Program Leader

Defence Construction Canada; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 109,000 - 142,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental premiums

Wellness allowance

Mental health services

Health Care Spending Account

Flexible workplace options

Job summary

Defence Construction Canada (DCC) is hiring an experienced Program/Project Leader in Canada to support complex, high-risk projects across multiple service lines. The role leads a team, manages client relationships, and monitors program health and budgets.

Hybrid work option (2 days/week) with bilingual requirements. A Canadian citizen or permanent resident with security clearance is needed to support national programs for NORAD, ammunition infrastructure, and facilities across bases in Canada.

Qualifications

• Minimum: university degree in construction, engineering, architecture or environmental services or related field with six years of relevant experience, or the equivalent.
• Preferred: specialized knowledge, training or professional certification in one or more DCC service line.
• Ability to use applicable computer software and operating systems.
• Demonstrate leadership and human resources management skills.

Responsibilities

• 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 KPIs, allocate hours for SLAs).
• 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. SLAs, contracts, QA planning, budgets, schedules, oversee staff).
• Help develop service level arrangements for special programs to meet Client-Partner requirements.
• Provide technical advice and direction to team members.
• Perform quality control by reviewing deliverables and site visits.
• Develop and manage service level arrangements.
• Manage and coordinate service line integration and collaboration within the unit and with stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Financial management

Risk management

Health and safety management

Education

University degree in construction, engineering, architecture or environmental services or related field

Job description

Who Can Apply?: Internal (DCC Employees) and External (General Public) Salary Range $109,219 - $141,984 Employment Status Continuing Flexible Work Option Hybrid (2 days/week) Term Length Security Level: Secret Language Requirement Bilingual Mandatory Closing Date 08/09/2026 Country Canada The National Service Region (NSR) is hiring experienced Project Leader professionals to support our vibrant DCC client mandates 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 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 $1,500 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 deluxe travel benefit plans

NSR PROJETS YOU WILL WORK ON AMMUNITION INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM DCC is coordinating the planning and delivery of renovations or recapitalization of more than 120 buildings, including ammunition warehouses, maintenance facilities, and assembly facilities, in more than 20 locations across Canada. The program will feature 20 to 40 new builds. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DCC is coordinating the planning and development of numerous projects at bases and wings across Canada, including new accommodations for Canadian Armed Forces members, recapitalized and new firehalls and new healthcare facilities. NORAD MODERNIZATION INFRASTRUCTURE DCC is coordinating the planning and delivery of long-term projects to support NORAD and the Canadian Armed Forces. This includes upgrading facilities at key northern sites and infrastructure at Canadian Armed Forces bases and wings across Canada. Examples include aircraft hangars, ammunition warehouses, maintenance facilities, operations centres, training centres, and airfields. This position has been designated bilingual, where English and French are essential. While priority will be given to qualified candidates who meet this bilingual linguistic profile, we welcome applications from candidates who may not meet this bilingual requirement. 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 . 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] .