Major Project Leader

Defence Construction Canada; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 126,865 - 164,924; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental premiums

Wellness allowance ($400)

Mental health services ($2,500)

Telus Virtual Health Care and $750 HCS

Life insurance

Pension

Job summary

Defence Construction Canada (DCC) is seeking a Major Project Leader to oversee one or more large, high‑risk capital construction contracts across Northern Canada. The role emphasizes risk management, claims analysis, and client-partner relations while leading a team of professionals to deliver quality, timely results.

You will coordinate with design, construction and support contracts, ensuring health, safety, security and environmental requirements are integrated into project lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Minimum: college diploma in engineering, applied science or related field with eight years’ relevant experience, or the equivalent.
• Preferred: university degree in one of the above fields and/or applicable certification or licence (e.g. Certified Engineering Technologist, Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario, P.Eng,)

Responsibilities

• Manage operations of large, high-risk and complex capital construction contracts, including all related contracts.
• Analyze risk and communicate with stakeholders on risk management activities.
• Analyze impact of delays and claims and recommend solutions.
• Lead and mentor a team of professionals; manage human resources responsibilities.
• Ensure compliance with policies, procedures and safety requirements.
• Develop relationships with clients, partners and stakeholders to ensure quality and timeliness of deliverables.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Risk management

Team management

Education

College diploma in engineering or related field

University degree or equivalent certification

Job description

Who Can Apply?

Internal (DCC Employees) and External (General Public)

Salary Range

$126,865 - $164,924

Employment Status

Continuing

Flexible Work Option

Hybrid (2 days/week)

Term Length

Security Level

Secret

Language Requirement

Bilingual Mandatory

Closing Date

16/08/2026

Country

Canada

This position provides support for Northern Major projects and requires frequent travel across Northern Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut).

The Major Project Leader ensures the quality of service delivery on one or more high-value, high-risk and high-complexity contracts with multiple supporting contracts (e.g. design, construction, support, structural inspection, materials testing). The incumbent has significant responsibility for risk management and mitigation on the project, as well as claims analysis and resolution, andensures compliance with service line policies and procedures. The incumbent leads a team of professionals and manages the human resources responsibilities for the team. The incumbent also manages the Client-Partner relationship. The incumbent develops creative solutions and ensures the team is focused on collaboration, and quality and timeliness of deliverables

KEY AND PERIODIC ACTIVITIES

The duties and responsibilities listed below are representative but not all-inclusive:

Primary

• Manage operations of one or more large, high-risk and complex capital construction contracts, including all associated contracts (e.g. design, construction, support)
• Manage risk and communicate with regional and Head Office staff on risk management activities
• Analyze impact and delay claims and recommend solutions
• Resolve Client-Partner conflicts, as required
• Ensure business unit and service line compliance with policies and procedures
• Ensure the integration of health and safety, security and environmental requirements
• Develop and maintain effective relationships within DCC, and with industry, the Client-Partners and/or stakeholders
• Ensure quality standards are met, in line with corporate and Client-Partner expectations
• Perform human resource functions (e.g. coach, supervise, mentor, plan and allocate resources, and manage performance)

Other

• Other duties as assigned

Skills

General and Specific Knowledge

• Best practices, methods, trends and legislation in construction
• Best practices and trends in strategic planning, financial management and human resources management
• Project, contract and risk management principles
• Health and safety management

Formal Education And/or Certification(s) And Experience

• Minimum: college diploma in engineering, applied science or related field with eight years’ relevant experience, or the equivalent
• Preferred: university degree in one of the above fields and/or applicable certification or licence (e.g. Certified Engineering Technologist, Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario, P.Eng,)

Abilities

• Use applicable computer software and operating systems
• Apply project, contract and risk management techniques
• Demonstrate business acumen, leadership and human resources management skills

DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP

• Lead and manage direct and indirect reports

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Typical construction site environment; incumbent is required to wear basic safety equipment
• Some work may be in a typical office environment with occasional travel

Check Out Your Benefits

Working with us offers excellent opportunities for growth and advancement—and entitles you to one of the job market’s best benefits packages valued at between 25 and 30% of your salary.

Your Package Includes

Health and Wellness

• 100% employer-paid annual sick leave, and health and dental premiums
• $400 wellness allowance to help cover expenses such as a gym membership
• $2,500 for mental health services on top of regular $2,500 paramedical coverage
• Telus Virtual Health Care and $750 Health Care Spending Account for some expenses not covered under provincial plans

Home and Family

• Life, accidental-death, and short-term disability insurance
• Enhanced inConfidence employee and family assistance program
• Maternity and parental leave top-up plan to 93% of regular gross earnings for up to 37 weeks
• Flexible workplace options, including $400 allowance every two years, to support working from home

Leave and Retirement

• Public-service pension
• Comprehensive vacation and other paid-leave plans, along with enhanced travel benefits coverage

To begin a career with Defence Construction Canada (DCC), you must be a Canadian Citizen or a permanent resident of Canada. As a condition of employment with DCC, a minimum reliability security status clearance is required and some roles may require secret security status clearance.

DCC is responsible for the Personnel Security Clearance process . Typically to be eligible for a "Reliability" clearance, you must have five years of verifiable background information and to be eligible for a "Secret" clearance, you must have 10 years of verifiable background information. The process usually involves reference inquiries, verification of qualifications, criminal records checks, and credit checks (as required) and may require fingerprints. For more information about obtaining a security clearance, please review the Standard on Security Screening .

Required

The appropriate security clearance is a condition of employment and it is the candidate’s or employee’s responsibility to ensure, they are able to obtain and maintain their required security level clearance to begin or continue their employment with DCC. Failure to obtain or maintain, the appropriate level of security clearance means either the candidate or employee will not receive a job offer, the conditional offer will be rendered null and void or their employment will be terminated with cause. A thorough security clearance process will be applied to all candidates or employees considered for an appointment; this process includes inquiries, verifications and assessments regarding matters such as, but not limited to:

• criminal record checks
• reference checks
• previous employment
• open source checks
• credit/financial status

DCC's Code of Business Conduct (Code) is a condition of employment. It serves to enhance public confidence in the integrity of DCC Employees and provides clarity to Employees on a number of issues, including real or perceived conflicts of interest. Before applying to this (or any) position at DCC, candidates shall familiarize themselves with the Code, because new employees are required to certify that they have read, understood, and agreed to observe the Code upon commencing work at DCC. Employees are further required to review their obligations under the Code and notify the President's Office of any changes in their circumstances at the earliest possible opportunity, and to complete the Annual Update once a year.

Be part of a diverse and inclusive workplace!

Roles at DCC will require security at various levels including Reliability, Secret, Top Secret and for Canadian Eyes Only (proof of Citizenship required). While we welcome applications to our roles who are not Canadian citizens who are eligible to work in Canada and have at least 5 years of verifiable background information, selection will depend on the specific role’s requirements.

At DCC, we are committed to ensuring everyone has a voice and can be their authentic selves in our workplace. We actively encourage applications from all, including but not limited to, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and members of the LGBTQ2+ community.

DCC’s goal is to provide barrier-free access to employment opportunities and workspaces for employees and candidates. If you require an accommodation for the recruitment/interview process (including alternate formats of materials, accessible meeting rooms or other accommodations), please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs. Should you require accommodation, please email [e-mail] .