Technical Leader, Safety

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 Canada Energy Regulator works to keep energy moving safely across the country. We review energy development projects and share energy information, all while enforcing some of the strictest safety and environmental standards in the world. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta with regional offices in Montréal, Vancouver and Yellowknife, the CER has approximately 500 employees.

The CER 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 (the Director) in the Field Operations Business Unit, the Technical Leader, Safety applies expert knowledge in providing advice to Canada Energy Regulator (CER) staff, Board Members, regulated companies, other stakeholders, and the public with respect to occupational and process safety and related management system and safety culture aspects, as they relate to the CER’s legislated mandate for safety oversight. This includes:
• occupational and process safety oversight related to the construction, operation, and abandonment of CER-regulated facilities and projects;
• supporting the development and execution of compliance verification and enforcement activities including inspections, compliance meetings, application assessments, and incident follow-up approaches;
• applying knowledge on industry standards and best practices;
• contributing to the oversight framework, processes, and procedures (including inspections, compliance meetings, incident and unauthorized activity follow-up methods, management systems, statistical trending/analysis, job hazard/risk analysis and management, personal protective equipment, material handling, occupational safety, process safety, safety culture, and engagement strategies) to promote safety and safe living and working near CER-regulated activities and infrastructure; and
• other related duties in the advancement of safety oversight.

Working closely with the Director and other related Technical/Professional Leaders and Compliance Program Managers, the Technical Leader, Safety provides technical coaching to staff and participates actively in their professional development to advance delivery of technical excellence in CER safety oversight, including support to the Safety and Security Community of Practice. The Technical Leader, Safety regularly scans the external environment and monitors internal activities, in order to stay abreast of emerging issues of interest to the organization, and to influence the organization to take proactive actions regarding emerging issues. The position balances both the strategic and tactical interests of the CER as they relate to safety oversight, while working within a management system and advancing safety culture principles and approaches.

The position has strong verbal, written, and analytical skills, with a focus on strategy, regulatory leadership, and the development and delivery of technical excellence for CER safety practitioners. The incumbent may be an active participant in external committees, may represent the CER at industry forums such as the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, and would engage with industry organizations, other regulators, Indigenous peoples and organizations, and the public.

The Technical Leader, Safety may be required occasionally to conduct field inspections, compliance meetings, site visits, and/or engagement activities at various locations, including remote areas, and over various terrains.

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: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter in 1,200 words (maximum)

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

Education: Graduation with a degree from a recognized university in engineering, process safety, occupational safety, industrial hygiene, or a related field relevant to the duties of the position.

Degree equivalency

Experience:

E1 Expert-level occupational safety and/or process safety experience (i.e. 10 years or more of direct and recent industry experience, with a combination of leadership and field-level practitioner experience) in the oil and gas industry and/or as an oil and gas regulator.

E2 Significant and recent experience liaising with the public, industry, Indigenous peoples, and/or government regarding the safe construction, operation, and/or abandonment of pipelines or other upstream /midstream/downstream oil- and gas-related activities.

E3 Recent and direct experience working within and contributing to the development and/or regulatory oversight of safety management systems.

E4 Significant and recent experience coaching and mentoring staff on occupational safety and/or process safety, including field-level practitioner matters, at all levels throughout an organization.

Note: For the purposes of this staffing process, significant means several years of substantively more progressive and complex responsibilities. Recent is defined as having recent enough experience that the candidate is competent to take on the role with very little direction.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Organization-wide and Business Competencies:

OC1 Leadership & Teamwork - Proficiency level: Guide/Shape
• Coaches others to make timely and effective decisions and removes barriers that impede improvement.
• Takes a leadership role in team and partnership building.

OC2 Accountability and Results Orientation - Proficiency level: Shape
• Takes responsibility for identifying and resolving gaps and issues of CER-wide importance.

OC3 Initiative & Adaptability to Change - Proficiency level: Shape
• Creates new concepts and theories, in response to new challenges.

OC4 Process & Project Management – Proficiency level: Guide
• Determines project accountabilities, process priorities, and resources allocations effectively across business units.

OC5 Oral Communication - Proficiency level: Guide
• Clearly articulates technical matters to senior level audiences verbally.

OC6 Written Communication - Proficiency level: Guide
• Clearly articulates technical matters to senior level audiences in writing.

Technical Competencies:

TC1 Compliance Verification – Proficiency level: Shape
• Provides broad direction for the organization with respect to safety oversight practices, competencies, resources, and policies.
• Influences the strategies for regulations and enhanced or new safety oversight practices by consideration of societal and technical implications.

TC2 Investigative Methods - Proficiency level: Guide/Shape
• Leads CER staff in applying learnings to develop and maintain consistent and current approaches to safety and technical oversight.

Competency Level Definitions

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 CER with regards to the competency.

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

Asset Qualifications

AQ1 Relevant occupational certification or professional designation in good standing such as:
o member in good standing with the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals and hold a valid Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP);
o Certified Health and Safety Consultant (CHSC);
o Professional Engineer (P. Eng.);
o Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH); or
o Registered Occupational Hygienist (ROH).

AQ2 Specialized expertise or an advanced degree in the development, implementation, maintenance, evaluation, and improvement of safety policies, management systems, and programs in the oil and gas industry.

AQ3 Specialized expertise or an advanced degree in a related field such as fire protection engineering, process safety, industrial hygiene, or occupational health.

AQ4 Recent and direct experience with respect to Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSAS 18001, ISO 45001 or CAN/CSA-Z1000-14) or Process Safety Systems.

AQ5 Recent and direct experience working in oil and gas exploration and/or development (offshore or onshore) including seismic, drilling, production, and/or processing facilities.

AQ6 Recent and direct experience in a regulatory oversight capacity.

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 CER’s Code of Conduct is required.
Note: It is strongly recommended that potential applicants read and consider the CER’s Code of Conduct prior to applying. This document is available on the CER Website http://www.cer-rec.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.

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 CER has a classification system that differs from the greater public service. This NEB-12 position is similar to an EN-ENG-05 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 CER’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. Asset qualification(s) may be used at any point in the selection process (screening and/or assessment). 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: your application, written examination, standardized tests, oral presentation, interview(s), 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 2019 NEB-12, $116,589 to $141,851

The CER 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

6. Terms of Employment: This position has been allocated and applies to the bargaining unit represented by the CER 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 CER 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.