Manager, Governance and Portfolio Management

Port of Vancouver; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Manager of Governance and Portfolio Management to enhance project delivery and strategic alignment. This pivotal role involves leading the development of governance frameworks, optimizing resource allocation, and ensuring effective project management practices. The successful candidate will collaborate with senior leadership, drive continuous improvement, and foster a high-performing team culture. Join a forward-thinking organization dedicated to sustainability and diversity, where your contributions will significantly impact the community and economy.

Benefits

Flexible Work Hours

Professional Development Opportunities

Health and Wellness Programs

Employee Assistance Programs

Qualifications

• 5+ years of managerial-level experience in strategic planning or project management.
• Must hold Project Management Institute (PMP, PgMP) or equivalent certification.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of governance frameworks for project portfolios.
• Facilitate resource allocation and provide visibility into project progress.

Skills

Strategic Thinking

Project Management

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration

Master's Degree (Asset)

Tools

Microsoft Project

Jira

Smartsheet

Primavera P6

Job description

JOIN AN ORGANIZATION RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF BC’S TOP EMPLOYERS

Join an organization that plays a critical role in Canada’s economy. Atthe Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, we focus on enabling Canada’s trade bybeing reliable and innovative, while protecting theenvironment.

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is responsible for the stewardship ofthe Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest and most diversified port. Our mandateas a Canada Port Authority, as set out by the Canada Marine Act, is to enableCanada’s trade objectives, ensuring goods are moved safely and responsiblythrough the Port of Vancouver. That means providing infrastructure and ensuringthe safe and efficient movement of marine traffic and cargo within the port. Italso means we carry out reviews of proposed activities and developments onfederal port lands and waters to determine whether a project can go aheadwithout impacts to the environment and community that cannot be mitigated.

We are committed to diversity, inclusion, and sustainability. We believe increating a workplace that reflects the richness of our community and empowersall employees to reach their full potential.

The Manager, Governance andPortfolio Management leads the development, implementation, and continuousimprovement of governance frameworks and portfolio management practices toenable the effective delivery of strategic and business improvement projects.Collaborating closely with delivery teams across the organization, this roleensures that project portfolios remain aligned with organizational strategy andleadership priorities.

This role requires a strong focuson dynamic project prioritization, resource optimization, and portfolio visibility.By ensuring effective governance, the Manager enables seamless project deliveryand maximizes the portfolio’s contribution to strategy implementation.Additionally, the Manager fosters accountability, builds project managementcapabilities, and integrates governance practices with project delivery,ensuring project teams have access to tools, templates, and systems thatempower effective and efficient delivery across all workstreams.

In thisrole, the successful candidate:

Strategicand Portfolio Leadership

• Facilitateand coordinate the efforts of senior leadership toward the establishment of theenterprise project portfolio, its structure and processes, from demandmanagement and strategic alignment of projects and programs to portfoliocategories and criteria

• Leadquarterly (or at other intervals as specified) reviews with executive andleadership teams to validate and assess the project portfolio, execute change,and adjust the portfolio to meet business needs as required

• Representthe project portfolio in strategic planning processes, supporting budget andworkforce prioritization both within and outside the annual strategic planningcycle

PMOLifecycle and Governance

• Develop andstandardize scalable portfolio management and PMO lifecycle processes,including project intake, prioritization, stage gating, and delivery strategies

• Establishand maintain governance frameworks and forums to ensure appropriate oversight, accountabilityand decision making for the enterprise project portfolio

• Develop andrefine project management directives, standards and methodologies, ensuringthey align with organizational needs and industry benchmarks

• Lead reviewsof any significant projects that are challenged and provide recommendations asto whether it should continue, be significantly changed, placed on hold ordiscontinued

• Monitorportfolio risks and dependencies, ensuring proactive mitigation throughcollaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure continuity and optimalportfolio outcomes

ResourcePlanning and Progress Reporting

• Facilitatethe allocation of project managers effectively across the project portfolio(s),balancing workloads, skills, and project requirements to ensure optimaloutcomes

• Engage withsenior leadership and business units to assess resource capacity, identifygaps, and align resource utilization with project priorities and business needs

• Provideenterprise-wide visibility into the project portfolio, including cadencereporting on project progress, health, resource utilization, and financialperformance

