Operations Technical Specialist

Important messages

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the Contact information below to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Assessment accommodation

We encourage Aboriginal persons to self-identify as preference may be given to this Employment Equity Group. An Aboriginal person is a North American Indian or a member of a First Nation, Métis or Inuit. North American Indians or members of a First Nation include treaty, status or registered Indians, as well as non-status and non-registered Indians. Please note that you will be required to complete an Affirmation of Aboriginal Affiliation Form.

The National Energy Board (NEB) is an independent federal regulator of several parts of Canada’s energy industry. It regulates pipelines, energy development and trade in the public interest with safety as its primary concern. The Minister of Natural Resources is responsible for this organization. The NEB was established by Parliament to regulate, among other things, the construction, operation and abandonment of pipelines that cross provincial or international borders, international power lines and designated interprovincial power lines, imports of natural gas and exports of crude oil, natural gas liquids, natural gas, refined petroleum products, and electricity, and oil and gas exploration and production activities in certain areas. The NEB is also charged with providing timely, accurate and objective information and advice on energy matters. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta with regional offices in Montréal, Vancouver and Yellowknife, the NEB has approximately 500 employees and annual budget of over $70 million.

The NEB is recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers in a national competition to determine which employers lead their industries in offering exceptional workplaces for their employees.

Duties

Reporting to the Director of Safety & Damage Prevention in the Field Operations Business Unit, this position is engaged in the development and execution of compliance verification activities in accordance with the National Energy Board (NEB) Compliance Verification Plan and performs as an experienced regulatory oversight specialist in the energy facilities sector. The incumbent will also be required to conduct incident investigation oversight. The position also provides senior-level advice and leadership to Board Members and staff with respect to occupational safety, process safety, and/or damage prevention matters primarily related to the construction, operation, and abandonment of pipelines, and/or exploration and development activities.

The position is responsible for acting in the role of “Inspection Officer” on behalf of the Board as mandated by federal legislation for works and activities under the Board’s jurisdiction, designated under the National Energy Board Act. The incumbent may also be considered for designation as a “Delegated Labour Program Official” (formerly entitled “Health and Safety Officer”) under the Canada Labour Code Part II, and/or as a “Safety Officer” under the Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act and Oil and Gas Operations Act (Northwest Territories), administering associated regulations for applicable upstream oil and gas activities.

Intent of the process

A pool of candidates may be created. Qualified candidates may be used to staff other similar positions at an equivalent or lower level on a term, indeterminate or acting basis. Appointment of qualified candidates will be based on the assessment results of the essential or essential and asset qualifications and with regard to breadth and depth of experience.

Positions to be filled: 3

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter in 1,200 words (maximum)

Contact information for 3 references.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

Post-secondary degree in a safety-related field, and/or other acceptable combination of education, experience, and technical certification.

Degree equivalency

E1: *Significant occupational safety and/or process safety-related experience in construction or operation phases of one or more of the following: energy pipelines; gas processing plants; power generation facilities; oil and gas exploration/production (offshore or onshore).

E2: Experience conducting safety inspections or audits against technical or regulatory standards.

*Significant is defined as extensive work on complex files where the applicant was required to provide expertise and accountability for decisions made for a minimum of 6 years out of the last 10 years.

If you possess any of the following, your application must also clearly explain how you meet it (other qualifications)

Preference may be given to qualified candidates self-identifying as *Aboriginal Persons and/or Visible Minorities.

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

English essential
English essential or bilingual imperative CBC

Information on language requirements

Organization-wide and Business Competencies:

OC1 Leadership & Teamwork (Guide):
• Coaches others to make timely and effective decisions and removes barriers that impede improvement.
• Personal suitability.

OC2 Accountability and Results Orientation (Guide):
• Identifies desired outcomes, facilitates achievement of results and accepts accountability for achieving results across teams and business units.
• Personal suitability

OC3 Communication: Verbal (Apply/Guide):
• Communicates clearly, concisely, and effectively with co-workers and clients verbally.

OC4 Communication: Written (Apply/Guide):
• Communicates clearly, concisely, and effectively with co-workers and clients in writing.

Technical Competencies:

TC1 Compliance Verification (Guide):
• Determines and recommends the appropriate level of safety oversight commensurate with risks.
• Leads NEB staff in applying learnings to develop and maintain consistent and current approaches to safety oversight.

TC2 Investigative Methods (Guide):
• Leads a team in the investigation of complex and high profile incidents.

Competency Level Definitions

Apply is defined as demonstrating sound understanding of the competency and ability to apply and contribute.
Guide is defined as thorough knowledge and capability of the competency. Able to influence and guide others in its application.
Shape is defined as recognized as an expert. Shapes direction of the NEB with regards to the competency.

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

AQ1: Member in good standing with the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals and holds a valid Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation.

