Location
Location: Thorold, ON
Division
Water & Wastewater
Important Notices & Amendments
This position currently falls within our hybrid model, allowing the employee to typically work a minimum of 50% of your time at your regular work location and the other 50% of time at home.
As an employer of choice, Niagara Region offers competitive salaries and benefits, a defined benefit pension plan, a corporate wellness centre, access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), mentorship and training programs, employee recognition programs, and more. In addition, the Region recognizes the value of having flexible work arrangements to support better work-life balance for our employees. Hybrid work arrangements may vary from one employee to another and may also differ in the number of remote workdays. These opportunities remain subject to the alignment of operational needs, business requirements, and customer service expectations.
Job Description
Job Summary
Salary Pending Review
Reporting to the Associate Director of Water & Wastewater Engineering, the Manager of the W-WW Engineering Management Office (EMO) leads governance, standards, and project delivery frameworks supporting consistent, efficient, risk-informed and compliant delivery of the Region’s water and wastewater capital program. The role oversees capital project governance, delivery methodologies, stage-gate controls, and portfolio reporting, ensuring alignment with corporate procurement, legal, financial, risk, and regulatory requirements while advancing continuous improvement and standardization of engineering project delivery practices.
Education
- Post-secondary degree or diploma in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical or Environmental Engineering or a related field is required.
- An equivalent combination of education, experience and qualifications may be considered.
Knowledge
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive project management experience in planning, design, and implementation of water and wastewater capital projects.
- Experience leading or supporting engineering governance, project management office (PMO/EMO), portfolio management, process optimization, QA/QC or capital program delivery functions within a municipal or public sector environment is preferred.
- Knowledge of project planning, portfolio management, project controls, performance tracking and financial systems.
- Knowledge of water and wastewater capital project delivery practices, including environmental assessment processes, PMBOK principles, and municipal engineering standards.
- Knowledge of legislation, regulations, and codes, construction and industry standards governing municipal water and wastewater infrastructure.
- Professional certifications/designations such as P.Eng, C.E.T., or PMP are preferred.
Responsibilities
Leads and administers the Engineering Management Office functions, including development, implementation and governance of the Capital Project Delivery Framework (CPDF) and associated project delivery standards. (30% of time)
- Owns end-to-end CPDF and stage-gate governance for W-WW capital projects and programs, including decision gates, deliverables, and approval requirements.
- Develops and maintains governance frameworks and controls to support consistent and compliant capital project delivery.
- Aligns governance practices with corporate procurement, legal, risk, and financial controls.
- Ensures compliance with applicable legislation, regulations, policies and industry standards.
- Establishes standardized methodologies, tools and end-to-end delivery processes across all project phases, including planning, design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and close-out.
- Leads quality assurance and governance compliance initiatives to optimize capital project delivery.
- Maintains CPDF continuous improvement roadmap, including tracking performance, compliance, and benefits realization.
- Fosters innovation, accountability, continuous improvement and knowledge sharing across the division.
Leads portfolio monitoring, project controls, reporting systems, and performance management processes to support effective capital program oversight and decision-making. (25% of time)
- Leads the implementation, administration and continuous improvement of the Capital Project Delivery Management System (CPDMS)
- Develops and maintains portfolio dashboards and reporting for leadership, Council/ Committees and regulatory agencies.
- Defines project reporting standards, requirements and schedules for project teams.
- Develops KPIs and monitors project controls related to scope, schedule, cost, risk, quality, safety, operational impacts, change management and benefits realization.
- Implements escalation protocols and variance thresholds, ensuring timely elevation of issues requiring leadership action.
- Ensures data integrity, records management, and reporting consistency within CPDMS, financial and related corporate systems.
- Chairs portfolio review meetings, monitors governance and compliance trends and recommends corrective actions, process improvements or targeted training where recurring deficiencies are identified.
Leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of W-WW engineering governance documentation, policies, procedures, standards and related training programs. (15% of time)
- Owns governance and change control processes for engineering and project delivery documentation, including (but not limited to): W-WW Engineering Design Manual, Project Management Manual, specifications, templates and related technical documentation.
- Evaluates impacts arising from changes to legislation, regulations, policies, procedures or guidelines, technologies, materials, and industry practices, recommending appropriate updates to engineering and project delivery processes.
- Coordinates multi-departmental reviews, consultation activities, approvals, and document version control and implementation of updated standards and procedures.
- Recommends updates to the Niagara Peninsula Standard Contract Document (NPSCD), based on experience, project outcomes, regulatory changes, and industry advancements.
- Establishes and maintains quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) audit processes to support governance compliance and consistent project delivery outcomes.
- Provides onboarding, training, guidance and refresher training related to CPDF, CPDMS, reporting standards, and engineering governance documentation.
Leads coordination with internal departments, external agencies and regulatory bodies to support governance and capital program delivery. (20% of time)
- Builds effective working relationships with internal divisions and W-WW sections.
