PROGRAM DIRECTOR, MAJOR TERMINAL PROJECTS

TERMINAL CONSTRUCTION

Horseshoe Bay or Victoria

BC Ferries is looking for an experienced Program Director to lead a program of major capital projects at two key ferry terminals – Horseshoe Bay and Langdale. These terminals are vital to BC Ferries’ network, serving as gateways to the Sunshine Coast, Bowen Island, Metro Vancouver, and Vancouver Island. This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in addressing aging infrastructure, accommodating future service growth, and supporting the organization's fleet renewal strategy while delivering meaningful, customer-focused infrastructure projects.

About BC Ferries

As one of the largest ferry networks in the world, BC Ferries connects communities across British Columbia, providing vital passenger and vehicle ferry services. With 39 ferries operating over 25 routes, we are dedicated to delivering a safe, efficient, and sustainable travel experience for our customers while managing our extensive marine and shore-based infrastructure at 47 terminals across the coast of BC.

The Opportunity

This full-time leadership role in the Terminal Construction department will oversee the partial redevelopment of Horseshoe Bay Terminal, one of BC Ferries’ oldest and busiest terminals, as well as the modernization of Langdale Terminal, a crucial connection for Sunshine Coast travelers. A comprehensive capital program will invest hundreds of millions of dollars at these terminals over the next decade and will include major projects such as:

• berth replacements and various marine upgrades,
• upland terminal redevelopments, and
• significant upgrades to civil, electrical, and mechanical infrastructure

These projects aim to address aging infrastructure, accommodate rising demand and future growth, and support the integration of New Major Vessels (NMVs) into the network.

As the Program Director, you will lead the delivery of this transformative program, overseeing numerous complex, large-scale projects. You will guide a skilled team of project professionals responsible for managing individual projects within the program’s scope and work closely with diverse interest holders including ferry passengers, communities, local First Nations, and regulatory authorities.

Success in this role requires balancing the complexities of managing large-scale capital projects, fostering community engagement, maintaining operational continuity, ensuring safety, and delivering projects within key schedule milestones while considering fiscal responsibilities and budgetary constraints. In this dynamic environment, where no two days are the same, your leadership will leave a lasting and positive impact on the communities we proudly serve. If you are driven by a challenge and thrive on complexity, this is your chance to shape the future of coastal ferry transportation in BC!

Key Responsibilities

This role combines strategic planning, executive engagement, and hands-on project oversight, with responsibility for leading diverse teams delivering multiple large-scale, complex projects on time, within budget, and aligned with organizational goals. Key responsibilities include:

• Team Leadership and Management: lead and manage a diverse team, including Senior Project Managers, Project Managers, Project Coordinators, and other technical, professional, and administrative staff, ensuring effective collaboration and project execution.

• Strategic Leadership and Alignment: provide strategic leadership and oversight for complex projects or large-scale programs that affect broad areas of the business, ensuring alignment with organizational goals by translating business priorities into actionable project plans that drive broad business impacts. This will include working with the BC Ferries executive team to find the right balance between construction phasing and operational impacts.

• Governance, Project Delivery, and Financial Planning: oversee program governance by developing business cases and key documents, ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget, and oversee financial management, including cost estimates, budgets, and overall program control. Contribute to long-term strategic planning, including capital and operational budgeting.

• Quality Management, Technical Reviews, and Value Engineering: lead technical design reviews and value engineering workshops to optimize project outcomes and ensure cost-effectiveness. Oversee quality assurance by maintaining consistency across projects and ensuring compliance with company standards. Provide technical expertise across the organization while contributing to the development of departmental objectives and best practices.

• Communications, Engagement and Change Management: Lead steering committees and working groups, provide executive-level status updates, develop program and project communication plans, and manage project changes to ensure smooth transitions and effective alignment with key interest holders.

• Risk Management, Mitigation, and Contingency Planning: Lead program-level risk workshops to proactively identify and address project and business risks. Manage key program risks and resolve conflicts with a customer-centric approach. Develop and implement contingency plans for service interruptions.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a seasoned leader who combines strategic vision, operational expertise, and hands-on project management skills, excelling in dynamic, complex operational work environments. You have a proven track record of successfully delivering large infrastructure projects over $50M or programs over $100M, particularly in the transportation or marine sectors.

