IT Support Specialist

Who we are

Children are at the front and centre of what we do; they are the foundation of our purpose and the basis for our evidence-driven strategy. Our mission is to transform the lives of children, youth and their families by developing and delivering innovative, research-based mental health and early learning programs. At the Child Development Institute (CDI), we are passionate about helping our communities’ most vulnerable members and their caregivers. It motivates each of us to face what can be difficult situations while continuously finding the purest joy in play, in silence, in advice, and in the unbelievable strength and resilience of our young clients. Joining us now is a rewarding opportunity to be part of an organization that is built on a legacy of more than 100 years of helping children and families. 

Recognized as a leader and model for measurement-based impact, we are client-centred, family-centred, and data-informed. We are a place where professionals grounded in mental health, care, and well-being of infants, children and youth, come together in collaboration, learning and inclusion. As a multiservice organization delivering social, emotional, and behavioural counselling services, early childhood education, learning disabilities and mental health services, and family violence services, we address the whole person from when they begin their life. Every child and family that reaches out to us is unique, and we value and embrace their individuality. We deliver the tailored support and tools they need to build life-long skills, positive mental health, and resilience. With their trust in us, we guide children and families along a supportive journey. It is an often difficult path and simultaneously the most rewarding experience for providers, children and families.

Who we need

Reporting to the Manager, IT Support Services, we are hiring an IT Support Specialist on a two year contract. In this  role, you will ensure systems remain secure, stable, and available, while supporting initiatives such as cloud migration, network upgrades, and automation.

You will provide day-to-day technical support across multiple programs and locations, troubleshooting issues, supporting infrastructure and cloud platforms, and maintaining end-user devices. Your work will directly enable teams to deliver essential community services without interruption.

This existing vacancy is a full-time, hybrid position, with on-site work on Mondays plus two additional in-office days and two remote days per week. Initial onboarding and training will take place fully on-site. The role requires flexibility to adjust on-site days as needed, travel to nearby locations outside the downtown Toronto core, and provide support outside standard business hours during peak project periods.

What’s in it for you:

Technical challenges. You want to play a key role in critical technology projects. You will be part of a digital transformation that includes LAN/WAN upgrades, cloud migration, PowerShell automation, SharePoint adoption, and expanded documentation and process design. 

Growth. You want to broaden and deepen your experience in cloud services, automation, enterprise support, custom applications, scripting, and a wide range of technologies. You will work with a robust IT team and directly support over 200 devices, gaining exposure to systems and projects rarely available in a single role.

Meaningful impact. You want to empower teams with access to reliable, cutting-edge technology and tools so they can focus on our mission. You will enhance the daily technology experience for staff across community programs, enabling the organization to transform its approach to technology. You will play a central role in ensuring stability, security, accessibility, and operational continuity, directly contributing to improved outcomes for their community-based clients.

As our new I.T Support Specialist, you will:

• Deliver end-to-end technical support. You will respond to and resolve a wide range of technical issues spanning devices, applications, cloud platforms, and network connectivity. From initial intake through final resolution, you will retain ownership of each request, providing support both remotely and onsite for challenges related to access, email, printing, and device performance. All incidents and service requests will be tracked, updated, and documented through an ITSM platform such as Jira Service Management.
• Operate and improve core systems and infrastructure. You will deploy, configure, and support laptops, iPads, AV equipment, and network hardware, including switches, routers, firewalls, wireless access points, and newly introduced endpoints. Your work will support ongoing LAN and WAN modernization initiatives, covering installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and maintenance, while contributing to the organization’s overall security posture.
• Manage and automate cloud environments. You will administer Microsoft 365, Azure AD, and SharePoint environments throughout and beyond the migration of five legacy servers to SharePoint. Responsibilities include account provisioning, license assignment, policy configuration, and service optimization. You will build automation using PowerShell and contribute to a long-term cloud strategy, including preparing for a future transition from Azure to AWS.
• Support business-critical applications. You will troubleshoot and support both proprietary and commercial applications that underpin daily operations. This includes working closely with internal stakeholders and external vendors to resolve issues, implement enhancements, and deploy updates. Full training will be provided on specialized systems and workflows.
• Oversee device and access lifecycle management. You will play a key role in onboarding and offboarding by preparing devices, provisioning user accounts, managing permissions, issuing equipment, and ensuring accurate access configuration. You will help maintain cloud environments across Microsoft 365 and Azure, with a forward-looking focus on AWS to ensure seamless user transitions.
• Strengthen documentation, adoption, and change management. You will create and maintain SOPs, configuration documentation, knowledge articles, and training resources. You will promote consistent ticketing practices, support internal knowledge sharing, and assist with device rollouts, pilot programs, migrations, and organization-wide technology changes. You will also deliver hands-on training to staff, including those who require extra support or reassurance with foundational tools such as email and printing.
• Support organization-wide technology initiatives. You will contribute to cloud migration efforts, including on-premises-to-SharePoint transitions and future Azure-to-AWS initiatives. You will assist with infrastructure upgrades, endpoint refreshes, and enterprise application deployments as part of broader modernization projects.

