Join us, this is where your career story takes off.
Overview of role:
The Project/Program Tech Lead provides technical leadership on complex projects and programs. They make sure solutions are planned and delivered in line with enterprise standards, business goals, and operational needs. Working across delivery, architecture, engineering, product, vendor, and business teams, they turn program goals into clear technical direction, manage technical dependencies and risks, and guide teams through delivery. The role keeps work aligned, technically sound, and focused on outcomes from start-up through implementation and hand-off to operations.
Key deliverables / responsibilities include:
- Technical Delivery Leadership: Lead the day-to-day technical work on assigned projects and programs, and make sure teams understand the solution direction, scope, constraints, and expected outcomes.
- Solution Alignment: Work with Solution Architects, engineering, security, infrastructure, operations, product, and vendor teams to keep solutions in line with enterprise standards, target-state architecture, operational needs, and business priorities. The Solution Architect sets the solution direction, standards, patterns, and major trade-offs; the Tech Lead turns that direction into practical plans and coordinates delivery across teams.
- Technical Planning: Break program goals into technical work packages, milestones, sequencing, and integration points. Support estimates, sprint or release planning, and roadmap alignment where needed.
- Dependency and Risk Management: Track and manage technical dependencies, assumptions, risks, and decisions across teams. Raise issues early, and offer clear options, recommendations, and trade-offs so decisions can be made on time.
- Execution Support: Guide teams through design, build, test, implementation, cutover, stabilization, and hand-off to operations. Make sure teams are technically ready for key milestones, and lead end-to-end technical triage when work is off plan or issues arise.
- Governance and Decision Support: Prepare for and take part in architecture, technical, security, operational, and delivery reviews. Keep clear records of technical decisions and share them with the teams they affect.
- Stakeholder Communication: Explain technical topics in clear, plain terms for delivery teams, business stakeholders, leadership, and vendors. Give short, regular updates on progress, risks, issues, and recommendations.
- Quality and Operational Readiness: Support solution testing, non-functional requirements, release readiness, support model definition, and hand-off to operations.
- Vendor and Partner Coordination: Work with vendors, partners, and internal teams to line up technical deliverables, clarify who owns what, remove blockers, and keep delivery joined up across the full solution.
- Continuous Improvement: Look for ways to improve delivery practices, technical standards, documentation, reuse, automation, and how teams work together.
- Artifacts: Accountable for the delivery of physical design diagrams and operational playbooks.
Experience and qualifications:
- Post-secondary degree or diploma in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, Business Technology, or a related field preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- 8+ years in technology delivery, including leading technical work on complex projects or programs.
- Good working knowledge of software delivery, systems integration, cloud, data, infrastructure, security, and operational support.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams without direct authority, including internal teams, vendors, and partners.
- Experience turning business goals into technical plans, milestones, dependencies, risks, and decisions.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain technical topics clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Familiar with Agile, hybrid, and waterfall delivery, including sprint planning, release planning, cutover planning, and project governance.
- Comfortable working through ambiguity, removing technical blockers, making practical recommendations, and getting people aligned.
- Relevant certifications such as PMP, PMI-ACP, Scrum, SAFe, ITIL, cloud, architecture, or vendor/platform certifications are considered an asset.
The benefits of being a WestJetter:
WestJet provides all WestJetters with a competitive total rewards package. On top of that, we offer:
- A fun and friendly culture with colleagues who work together to win
- Travel privileges for you and your family, effective from your start date
- Savings and Benefit programs that are flexible to meet your specific needs
Think we’re a great fit? Apply now!
About WestJet Group of Companies
WestJet took to the skies in 1996 with just over 200 employees and three aircraft operating service to five destinations. Since then, WestJet has pioneered low-cost travel in Canada, cutting airfares in half, and increasing the flying population in Canada by more than 50 per cent. Since the Sunwing Airlines integration in 2025, more than 15,000 WestJetters support nearly 200 aircraft and connect guests to our global network of more than 100 destinations across North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. The WestJet Group is a major Canadian employer and includes WestJet Airlines, WestJet Encore and Sunwing Vacations Group. We’re Canada’s leading value airline and largest vacation provider, with a united purpose of providing affordable and accessible air and vacation travel to Canadians.
Our safety promise
At WestJet, the safety and security of our people and our guests is a core value and at the heart of what we do. Safety and security are shared responsibilities all team members are expected to use safe work practices to ensure their well-being and the safety of others. WestJet recognizes that the use of Alcohol and Drugs can adversely impact a safe work environment and the well-being of others including guests, suppliers and the public, as well as place WestJet's operations at risk. All roles that are identified as Safey-Sensitive are required to pass a Pre-Employment Alcohol and Drug Test as per WestJet's Alcohol and Drug Policy.
Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
We embrace what makes each of us unique, and what makes us uniquely WestJet. We welcome diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds so if you're passionate about this role, we encourage you to apply – even if you don't meet every qualification listed. WestJet is committed to inclusiveness, equity and accessibility throughout the selection process. If you require accommodation at any stage, please contact our Talent Acquisition team at [email protected].
We value the time and effort you put into your application. Our recruitment process is highly competitive and while every applicant will receive communication regarding their application status, only those selected to move forward will be contacted with next steps. If this role isn’t the right fit, we encourage you to explore future opportunities with us.
For more information about everything WestJet, please westjet.com/aboutus.
If you wish to withdraw your application or request that your personal information be deleted, please contact us at [email protected].
If you wish to withdraw your application or request that your personal information be deleted, please contact us at [email protected].
Skills Required
- Post-secondary degree or diploma in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, Business Technology, or a related field, or equivalent education and experience
- 8+ years of experience in technology delivery, including leadership of technical work on complex projects or programs
- Working knowledge of software delivery, systems integration, cloud, data, infrastructure, security, and operational support
- Experience leading cross-functional teams without direct authority, including internal teams, vendors, and partners
- Experience translating business goals into technical plans, milestones, dependencies, risks, and decisions
- Strong communication skills for explaining technical topics to technical and non-technical audiences
- Familiarity with Agile, hybrid, and waterfall delivery, including sprint, release, cutover, and governance planning
- Ability to work through ambiguity, remove technical blockers, make practical recommendations, and align stakeholders
- PMP, PMI-ACP, Scrum, SAFe, ITIL, cloud, architecture, or vendor/platform certifications
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The Company
What We Do
WestJet is a Canadian airline and the parent company of WestJet Airlines, WestJet Encore, and Sunwing Vacations Group. It provides affordable scheduled air travel connecting Canada with destinations across North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. The WestJet Group also operates vacation and cargo businesses, serving travelers and businesses through an expanding network while emphasizing reliability, operational excellence, and value.
