Senior Project Engineer (Project Management Office)

Job Responsibility:

Department : Project Delivery Employee Group : Exempt Location : 4515 Central Boulevard, Burnaby Wage Rate / Salary Range : Professional / Technical, Level P3A ($123,587.51 - $145,395.95 annually, 2024 rates)

Our Project Delivery Department is seeking a *Senior Project Engineer who will provide expertise and leadership in the advancement of the Project and Portfolio Management centre of excellence at Metro Vancouver including development, implementation and ongoing management of a project management framework. The successful candidate will be part of a team supporting the planning and execution of a portfolio of capital projects valued at over $6 billion over the next 5 years.

You are: A Project Management Professional and registered Professional Engineer (or eligible to register as a P.Eng.), with highly developed skills in leading Project Management Office (PMO) initiatives, developing and implementing new programs and standards, processes, and tools, and with proven ability to implement change in large organizations. You are a collaborative problem-solver with strong communication and interpersonal skills and are able to communicate information both verbally and in writing to a wide variety of both technical and non-technical audiences.

The *Senior Project Engineer reports to the Lead Senior Engineer.

This role :

• Performs complex and varied engineering and project management work that may involve initiating, monitoring, and reporting on large projects. Initiatives include development, implementation and sustainment of a project management framework for capital projects across the organization.
• Works with counterparts in the three utility departments, as well as with Parks, Housing, Finance, IT and others toward developing and improving Project Management Standards consistent with industry best practices, and standardizing processes, systems, and tools across Metro Vancouver related to project and portfolio management.
• Acts as a leading Project Manager on the initiatives that are high in priority for the Project Management Office. Prepares and reviews project charters and project management plans, presentations, progress reports, procurement documentation and contract specifications for consulting services, and organization-wide training on new standards and tools.
• Applies principles and practices of profession to ensure results are achieved in a sound and practical manner. Analyzes and assesses requirements and recommends optimal methods for achieving objectives. Performs project risk assessments and recommends mitigation strategies.
• Responsible for overall project budgets and monitors and controls costs ensuring the effective and efficient expenditure of allocated funds. Participates in short and long range planning. Responsible for project schedules and milestones, and identifies the required resources to ensure the success of the project.
• Makes decisions and provides recommendations on a variety of issues with broad policies and mandates as guidelines. Uses ingenuity to devise original, practical and economical solutions.
• Acts as Metro Vancouver's appointed representative in assigned matters of project and contract obligations. May be required to negotiate significant technical (pertaining to project management) or financial interest on behalf of Metro Vancouver.
• Directs the actions of consultants recommending changes to scope and negotiating new terms as required. Deals with full range of project dimensions and stakeholders that may include Procurement, Finance, Technology Services, External Relations, and Major Projects teams, and liaises with other internal and external stakeholders.
• Facilitates meetings and project status update sessions with the project Steering Committees. Explains difficult concepts and persuades others to adopt a point of view, supports position with evidence, research or experience gained in similar situations. Typically acts as a project leader and actively works to encourage teamwork, collaboration and efficiency.
• May supervise professional engineers and/or technical staff engaged in PMO initiates. Peer reviews the work of colleagues and provides guidance to consulting engineers and technical staff. Acts as a resource to staff members for advice and guidance on potential approaches and problem situations. May be a resource for presentations and questions to the Metro Vancouver board, committees and municipal councils.
• May work as a technical/specialist resource, collaborating with senior engineers, management and/or government officials in the development of regulatory or government policy initiatives affecting Metro Vancouver.
• Performs other related duties as required.

To be successful, you have :

• A Bachelor of Applied Science degree in a relevant engineering discipline. 4-6 years recent related experience following professional registration; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Designation as a Project Management Professional (PMP) is considered a strong asset.
• Membership or eligibility for immediate membership as a registered Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) with the Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (EGBC).
• Experience leading organizational transformation projects or continuous improvement initiatives for large utilities. Experience with development, implementation and sustainment of a project management framework is preferred.
• Experience in development of engineering and Project Management standards with a focus on visual representation and process mapping.
• Sound technical knowledge and understanding of engineering principles and their application in relevant discipline. Ability to act as a resource to staff and provide sound and practical guidance for unusual or problem situations.
• Proven contract administration and project management skills. Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize a complex series of project components for large complex projects to meet multiple time based deliverables requiring a high level of detail and accuracy. Ability to resolve problems within established guidelines and procedures; ability to use judgment to determine which methods are applicable in any given situation.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills. Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing including letter, report writing and presentation skills. Ability to facilitate meetings effectively with a wide level of audiences including General Managers, Directors, Division Managers, and other staff. Ability to persuade others to adopt a point of view or way of doing things.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build and maintain respectful working relationships with internal and external contacts under circumstances that are considerably complex and time sensitive. Skill in dealing openly, tactfully and sensitively in a variety of situations including dealings with the public, member municipalities, government agencies and contractors. Demonstrated ability to work in a team oriented work environment and deal effectively with disagreements and prevent the escalation of conflict.
• Ability to work under broad direction and use significant independent judgment to problem solve when more than one option is possible. Ability to identify opportunities to address emerging needs. Proven ability to take initiative, work with minimal supervision and effectively manage multiple projects and deadlines. Ability to meet timelines and objectives requiring persistence to overcome obstacles.
• Demonstration of understanding of the organizational culture, processes and mechanisms necessary to attain work objectives; upholds Metro Vancouver's reputation through positive and forthright dealings with other organizations and members of the public.
• Ability to interpret and apply engineering and technical guidelines and principles related to area of specialization such as technical manuals, codes and regulations, contracting policies, safety regulations and corporate and board policies. Ability to adapt or adjust guidelines and procedures for unique or difficult situations.
• Ability to supervise, coach and guide others while enhancing individual and team effectiveness. Ability to mentor and foster the development junior engineer, technical staff and direct reports as required.
• Proficiency using Microsoft office programs, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Visio, and Project.
• Valid BC Class 5 Driver's license.

• Candidates with lesser experience may be considered at the Project Engineer level, along with the applicable rate of pay.