What you bring:

• The experience. You have a customer-first approach and are driven by the opportunity to empower users with the knowledge they need to use technology. You can communicate clearly, calmly, and patiently with non-technical users, including those who need step-by-step guidance during system changes. You build trust through collaboration and have experience producing clear documentation, SOPs, and user-facing guidance that support adoption and consistency. You have experience supporting complex, multi-site IT environments and managing service requests through an ITSM platform such as Jira. You are comfortable owning issues from the initial report through resolution. 
• The technical skills. Your background includes troubleshooting Windows environments, supporting iPads and iPhones, administering Microsoft 365, Azure AD, and SharePoint, and working with AWS, PowerShell scripting, and distributed network environments. You are confident in contributing to large-scale transformation initiatives involving cloud platforms, infrastructure, and enterprise systems.
• The accountability. You understand the demands of supporting an environment of over 200 devices and are prepared to respond across multiple locations, including occasional work outside regular business hours during major initiatives. You have the flexibility to work within a rotational on-call schedule.  

Compensation

At Child Development Institute (CDI), we believe that compensation should be transparent, fair, and supportive of your experience and growth. For this role, the salary is $80,000 which is inclusive of 4% vacation pay. Salary is determined by the complexity of the position and internal equity, ensuring a fair and competitive salary within our sector.

We believe in transparency and open conversations about compensation. If you have any questions about our approach, we are happy to discuss them throughout the hiring process.

Join us.

Fostering positive transformations in mental health for over a century, CDI is a world-class leader trusted in helping children, youth and families through a wide range of evidence-informed services to build lasting change.

At CDI, we prioritize the mental well-being and work-life balance of our teams. We acknowledge the reality of the emotionally demanding work each of us puts in every day. To that end, we strive to create a collaborative, diverse, inclusive, and equitable space where creativity flourish by offering:

• Flexible hours in a planned program environment.
• A focus on cross-disciplinary collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Ongoing professional development opportunities. 

If you want to be part of our vision to make a measurable lifelong impact on the mental health and well-being of children, youth and their families, join us.

Apply now

If you're excited about this role but your experience aligns differently with every requirement, we encourage you to apply. While specific qualifications are strictly required, others can be based on various experiences, backgrounds, and knowledge. We can't promise an interview, but we will consider your whole application. 

What you can expect from our interview process:

• A virtual interview with a Talent Advisor will discuss your interest in the role and background. The conversation will be recorded using BrightHire, an AI-powered video interview tool. More details will be shared when you are invited to interview.
• A technical case study to be assigned and completed in advance of the next stage, designed to assess your technical approach, problem-solving skills, and ability to apply your knowledge to real-world scenarios.
• An in-person panel interview with the Manager, IT Support Services, the COO, and an IT Advisor focused on your technical experience, case study insights, and how you approach system support, collaboration, and working in a mission-driven environment.

CDI is firmly committed to diversity within its community and welcomes applications from racialized persons/persons of colour, Indigenous People of North America and the world, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, and those who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. We are committed to providing equitable opportunities in employment and to providing a workplace which is free from discrimination and harassment. We are equally committed to providing an inclusive and accessible workplace. If you require accommodations, please reach out to us at [email protected] 

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