Manager, Commercial & Corporate Strategy

Detailed Job Description

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

Join an organization that plays a critical role in Canada’s economy. At the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, we focus on enabling Canada’s trade by being reliable and innovative, while protecting the environment.

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is responsible for the stewardship of the Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest and most diversified port. Our mandate as a Canada Port Authority, as set out by the Canada Marine Act, is to enable Canada’s trade objectives, ensuring goods are moved safely and responsibly through the Port of Vancouver. That means providing infrastructure and ensuring the safe and efficient movement of marine traffic and cargo within the port. It also means we carry out reviews of proposed activities and developments on federal port lands and waters to determine whether a project can go ahead without impacts to the environment and community that cannot be mitigated.

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

The Manager, Commercial & Corporate Strategy Is Responsible For

Strategic Planning

Responsible for leading the port authority’s strategic business planning process, the Manager Commercial and Corporate Strategy plans and delivers planning workshops and retreats, conducts and oversees related research and analysis and stays informed on forces and factors impacting VFPA’s business. Leads the creation of a Commercial Centre of Excellence to increase commercial awareness and execution across the organization. With a focus on ensuring alignment of commercial and corporate strategies across the organization, this role is integral to VFPA realizing its vision of being the most sustainable port in the world.

Commercial & Negotiating

Work closely with the Executive Leadership Team regarding terms of reference for their engagement in business decisions, including developing processes to ensure decisions are made in a streamlined approach and given the appropriate level of scrutiny.

Strategic Leadership & Management

This position also provides coaching on strategic thinking and commercial acumen across the port authority, acting as a change agent and fostering a community of practice towards ensuring the port authority is successful in defining and executing its strategy.

In This Role, The Successful Candidate

Strategic Planning

• Facilitate the planning and delivery of the port authority’s strategic business planning processes including conducting and overseeing related research and analysis
• Responsible for the annual process to develop the port authority’s strategic business plan, ensuring effective collaboration among involved employees and supporting related activities to identify required human and financial resources for delivery of the strategic plan
• Manage the delivery of related activities, meetings, workshops and retreats
• Coordinate with other responsible departments the annual business planning activities with overall timelines and requirements for authorizations of annual budgets, headcount requests and the corporate balanced scorecard
• Identify lessons learned and best practices and provide recommendations to refine the port authority’s strategic business planning processes, identifying and implementing new tools and methodologies as appropriate
• Lead procurement processes for retaining professional consulting services and contractors and manage related contracts; oversee the work of external service providers to ensure timely delivery of quality work within established budgets
  
  
  

Commercial & Negotiation

• Responsibility for development of Commercial Centre of Excellence
• Responsibility for development of the Executive Leadership Team terms of reference and developing process to ensure appropriate level of oversight at all levels of business on key decisions
• Responsible for the analysis and suggested resolution of key commercial issues, including:
• Developing presentations for Executive and Board; and
• Presenting and recommending strategy at Executive and Board level
  

Strategic Leadership and Management

• Actively lead and coach employees in strategic planning and systems thinking methods and approaches
• Responsibility for effective onboarding of new employees to understand the port authority’s strategic priorities and strategic business planning
• Develop strategy to assist other departments in execution, in line with strategic priorities
• Participate in the development of departmental plans and be responsible for the development and implementation of activities and programs designed to meet the intention of specific strategic priorities
• Participate as a member of various management and inter-departmental teams in the planning, implementation and management of business initiatives
• Demonstrate health and safety leadership through visible actions, participation in health and safety initiatives and conducting regular safety conversations with your employees. Ensure your employees have appropriate resources, tools, training and education to conduct their work in a safe manner
• Plan, implement and review departmental staffing requirements for areas of responsibility, including the determination of clear position descriptions, accountabilities and reporting arrangements to optimize service delivery to all stakeholders. Liaise with Human Resources to ensure the effective selection, training and performance management of staff
• Manage direct reports, ensuring that team and individuals are motivated, have defined position descriptions and reporting arrangements, their performance goals are clear and actively managed and development needs are defined and addressed
• Represent VFPA at conferences and conventions, as required, ensuring clear communication of the business strategy and key messages, and the presentation of a positive and professional image of the business
• Participate in the planning and the review of departmental operating costs, particularly with regard to staffing requirements, overheads, consultancy services, planned business programs and service provision.
• Articulate and live the VFPA culture and values, set an example by modelling the required behaviours and hold others (staff and peers) accountable for their actions by identifying and acting on behaviour which is inconsistent with agreed standards and values
• Provide an active and positive leadership example within the wider Port community, clearly communicating VFPA’s strategy and key elements of VFPA’s business plan, ensuring VFPA’s ability to deliver improvements through influence as well as direct control
  
  
  

Specific Competencies

Must have excellent leadership qualities and management skills.

Must possess excellent communication skills to effectively interface with all contacts including all levels of business, government and the public to represent VFPA as a dynamic organization prepared to seize opportunities for VFPA as a world-class port.

Must also have excellent facilitation skills and be a broad strategic thinker who can communicate complex ideas clearly and can quickly.

Must be effective at developing relationships across the organization while building a collaborative work environment. Must also demonstrate effective decision-making, planning and initiative, while fostering the development of all of these competencies in VFPA’s emerging leaders.

Must have strong business analytics and portfolio management skills.

Education & Experience

Bachelor degree in business, law or commerce or another acceptable discipline and a minimum of 5 years’ experience in leading commercial and strategic initiatives, or an acceptable combination of education and experience. Completion of Master of Business Administration is desirable.

Must Have a Thorough Working Knowledge Of Economics, Commercial And Strategic Business Planning Derived From Experience With Organizations Of Similar Size And Complexity. Should Possess The Following

• Experience leading the definition, planning and execution of a variety of complex cross-functional projects and programs
• Considerable experience presenting at the Executive and Board level
• Sound working knowledge of systems thinking approaches and analytical problem-solving techniques
• Experience in engaging with a broad range of diverse stakeholder and interest groups
• Experience working with Indigenous groups will be considered a strong asset
• Demonstrated track record in facilitating change and realizing benefits
• Excellent project management experience and skills
  
  
  

Working Conditions

Normal office conditions with occasional work required outside of normal business hours.

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

At the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, we are dedicated to employment equity and a workplace reflective of the diversity of our port community. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates including women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, and members of visible minorities. Reasonable accommodation can be provided in the selection process and while working with the port authority. If you require assistance with applying to our openings or are seeking accommodations to apply in an alternative format, please contact us at [email protected]. We are committed to supporting your needs and will do our best to provide the necessary assistance.

We recognize and acknowledge that we are located on the traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. To learn more about our indigenous relations and commitment to reconciliation, please visit our website.