With a solid technical foundation and strong leadership capabilities, you are skilled at managing risks, overseeing finances, and driving results by aligning interest holders and ensuring projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards. You bring innovation and sustainability to your approach, backed by deep expertise in engineering principles, construction phasing, contract law, and regulatory compliance.

Your exceptional communication and collaboration skills enable you to build consensus and foster strong partnerships with executive, community and regulatory authorities, First Nations, consultants, and contractors. You are comfortable navigating complex, operationally sensitive environments, making quick, informed decisions, and managing unexpected challenges with confidence.

Experience in enhancing customer and public experiences is key. You prioritize minimizing disruptions, ensuring smooth service delivery, and incorporating user-centric design to improve satisfaction and engagement.

If you are a proactive problem-solver with a passion for mentorship, operational excellence, and shaping the future of BC Ferries, we want to hear from you. The ideal candidate brings a collaborative, inclusive leadership style and a dedication to the growth and success of BC Ferries.

Qualifications

• Diploma or degree in engineering, architecture, construction management, or equivalent
• A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to completion of a master’s degree in architecture, engineering, business administration, or related discipline is preferred
• Supplemental courses in project management, construction management, leadership, negotiation, and coaching are an asset
• PMP or PgMP (Program Management Professional) is highly desirable
• Fluent in English both verbal and written
• Must have a valid BC driver’s licence and a vehicle to use for business travel, or ability to rent vehicles for business travel, when travelling out of town, as required.

Experience

• At least 15 years of experience managing construction projects, or related and progressive project management, leadership, engineering, and construction industry experience, preferably related to transportation or infrastructure projects
• At least 5 years of experience directly planning and leading projects over $50M or programs over $100M that impact multiple business lines
• Experience delivering complex infrastructure projects in an operational environment is highly preferred
• Experience with alternative project delivery models is considered an asset
• 2-5 years of staff management, operational management, and leadership experience is preferred
• Demonstrated expertise communicating and engaging with diverse interest holders including the public, internal unionized and exempt staff, executive leadership, regulatory agencies, and First Nations

Why This Role is for You

BC Ferries was selected as one of BC’s Top Employers in 2024 and we take great pride in our inclusive culture, dedication to sustainability, and the significant positive impact we have on the region's infrastructure and public services. We offer a great workplace with

• Competitive Compensation: our compensation reflects your experience, training, and education
• Comprehensive Benefits: enjoy vacation benefits, various health and wellness programs, a health spending account, and top-up maternity and parental leave benefits
• Pension: secure your future with a defined benefit plan
• Professional Development: we place a strong emphasis on development to enhance your skills and advance your career within BC Ferries
• Flexible Work Options: take advantage of hybrid work opportunities and a 35-hour work week

This role in particular offers:

• Leadership Opportunities: lead an established project management team and plan for future resource requirements
• Complex Challenges: manage a diverse portfolio of large infrastructure projects, presenting unique and rewarding challenges
• Customer Focus: deliver projects with a customer-centric approach, ensuring minimal disruption for our customers and communities
• Significant Impact: directly influence the renewal of coastal transportation in British Columbia, improving safety, efficiency, and resilience while shaping broad areas of the business

Join us!

If this sounds like your next great career move, please submit your cover letter and resume. This posting will remain open until February 10, 2025 at 11:59pm.

Additional information

The target salary range: $152,200 - $182,700 per annum. The starting salary is determined based on the successful candidate’s knowledge, experience, and internal equity. Starting salary may exceed the target range on exceptional basis.

"We connect communities and customers to people and places important in their lives”

At BC Ferries, our employees are our most important assets in delivering our commitment to customer safety, service, and satisfaction. BC Ferries supports employment equity and diversity in the workplace, and we encourage applications from all qualified individuals including women, visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or expression (LGBTQ2S+), and others who reflect our ever-changing workplace.

We appreciate the interest of all applicants; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.