How to apply for Director of Professional Services (OTE $215,000/year CAD), Sparkrock

About Ionicpartners

Sparkrock builds ERP and SaaS solutions on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central specifically for nonprofits, school boards, and government agencies, helping them free up time and resources for their social missions. As a 100% remote, best-in-class organization, it offers the chance to work with top talent worldwide while making a tangible difference in the social benefit sector. The company's focus on innovation in service delivery and its commitment to diversity make it an attractive place for those seeking meaningful, high-impact work.

About the role

As Director of Professional Services, you will own the P&L and book of business for a portfolio of client engagements worth $3–5M, leading a team of consultants, business analysts, and project managers delivering ERP/SaaS implementations. You will shape the delivery model, set quality standards, and serve as the senior escalation point for key customers, turning underperforming engagements into profitable accounts. This role is pivotal in driving innovation in service delivery for social benefit organizations, directly impacting Sparkrock's ability to scale and serve its mission-driven clients.

A typical day

A typical day might involve leading a remote team meeting to review project health and financials, meeting with a key client to address an escalation and discuss expansion opportunities, and analyzing delivery metrics to optimize resourcing and pricing. You could also spend time mentoring a project manager, collaborating with sales on a new engagement proposal, and refining the delivery model to better serve a nonprofit client's unique needs.

Who Ionicpartners is looking for

• Proven experience as a Senior Delivery Manager or similar leadership role in professional services, with a track record of owning P&L for multi-million-dollar portfolios (ideally $3–5M+) in ERP/SaaS implementations.
• Deep expertise in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or similar ERP platforms, and experience leading teams of consultants, business analysts, and project managers in a remote, client-facing environment.
• Strong financial acumen and operational skills, with the ability to resource, price, and run delivery engagements to protect healthy margins while ensuring customer success.
• Exceptional client-facing and escalation management skills, with a talent for turning around underperforming engagements and building scalable delivery models tailored to customer needs rather than rigid methodologies.

Tips for this application

• Highlight your experience managing a P&L of $3–5M or more in professional services, specifically in ERP/SaaS implementations, and quantify your impact on margins and client satisfaction.
• Demonstrate familiarity with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or similar ERP systems, and emphasize any experience in the nonprofit, education, or government sectors.
• Showcase your ability to lead remote teams of consultants, BAs, and PMs, and provide examples of how you've scaled delivery models or turned around underperforming engagements.
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to Sparkrock's mission: explicitly connect your delivery leadership experience to enabling social benefit organizations to focus on their missions.
• Since Sparkrock is 100% remote and values diversity, mention your experience working in remote-first environments and your commitment to fostering inclusive teams.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your track record of owning a P&L for a portfolio of $3–5M+ in professional services, with specific metrics on margin improvement and client retention.', "Your hands-on experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (or similar) and how you've used it to deliver successful ERP/SaaS implementations for nonprofits, school boards, or government agencies.", "Your leadership philosophy for remote teams and how you've built scalable delivery models that balance customer needs with profitability.", "Your motivation to apply your skills at Sparkrock, specifically aligning with the company's mission to help social benefit organizations achieve their goals through technology."]

Research before applying

• Explore Sparkrock's website and product offerings, especially their solutions built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, to understand their value proposition for nonprofits, school boards, and government agencies.
• Research the social benefit sector and common challenges faced by these organizations, such as funding constraints, compliance requirements, and the need for efficient operations, to speak knowledgeably about their needs.
• Look into Sparkrock's company culture, remote work practices, and diversity initiatives, as mentioned in the job description, to align your application with their values.
• Investigate Ionicpartners, the company listing the job, to understand their relationship with Sparkrock and whether they are a recruitment agency or part of the same organization.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you approach turning around an underperforming engagement in the first 90 days, and what metrics would you use to measure success?
• Describe your experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and how you've leveraged it to deliver value in a professional services setting.
• Walk us through a time you had to make a tough decision about resourcing or pricing to protect margins while keeping a key client satisfied.
• How do you build and lead a high-performing remote team of consultants, BAs, and PMs, and what tools or practices do you rely on?
• Given Sparkrock's focus on social benefit organizations, how would you adapt your delivery approach to meet the unique needs of nonprofits, school boards, or government agencies?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing only on project management methodology (e.g., Agile, Waterfall) without demonstrating flexibility and a customer-centric approach to delivery, as Sparkrock values shaping delivery around customer needs.
• Neglecting to mention specific ERP/SaaS experience, especially Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, as this is a key requirement for the role.
• Failing to quantify P&L responsibility or portfolio size; vague statements about 'managing budgets' without concrete numbers will not stand out for a director-level role.