Program Leader

Defence Construction Canada; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 106,000 - 139,000; Full time

Job summary

Join Defence Construction Canada as a Program Leader to manage large-scale projects, oversee team operations, and liaise with Client-Partners. This role requires strong leadership skills, a background in construction or engineering, and the ability to provide creative solutions within a collaborative environment.

Benefits

Public service pension

100% employer-paid annual sick leave

$400 Wellness Allowance

Mental health services coverage

Hybrid workplace options

Qualifications

• University degree with six years relevant experience or equivalent.
• Specialized knowledge or certification in DCC service line preferred.
• Bilingual mandatory.

Responsibilities

• Manage a group of employees and oversee complex projects.
• Provide support to Client-Partners and DCC regional management.
• Conduct public consultations and promote business development opportunities.

Skills

Project Management

Leadership

Financial Management

Risk Management

Human Resource Management

Education

University degree in construction, engineering, architecture or environmental services

Job description

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Who Can Apply?:

Internal (DCC Employees) and External (General Public)

Salary Range

$106,763 - $138,792

Employment Status

Continuing

Term Length

Security Level:

Secret

Language Requirement

Bilingual Mandatory

Closing Date

04/01/2026

Country

Canada

Candidate pool – Program Leader

We are building a talent pool of experienced professionals to fill future roles at DCC.

When you apply to this selection process, you are not applying for a specific job, but to an inventory for future vacancies. As positions become available, applicants who meet the qualifications may be contacted for further assessment.

The below job description provides a general overview of the tasks that may be expected for a Program Leader position. Please note that these roles are for Continuing and Term (contract) positions.

The National Capital Region offices are located in Ottawa (including the west end in Richmond), Winnipeg, and Yellowknife. Placement may occur at any of these locations, please select your desired location(s) during your application.

The Program Leader manages a group of employees at a site, usually including team leaders who provide services to the Client-Partners as part of large, complex and high-risk projects and programs. The incumbent provides support within one or more service line, monitors project activities, including those of contractors, consultants and stakeholders, and reports on those activities to the Client-Partners and DCC regional management. 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

• Help the Site Manager develop and manage the financial aspects of the business unit (e.g. prepare and track budget, carry out financial reporting, monitor key performance indicators, allocate hours for service level arrangements)
• Lead the development and delivery of services at the site, including cross-service line integration
• Manage operations of large and complex projects or programs for multiple service lines (e.g. develop and manage service level arrangements, manage contracts, carry out quality assurance planning, update and track program financials, budgets and schedules, and oversee and manage program staff and consultants)
• Help develop service level arrangements for special or unique programs to meet Client-Partner requirements
• Provide technical advice and direction to team members
• Perform quality control by reviewing deliverables from consultants and contractors, and conducting project site visits
• Develop and manage service level arrangements
• Manage and coordinate service line integration and collaboration within the business unit and between stakeholders
• Support and promote regional and national objectives, as outlined in the Corporate Plan
• Promote and manage business development opportunities
• 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
• Manage risk
• Perform human resources functions (e.g. coach, supervise, mentor, plan and allocate resources, and manage performance)
  
  

Other

• Conduct public consultations and presentations to promote awareness of programs
• Respond to audit findings
• Other duties as assigned
  
  

Skills

General and Specific Knowledge

• Best practices, methods, trends and legislation in construction, engineering, architecture or environment services
• 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: university degree in construction, engineering, architecture or environmental services or related field with six years’ relevant experience, or the equivalent
• Preferred: specialized knowledge, training or professional certification in one or more DCC service line
  
  

Abilities

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

DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP

• Lead and manage direct and indirect reports
• Provide functional direction and advice to other employees and to Client-Partners
  
  

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Typical office environment with occasional travel
• Some work may be located on construction sites; incumbent may occasionally be required to wear basic safety equipment
  
  

Check Out The Benefits

Working with DCC offers excellent opportunities for growth – and entitles you to one of the job market’s best benefits packages. In your role as Program Leader, your package is valued at 25% to 30% of your salary.

Your Package Will Include

• Public service pension
• 100% employer-paid annual sick leave, health and dental premiums, and life, accidental death, and short- and long-term disability insurance
• $400 Wellness Allowance (e.g., gym membership)
• $1,500 for mental health services on top of regular $1,500 paramedical coverage
• $750 Health Care Spending Account (for some medical expenses that aren’t covered under provincial plans or our standard insurance plan)
• Telus Virtual Health Care
• Maternity and parental leave top-up plan to 93% of regular gross earnings for a maximum of 37 weeks
• Hybrid workplace options including $400 allowance every two years to support work-from-home options
• Enhanced inConfidence employee and family assistance program
• Deluxe travel benefit plans
• Comprehensive vacation and other paid leave plans
  
  

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!

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. We also welcome applications from those who are not Canadian citizens who are eligible to work in Canada and have at least 5 years of verifiable background information.

DCC is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all requests for accommodation based on a medical contraindication, religion or another prohibited ground for discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act. Should you require accommodation, please email [e-mail] .

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Other

• Industries

  Construction

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