Lead, Systems Design

Job Summary

Porter Airlines is undergoing a technology transformation to modernize its IT landscape over the next 2–3 years. Core pillars include modernization, architectural alignment, and driving quality delivery across the organization. A critical enabler of this transformation is the Lead, Systems Design.

In this role, you will be accountable to translate high-level architectural blueprints into detailed technical specifications and actionable design artifacts. As a senior individual contributor, you will bridge the gap between abstract strategy and engineering execution, ensuring that our airline and corporate systems are integrated, high-performing, and AI-enhanced.

You will be responsible for the delicate balance of keeping the airline flying today while designing the engines of tomorrow. Whether you are coordinating a critical system upgrade, designing a booking database, or managing a major ERP transition, your work ensures our technology is as agile as our fleet.

Duties & Responsibilities

Detailed Design & Solution

• Take ownership of complex changes from initial design through to build, configuration, data updates, and final deployment.
• Act as a critical thinker of change , evaluating how new requirements (including the transition to a new system) impact the stability of the current environment.
• Translate high level architectures into detailed design artifacts and interface specifications while serving as the technical SME for system and data .
• Design and refine Digital APIs that allow external and internal applications to interact seamlessly with core functions.
• Identify repeatable patterns and opportunities to standardize solutions across teams, reducing technical debt and fragmented workflows.

System Upgrade or Replacement

• Lead the coordination of system upgrades to new versions, acting as the bridge between vendor releases and internal operations.
• Deeply understand new features within upgrade cycles, evaluating their functional impact and technical compatibility with existing airline and corporate systems.
• Manage the technical complexities of coexistence , ensuring legacy applications remain fully operational and synchronized while new systems are phased in.
• Anticipate potential design "collisions" between old and new logic, proposing mitigation strategies to minimize operational downtime.
• Proactively reduce dependency on 3rd-party vendors by building internal capabilities, reusable scripts, and proprietary solutions.

Hands-on & Prototyping

• Maintain a hands-on development approach, taking ownership of specific coding assignments to implement critical design components.
• Resolve complex, multi system technical issues and vendor platform bottlenecks through troubleshooting and cross functional coordination.
• Build small ad-hoc applications or utility tools to solve immediate business problems or bridge gaps between larger enterprise systems.
• Develop "Proof of Concept" (PoC) integrations to validate designs before handing them off for full-scale production.

AI Integration & Vendor/Cloud Execution

• Engineer the integration points and data structures required to embed AI capabilities within existing workflows.
• Utilize AI-assisted tools to accelerate documentation, prototyping, and the standardization of internal design patterns.

5. Specify Cloud Infrastructure needs (compute, messaging, database) required to host and scale your system designs.

6. Actively participate in Porter's Safety Management System (SMS) by identifying and reporting workplace hazards and promoting a safe work environment.

Behavioural Competencies

• Concern for Safety: Identifying hazardous or potentially hazardous situations and taking appropriate action to maintain a safe environment for self and others.

• Teamwork: Working collaboratively with others to achieve organizational goals.

• Passenger/Customer Service: Providing service excellence to internal and/or external customers (passengers).

• Initiative: Dealing with situations and issues proactively and persistently, seizing opportunities that arise.

• Results Focus: Focusing efforts on achieving high quality results consistent with the organization’s standards.

• Fostering Communication: Listening and communicating openly, honestly, and respectfully with different audiences, promoting dialogue and building consensus.

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
• 8+ years of experience in system design or software engineering or systems integration, including 2+ years in a technical leadership or senior system designer role
• Proven track record as a Lead Individual Contributor, demonstrating the ability to drive technical excellence and mentor peers without formal people management authority.
• Extensive experience managing complex system upgrades and large-scale transitions (e.g., migrating to a new ERP or airline reservation system).
• Experience designing and integrating APIs, microservices, or event-driven architectures
• Solid understanding of cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure) and associated architectural patterns
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences
• Experience facilitating knowledge sharing, mentoring peers, and contributing to communities of practice
• Occasional on-call availability and/or the need to work outside of regular office hours may be required to support business needs and ensure continuity of operations

Location

Toronto Downtown Office (250 Yonge Street) #LI-Hybrid

Company Description

Since 2006, Porter Airlines has been elevating the experience of economy air travel for every passenger, providing genuine hospitality with style, care and charm. Porter’s fleet of Embraer E195-E2 and De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft serves North America, including a coast-to-coast domestic Canadian network, the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Headquartered in Toronto, Porter is an Official 4 Star Airline® in the World Airline Star Rating®. Visit or follow @porterairlines on Instagram, Facebook and X.