- Leads stage-gate coordination activities with CPAM and IPAD, ensuring timely transfer of scope, schedule, risk, cost, planning and asset information throughout the project lifecycle.
- Contributes to the annual capital program and 10-year forecast supporting capital funding decisions and budget adjustments in accordance with corporate policy.
- Represents W-WW Engineering on corporate committees and working groups related to project delivery, governance, and continuous improvement.
- Coordinates with utilities, municipalities, regulatory agencies, Indigenous communities, railways, and provincial/federal agencies on project delivery and approvals.
- Establishes and maintains standard protocols and guidance for permitting, approvals and regulatory coordination.
- Supports resolution of systemic project delivery barriers.
Manages people resource planning for the division or operating unit, determining ideal organizational structures, identifying desirable role and skill mix requirements for EMO functions and ensuring ongoing work quality and deliverability of results. (5% of time)
- Enables results with the organization’s human capital strategy to foster employee engagement.
- Directs and provides leadership for the activities and coaching of direct reports, providing work direction, setting priorities, assigning tasks/projects, determining methods and procedures to be used, resolving problems, ensuring results are achieved, and managing staff recruitment, onboarding, performance management, succession planning, and professional development.
- Ensures alignment and coordination of activity and quality of output between teams under their direction.
- Ensures focus is service excellence, communication/transparency, innovation, and data integrity and work flow integration.
- Ensures staff has the information and resources to make successful plans and decisions.
- Ensures all people related issues, including recruitment, grievances and labour relations issues, are aligned to HR and Corporate standards and practices.
- Helps to break down barriers to employee success, ensuring collaboration and cooperation with other teams within their division and department.
- Ensures Occupational Health & Safety policies, programs and practices are implemented, and maintained. This includes workplace inspections, monitoring, accident reporting and investigations, and ensuring any observed hazards or lapses in the functioning of OH&S processes, and other OH&S concerns are responded to promptly.
- Ensures all individuals under supervision have been informed of hazards and instructed on the necessary risk control and emergency response measures.
Develops, manages, and administers annual and multi-year Capital and Operating budgets for the operating unit ensuring support of Council’s objectives, financial transparency and accountability, monitoring budget adherence, identifying and explaining variances, and financial reporting is effectively managed in compliance with corporate financial policies. (5% of time)
- Ensures goods and services are acquired in accordance with the procurement policy.
- Authorizes, and administers the acquisition of goods and services for the operating unit and direct reports in accordance with the procurement policy and procedures.
Performs other related duties and responsibilities as assigned or required.
Special Requirements
- In accordance with the Corporate Criminal Record Check Policy, the position requires the incumbent to undergo a Criminal Records Check and submit a Canadian Police Clearance Certificate.
- Must maintain ability to travel in a timely manner to other offices, work locations or sites as authorized by the Corporation for business reasons.
- Regional staff strive to enable the strategic priorities of council and the organization through the completion of their work. Staff carry out their work by demonstrating the corporate values.
About Us
Serving a diverse urban and rural population of more than 475,000, Niagara Region is focused on building a strong and prosperous Niagara. Working collaboratively with 12 local area municipalities and numerous community partners, the Region delivers a range of high-quality programs and services to support and advance the well-being of individuals, families and communities within its boundaries. Nestled between the great lakes of Erie and Ontario, the Niagara peninsula features some of Canada’s most fertile agricultural land, the majesty of Niagara Falls and communities that are rich in both history and recreational and cultural opportunities. Niagara boasts dynamic modern cities, Canada’s most developed wine industry, a temperate climate, extraordinary theatre, and some of Ontario’s most breathtaking countryside. An international destination with easy access to its binational U.S. neighbour New York State, Niagara attracts over 14 million visitors annually, as well as a steady stream of new residents and businesses.
At Niagara Region, we value diversity - in background and experience. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We aspire to hire and grow a workforce reflective of the diverse community we serve. By doing so, we can deliver better programs and services across Niagara.
We welcome all applicants! For more information about diversity, equity, and inclusion at Niagara Region, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion - Niagara Region, Ontario or email related questions to diversity@niagararegion.ca. To send input on reducing barriers in the current hiring process, please email myhr@niagararegion.ca
For the Region's full employee equity statement, Working at Niagara Region - Niagara Region, Ontario.
While specific qualifications are important for certain roles, we invite individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply. Our recruiters will evaluate your suitability for the role.
Closing Statement
Uncover the wonder of the Niagara Region and join a team dedicated to meeting tomorrow’s challenges TODAY!
Let us know why you would be an excellent team member by submitting your online application.
We thank all candidates for their interest however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
We confirm that we do not use AI in screening of applicants, and this position is an existing vacancy.
If you require an accommodation for the application process in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the alternate formats for contacting us are as follows:
- Email: myhr@niagararegion.ca
- Phone: 905-980-6000 or 1-800-263-7215
- Bell Relay: 1-800-855-0511
- In-person: Sir Isaac Brock Way, Thorold, ON L2V 4T7 – Human Resources Department
#INDNR
Work Location: In person
