Be at the forefront of Canada's clean energy future.

Are you ready to shape the next chapter in Canada's clean technology future? Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) is seeking a Director, Strategic Operations to lead key projects that support the growth of Nova Scotia's tidal energy sector to help advance our mission at a pivotal moment for Canada's renewable energy landscape. With new momentum from the federal Task Force for Sustainable Tidal Energy, world-leading tidal technologies on the horizon, and upcoming project opportunities at our test site, this is a rare chance to be a part of real change in a sector on the rise.

As Canada's lead research facility for tidal stream energy, our site supports industry and innovators by providing the electrical infrastructure needed to test and connect tidal technologies to the grid. Our work focuses on advancing applied ocean science, assessing environmental effects, and building trusted relationships across industry, research, communities, and government.

Director, Strategic Operations

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) is seeking a Director, Strategic Operations to strengthen project governance, operational discipline, and cross-organizational integration during a pivotal moment for Nova Scotia's tidal energy sector.

Reporting to the Executive Director, this role ensures FORCE's major projects, grant-funded programs, and internal operations are lead with rigor, clarity, and technical insight. The successful candidate brings:

• Demonstrated leadership in the governance and oversight of complex, multi-partner initiatives
• Sound judgment navigating financial, technical, regulatory, and reputational considerations
• Proven ability to synthesize diverse inputs into clear, public-ready outputs
• Technical fluency within applied science and/or regulated research environments
• Comfort operating in a small team with high accountability to governance, partners, and funders

THE ROLE

The Director, Strategic Operations provides organization-wide operational oversight, project governance, and executive-level integration across FORCE's key initiatives. This role is critical in integrating major project streams, overseeing grant-funded programs, interdependent staff activities, and strategic decision-making. The successful candidate will possess a strong technical curiosity and mechanical understanding to oversee complex marine and research initiatives without needing to be the hands-on technical specialist.

As an important leader on a small team, the Director is someone people turn to for clarity, integration, and sound judgment. The Director is deeply involved in understanding how the pieces fit together, knowing success depends on steering complex initiatives while ensuring small but essential details are not overlooked.

The Director anticipates downstream impacts of decisions and moves confidently between internal operations, organizational leadership, governance forums, and key external stakeholders, including funders, regulators, and sector partners. Above all, this role strengthens FORCE's capacity, discipline, and readiness as activity volume increases, major projects advance, and the national tidal sector accelerates.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Operational Strategy, Governance, and Oversight

• Lead the development and application of project governance frameworks across all FORCE initiatives, including integrated workplans, decision logs, risk registers, dashboards, and reporting standards - including projects like the Ocean Sensor Innovation Platforms (OSIP) project - an NRCan-funded, multi-partner research initiative focused on fish-turbine interactions.
• Provide structured oversight to FORCE's major initiatives ensuring projects adhere to governance frameworks, progress as planned, and meet financial, technical, Rights Holder and stakeholder needs and expectations.
• Ensure governance integrity and operational accountability across the organization, aligning day-to-day operations with internal policies and external obligations.
• Maintain technical fluency to bridge scientific, engineering, and operational considerations and inform decisions related to sensor platforms, deployment logistics, system interfaces, and associated risks.

2. Organizational Risk Management and Systems

• Lead FORCE's corporate risk management framework, integrating operational, financial, regulatory, and reputational considerations into routine decision-making.
• Build and maintain scalable internal systems and standards that reduce rework, improve consistency, and support organizational maturity.
• Establish quality assurance practices to ensure all FORCE outputs (reports, briefs, decks, memos, submissions) are accurate, polished, and public-ready.
• Provide structured support to the Executive Director through clear analysis, reporting, and follow-through on operational, risk, and governance matters.

3. Grant and Funding Program Management

• Serve as a central liaison with funding agencies; internally, establish and manage document standards that meet agency reporting requirements and submission timelines.
• Coordinate financial, technical, operational, and narrative inputs into cohesive, defensible, professional submissions.
• Maintain internal reporting structures that align with federal/provincial expectations and withstand audit or compliance review.
• Oversee program budgets, milestones, risks, and deliverables across all grant-funded initiatives.

4. Strategic Communications and Partner Alignment

• Translate complex technical, operational, and scientific information into accessible communication materials for senior audiences (government, regulators, funders, Board and other partners).
• Prepare or refine briefing notes, decision memos, project updates, and technical summaries.
• Support engagement with technology developers, academic partners, Indigenous partners, community representatives, and industry groups.
• Participate in or lead briefings, tours, and exchanges at the FORCE site and interconnection facility.
• Ensure structured alignment between contractors, researchers, developers, and internal teams.

QUALIFICATIONS + EXPERIENCE

Required

• 10+ years of progressive responsibility leading or overseeing multidisciplinary project and operational programs.
• Bachelor's degree in applied, ocean or environmental science, engineering, project management, or related field (or equivalent experience in technical project environments).
• Demonstrated experience working in operational, technical, or project-driven environments (marine, energy, infrastructure, environmental, technology, research, or similar).
• Experience in small or mid-sized organizations requiring cross-functional leadership, operational versatility, and holistic situational awareness.
• Experience navigating federal/provincial funding programs, reporting cycles, audits, compliance requirements, and multi-party accountability.
• Strong competency in analytical synthesis, technical documentation, and executive-level communication, capable of producing clear, sound, decision-ready material.

Assets

• Experience in not-for-profit, research, clean energy, or comparable governance-driven environments characterized by regulatory complexity and public accountability.
• PMP or equivalent project management experience.
• Familiarity with governance structures, Board relations, and organizational risk management.
• Mechanical/technical curiosity - interest in understanding how complex systems, components, or platforms interact.

CORE ATTRIBUTES

• Systems-focused thinker who can anticipate interdependencies, trade-offs, and downstream impacts.
• Highly organized, disciplined, and trusted to deliver high-quality work with minimal revision.
• Strong communicator that's confident synthesizing technical and operational complexity into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences.
• Collaborative, steady under pressure, and able to adapt to shifting priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Uses objectivity, independent judgment to provide strategic support to the Executive Director and staff.
• Curious, technically engaged, and interested in understanding how complex marine or research systems fit together.

Our office is based in Dartmouth with travel to the FORCE site and other locations for project oversight, meetings, and stakeholder engagement. Some regional travel is required from time to time as required by the role.

Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your interest and qualifications. We value inclusion and diversity and encourage applicants to self-identify. Only candidates selected for interview will be contacted.

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