AQ2: Recent and direct experience with respect to Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSAS 18001 or CAN/CSA-Z1000-14) or Process Safety Systems.

AQ3: Recent and direct experience working in oil and gas exploration and/or development (offshore or onshore) including seismic, drilling, production, and/or processing facilities.

AQ4: Recent and direct experience in the safe construction and operation of electrical power infrastructure and transmission, including wind power generation.

AQ5: Recent and direct experience (2 years within the last 10 years) working in the area of pipeline damage prevention.

AQ6: Recent and direct experience (3 years within the last 10 years) working as a designated inspector for a government agency.

AQ7: Previous or current designation as a “Delegated Labour Program Official” under the Canada Labour Code Part II (CLC).

Conditions of employment

1) Willingness to undergo, successfully pass and maintain a reliability status security clearance. (Some positions may require a secret security clearance, which future incumbents will be required to undergo, successfully pass and maintain).
2) Compliance with the National Energy Board’s Code of Conduct is required.
Note: It is strongly recommended that potential applicants read and consider the NEB’s Code of Conduct prior to applying. This document is available on the NEB Website http://www.neb-one.gc.ca/code-of-conduct.
3) Must be willing and able to travel and to work overtime when required.
4) Must be willing to move within and between business units and teams, based on operational requirements and/or as individual development needs are identified.
5) Must be willing and able to conduct field inspections at various locations and over various terrains.

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

1. The National Energy Board has a classification system that differs from the greater public service. This NEB-10 position is similar to a PC-04 in terms of salary range only. The benefits offered, including relocation assistance, may be significantly different than those offered in the greater public service. This position is subject to NEB’s Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada Collective Agreement.

2. Application Requirements: Applicants must submit, by the closing date, a resume and cover letter clearly demonstrating how they meet the essential qualifications of education and experience. Applicants are strongly encouraged to demonstrate how they also meet the asset qualifications. Failure to provide sufficient information will result in applicants being screened out.
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants who apply to this selection process must include in their application a valid e-mail address and make sure this address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users. Our intention is to communicate with applicants by e mail for assessment purposes including sending invitations for written tests, interviews and issuing selection process results.

3. Assessment: You may be assessed using one or more of the following tools: written examination, , interview, role play scenarios, performance appraisals, reference checks and interactions with internal staff during the process and personal knowledge. Top down selection may be used during any stage of the selection process.

4. Appointment Requirements: Candidates must meet each essential qualification and the conditions of employment to be appointed to the position. A person may be appointed to the position even though he/she does not meet any or all of the asset qualifications, organizational needs or operational requirements; however, meeting these criteria is desirable and may be a deciding factor in choosing right fit for appointment.

5. Salary: Effective 1 November 2017 NEB-10, $92,534 to $112,584 (subject to revision)
The National Energy Board has the following forms of additional compensation that are separate from base salary, the eligibility for which is determined, in accordance with the provisions in the collective agreement or terms and conditions of employment for the duration period specified:
• a Calgary Allowance in the amount of 4.95% of base salary may be paid on a bi-weekly payroll basis
• annual performance pay which includes elements of individual performance (60% of payout) and corporate performance (40% of payout)

• annual market allowance which applies only to specified operational positions applies to this position; the allowance is paid in two semi-annualized payments

• The Collective Agreement between the NEB and PIPSC expired on 31 October 2018. Please note that all provisions – including the allowances remain in place until a new agreement has been signed and implemented.

6. Terms of Employment: These positions have been allocated and apply to the bargaining unit represented by the NEB Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada.

7. Proof of Education: Proof of education is required prior to appointment. If you were educated outside of Canada, you must have your certificates and/or diplomas assessed against Canadian education standards. Please contact the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) for more information www.cicic.ca.
Equivalencies granted by the Canadian provincial authorities with respect to Applied (Bachelor's) Degrees by colleges and technical institutes (i.e. in Ontario, British-Columbia, Alberta & Manitoba) must always be accepted as equivalent to Bachelor Degrees granted by universities in the provinces concerned.

8. Organization Future Needs: The National Energy Board is committed to having a skilled and diversified workforce representative of the population we serve. In support of our strategy to achieve our employment equity goals, selection may be limited to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the following Employment Equity groups: *Aboriginal Persons, Visible Minorities.

We encourage Aboriginal persons to self-identify as preference may be given to this Employment Equity Group.

*An Aboriginal person is a North American Indian or a member of a First Nation, Métis or Inuit. North American Indians or members of a First Nation include treaty, status or registered Indians, as well as non-status and non-registered Indians. Please note that you will be required to complete an Affirmation of Aboriginal Affiliation Form.

9. Head Office Location – Calgary, AB: 210, 517 10th Avenue SW

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans and to Canadian citizens, in that order, with the exception of a job located in Nunavut, where Nunavut Inuit will be appointed first.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.