Project Leader, Security & Emergency Preparedness

 

Project Leader, Transport Canada Security & Emergency Preparedness – Atlantic Region

The Atlantic Region Security & Emergency Preparedness mandate is to ensure industry compliance with security legislation in all modes of transportation and to provide a regional departmental capability to respond to industry, regional and national emergencies affecting transportation. We have always been required to be adaptive and responsive to new and emerging threats since our creation as a result of the Air India Bombings of 1985. Since September 11, 2001, these challenges have increased due to the changing face of terrorism. We now face multi-modal threats to our National Transportation System compared to the more primary aviation role played pre-September 11, 2001.

These challenges are in part due to the ever-evolving expectations of the Canadian public, partners and stakeholders, foreign governments, the Government of Canada, and indeed the department itself. All are based on the delicate balance of fulfilling the obligations of the Government of Canada to respond to the ever-evolving nature of threats to the National Transportation System, and the fiscal responsibility of the government to be good stewards of the public purse. Included in our many responsibilities are: 

  • Conducting inspections of air carriers, airports, vessels, port facilities, and rail operations and facilities to ensure compliance with federal security regulations and memoranda of agreement;
  • Consulting with partners and stakeholders in aviation security to ensure new measures and legislation are being implemented in a fair and consistent manner across the region;
  • Providing regulatory oversight and support for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA);
  • Conducting Emergency Preparedness exercises;
  • Consulting with partners and stakeholders, and the private sector in all modes regarding transportation security and emergency preparedness;
  • Supporting the Marine Security Operations Centre (MSOC) Halifax;
  • Interfacing with internal groups, other federal departments, other levels of government, non-governmental organizations and industry stakeholders to participate in exercises on regional and national emergency response and critical infrastructure protection;
  • Maintaining the departmental Regional Situation Centre in a state of readiness for effective incident management and communication in the event of an emergency;
  • Conducting increased security awareness sessions in all modes to ensure partners and stakeholders are kept abreast of new legislative changes to the Aeronautics Act, Marine Transportation Security Act, the Railways Safety Act, and all other applicable legislation. The goal is to ensure that they remain vigilant in their everyday operations and are familiar with the direction of the Government of Canada on transportation security initiatives.

During the eight-month assignment, you will be working as part of a multi-disciplinary team reporting to the Regional Director Transportation Security and Emergency Preparedness. You will be responsible for leading projects designed to improve management processes and procedures, aligning them with the Management Accountability Framework. Some of your objectives will include: 

Strategic Direction and Business Planning – formalizing business and work planning processes for the Atlantic Region which are in line with national priorities. This would include developing tools and templates for planning processes that would support a risk management framework and resourcing needs.

  • Stakeholders – develop systems that better capture the results of consultations with stakeholders in managing their needs and expectations in order to identify common issues across all modes.
  • Program Management and Leadership – develop a job analysis tool that will enable the Region to quantify the impact of work done on behalf of the National office.
  • Quality Assurance – formalize and improve the Quality Assurance Review Process of the management system in the Region.
  •  Analyze current Branch Human Resource and Financial processes with a view to better align and optimize these areas.

This assignment will be interesting for a person who enjoys a challenging work experience. The candidate will be located in Dartmouth, NS, and will be required to travel on a limited basis within Atlantic Canada and to Ottawa. The successful candidate must enjoy working with limited direct supervision and be able to deliver on objectives within agreed-upon time frames. The assignment will provide an excellent opportunity for the successful individual to showcase their leadership and creative thinking skills.