“Great team and manager — but unclear leadership direction and below-market pay”
Pros
Excellent direct management: My manager has been incredibly supportive — providing constructive feedback, assigning responsibilities that help me grow, and actively finding opportunities to build my skills. I’ve learned a lot because of this supportive leadership at the team level. Opportunities to grow: There’s room to take on new challenges and expand your skill set if you’re proactive and have a good manager. Decent insurance benefits: The health insurance (through Sun Life Financial) is okay and covers standard needs. Flexible environment: The day-to-day work culture at the team level can be collaborative and encouraging.
Cons
Unstable leadership direction: Upper leadership tends to change decisions frequently, which creates uncertainty. For example, I’ve seen products canceled shortly after being described as “doing well.” Lack of clear communication: Expectations from senior leadership are often unclear. Even important updates sometimes sound vague or contradictory. Low-effort communication from executives: Some leaders rely on AI-generated emails, which can come across as impersonal or poorly written — not what you’d expect from someone at a VP level. Compensation not competitive: Salaries for software developers at IBM in Canada often stay below $120K, which is lower compared to many other companies in the industry. Leadership inconsistency vs team strength: While team managers can be fantastic, the gap between team-level and executive-level leadership can be frustrating.wri
