Manager, Governance and Portfolio Management

Detailed 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. 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, Governance and Portfolio Management leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of governance frameworks and portfolio management practices to enable the effective delivery of strategic and business improvement projects. Collaborating closely with delivery teams across the organization, this role ensures that project portfolios remain aligned with organizational strategy and leadership priorities.

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

In This Role, The Successful Candidate

Strategic and Portfolio Leadership

• Facilitate and coordinate the efforts of senior leadership toward the establishment of the enterprise project portfolio, its structure and processes, from demand management and strategic alignment of projects and programs to portfolio categories and criteria
• Lead quarterly (or at other intervals as specified) reviews with executive and leadership teams to validate and assess the project portfolio, execute change, and adjust the portfolio to meet business needs as required
• Represent the project portfolio in strategic planning processes, supporting budget and workforce prioritization both within and outside the annual strategic planning cycle
  
  
  

PMO Lifecycle and Governance

• Develop and standardize scalable portfolio management and PMO lifecycle processes, including project intake, prioritization, stage gating, and delivery strategies
• Establish and maintain governance frameworks and forums to ensure appropriate oversight, accountability and decision making for the enterprise project portfolio
• Develop and refine project management directives, standards and methodologies, ensuring they align with organizational needs and industry benchmarks
• Lead reviews of any significant projects that are challenged and provide recommendations as to whether it should continue, be significantly changed, placed on hold or discontinued
• Monitor portfolio risks and dependencies, ensuring proactive mitigation through collaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure continuity and optimal portfolio outcomes
  
  
  

Resource Planning and Progress Reporting

• Facilitate the allocation of project managers effectively across the project portfolio(s), balancing workloads, skills, and project requirements to ensure optimal outcomes
• Engage with senior leadership and business units to assess resource capacity, identify gaps, and align resource utilization with project priorities and business needs
• Provide enterprise-wide visibility into the project portfolio, including cadence reporting on project progress, health, resource utilization, and financial performance
• Establish and define project progress reporting standards across the portfolio, ensuring consistency, clarity, and effectiveness in decision-making
  
  
  

Project Portfolio Management (PPM) Systems and Toolkits

• Manage and administer the effective use of PPM tools (e.g. Microsoft Project, Jira, and Smartsheet) to meet project team needs and support portfolio-level reporting
• Develop and maintain comprehensive toolkits for project delivery teams, providing standardized templates, best practices, and guidance to optimize the use of PPM tools across the portfolio
• Track and report on system and tool effectiveness and usage, identifying opportunities for optimization and alignment with project delivery practices
  
  
  

Capacity Building and Continuous Improvement

• Develop a comprehensive capability-building roadmap, and implement a structured approach to continuous improvement, to advance organizational project management maturity
• Develop and deliver training, mentoring, and access to resources that support the adoption of best practices and enhance overall project management competencies
• Establish and lead forums (such as Community of Practice) to foster knowledge-sharing and raise the overall level of project management capability across the organization
  
  
  

Team Management and Development

• Contribute to the development of departmental plans and budgets, including workforce requirements, overheads, consultancy services, and business activities
• Lead and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and excellence, while ensuring alignment with departmental plans and corporate values
• Provide coaching and mentoring to direct reports, focusing on their professional growth and performance improvement, and creating development opportunities
• Manage team performance, setting clear expectations, tracking progress, and conducting regular feedback sessions to ensure individual and collective success
• Optimize workforce allocation, ensuring the right mix of skills and resources are applied to projects, and adjusting service levels as necessary to meet business needs
• Partner with HR to drive recruitment, onboarding, and talent management efforts, ensuring that staffing levels meet project requirements and performance standards
  
  
  

Specific Competencies

• Strong strategic thinking skills, with the ability to align project portfolios with organizational goals, prioritize resources, and optimize strategic outcomes
• Deep understanding of project and portfolio management, with a proven track record of building and leading project management office(s)
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights and influence data-driven decisions
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a proven ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels. Proven ability to communicate key messages; lead meetings, facilitate sessions, and build alignment across teams and departments
• Strong leadership and coaching capabilities, with experience in organizational capability building and in developing and delivering training programs to improve performance
  
  
  

Education & Experience

• Must have a bachelor’s degree in business administration, technology, engineering, or related 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 hold Project Management Institute (PMP, PgMP) or equivalent certification
• Proficiency in commonly used project and portfolio management tools such as Smartsheet, MS Project Online, Primavera P6
• Demonstrated experience in project/portfolio resource planning, reporting, prioritization, with an ability to engage with business leads and defend prioritization
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered
  
  
  

Marine Transportation Security Clearance

The incumbent must obtain and maintain a valid Marine Transportation Security Clearance as this position is required to access restricted areas/information as defined by the Marine Transportation Security Regulations.

Working Conditions

Normal office conditions. Flexibility to respond to issues during non-working hours as required.

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.