• Establishand define project progress reporting standards across the portfolio, ensuring consistency,clarity, and effectiveness in decision-making

ProjectPortfolio Management (PPM) Systems and Toolkits

• Manage andadminister the effective use of PPM tools (e.g. Microsoft Project, Jira, andSmartsheet) to meet project team needs and support portfolio-level reporting

• Develop andmaintain comprehensive toolkits for project delivery teams, providingstandardized templates, best practices, and guidance to optimize the use of PPMtools across the portfolio

• Track andreport on system and tool effectiveness and usage, identifying opportunitiesfor optimization and alignment with project delivery practices

CapacityBuilding and Continuous Improvement

• Develop a comprehensivecapability-building roadmap, and implement a structured approach to continuousimprovement, to advance organizational project management maturity

• Develop anddeliver training, mentoring, and access to resources that support the adoptionof best practices and enhance overall project management competencies

• Establishand lead forums (such as Community of Practice) to foster knowledge-sharing andraise the overall level of project management capability across theorganization

TeamManagement and Development

• Contributeto the development of departmental plans and budgets, including workforcerequirements, overheads, consultancy services, and business activities

• Lead anddevelop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration,accountability, and excellence, while ensuring alignment with departmentalplans and corporate values

• Providecoaching and mentoring to direct reports, focusing on their professional growthand performance improvement, and creating development opportunities

• Manage teamperformance, setting clear expectations, tracking progress, and conducting regularfeedback sessions to ensure individual and collective success

• Optimizeworkforce allocation, ensuring the right mix of skills and resources areapplied to projects, and adjusting service levels as necessary to meet businessneeds

• Partner withHR to drive recruitment, onboarding, and talent management efforts, ensuringthat staffing levels meet project requirements and performance standards

Specific Competencies

• Strongstrategic thinking skills, with the ability to align project portfolios withorganizational goals, prioritize resources, and optimize strategic outcomes

• Deepunderstanding of project and portfolio management, with a proven track recordof building and leading project management office(s)

• Advancedanalytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complexdata into actionable insights and influence data-driven decisions

• Excellentinterpersonal and communication skills, with a proven ability to buildrelationships and influence stakeholders at all levels. Proven ability tocommunicate key messages; lead meetings, facilitate sessions, and buildalignment across teams and departments

• Strongleadership and coaching capabilities, with experience in organizationalcapability building and in developing and delivering training programs toimprove performance

Education & Experience

• Must have abachelor’s degree in business administration, technology, engineering, orrelated discipline. A master’s degree is an asset

• Minimum five(5) years of managerial-level experience in strategic planning, management consulting,or project and portfolio management

• Must holdProject Management Institute (PMP, PgMP) or equivalent certification

• Proficiencyin commonly used project and portfolio management tools such as Smartsheet, MS ProjectOnline, Primavera P6

• Demonstratedexperience in project/portfolio resource planning, reporting, prioritization,with an ability to engage with business leads and defend prioritization

• Anequivalent combination of education and experience may be considered

MarineTransportation Security Clearance

The incumbent must obtain andmaintain a valid Marine Transportation Security Clearance as this position isrequired to access restricted areas/information as defined by the MarineTransportation Security Regulations.

WorkingConditions

Normaloffice conditions. Flexibility to respond to issues during non-working hours asrequired.

This is Canadian-based employment, and all employeesare expected to maintain legal eligibility to work in Canada. Applicantsadvancing in the hiring process may be subject to technical assignments,psychometric assessments, and/or background checks, including but not limitedto criminal record, credit, and/or reference checks.

At the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, weare dedicated to employment equity and a workplace reflective of the diversityof our port community. We welcome applications from all qualified candidatesincluding women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, and members ofvisible minorities. Reasonable accommodation can be provided in the selectionprocess and while working with the port authority. If you require assistancewith applying to our openings or are seeking accommodations to apply in analternative format, please contact us at [e-mail] . We arecommitted to supporting your needs and will do our best to provide thenecessary assistance.

We recognize and acknowledge that we are locatedon the traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh(Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. To learn more about ourindigenous relations and commitment to reconciliation, please visit our website (https://www.portvancouver.com/community/indigenous-relations/) .