21000957 Vice President, Commercial

VICE PRESIDENT, COMMERCIAL

Located at 3099 Barrington Street in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3K 5M7, and 35 Micmac Boulevard, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3A4Y8, Irving Shipbuilding has a proud history as Canada's shipbuilder. A proud member of the J.D. Irving, Limited group of companies, we have been building quality vessels and fabricated modules for more than 50 years, and our Halifax Shipyard has been at the forefront of Canadian shipbuilding for 130 years.

Since 2012, we have invested more than $400 million in facilities, people, processes, and technology, making Halifax Shipyard one of the most modern and capable shipyards in North America.

Over the next 30 years our shipbuilders will construct 20+ modern patrol ships and surface combatants for the Royal Canadian Navy as part of Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy, the largest defence procurement in Canadian history.

This year, we delivered the lead Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, the largest Navy ship built in Canada in 50 years. And we're just getting started. The second ship will be delivered in 2021.

We're growing our team with career-defining opportunities that will revitalize Canada's shipbuilding industry and provide Canada's sailors with the ships they need to protect Canada's interests at home and abroad. Our workforce of over 2,000 will grow to more than 2,800 at peak construction of the Canadian Surface Combatants. We have built more than 80% of Canada's current combatant fleet and continue to perform maintenance and modernization work on the ships, including the Halifax-class frigates.

The Vice President, Commercial role is a permanent, full-time position based in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia reporting to the President. The language of work is English.

In the near-term, ISI has ongoing operations at various stages for the following highly visible Royal Canadian Navy contracts. Reporting to the President, this role will have functional responsibility to participate in and/or lead negotiations related to contractual terms and conditions and effectively advocate and communicate positions/issues to various stakeholders.  Oversee all procurement, logistics and contract management associated with Shipbuilding and Ship Repair supporting the production operations for all current and future contracts. The incumbent will oversee the operation of one or more subsidiaries under the ISI banner.  The successful candidate will maintain harmonious relationships with all key customers, suppliers and partner organizations and thereby further enhance the company’s well-established reputation for overall quality and customer service. 

Key Responsibilities:

Success in this role will be measured by the successful candidate’s ability to demonstrate strong leadership, business acumen and financial skills to optimally position ISI to deliver on overall customer, vendor and supplier relations. This will be accomplished by leading a team that evaluates supplier core competencies, competitive pricing position and policies to ensure the best quality, pricing and delivery of products and services.

Success in this role requires leading the negotiation of contracts with major suppliers to ensure all program requirements are met, key metrics and balanced scorecard results are achieved, and risks are minimized.  This will include the development and execution of a negotiation strategy that delivers against business objectives and achieves sustainable relationships with suppliers at the lowest possible cost.

This will involve being a strategic problem-solver, using sound judgement, and anticipating, communicating, and navigating challenges frequently associated with managing complex contracts with combat systems.

The incumbent will also lead one or more ISI subsidiary divisions with the purpose of maximizing the effectiveness, cost performance and quality of each location.

The Vice President, Commercial will ensure that ISI delivers against commitments, within budget and on time by:

• Leveraging his/her financial and business acumen to develop efficiencies, as well as track, analyze and trend project costs to prevent and/or resolve overruns.
• Demonstrating flexibility and strong problem-solving skills to successfully navigate potential challenges.
• Holding self and others accountable to meet customer expectations and fulfil commitments. This includes reviewing performance and progress on a regular basis to ensure teams are achieving results.
• Empowering others: s/he must be a “hands-on” leader and will delve into operations to assure that his/her team receives feedback, establishes goals to achieve results, and understands the metrics by which they are being measured.

Successful Candidate will possess the following Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years major contracts procurement experience in a major shipbuilding, defence, or manufacturing environment. Experience in modern shipbuilding would be an advantage.
• 10+ years senior leadership experience in supply chain and manufacturing operations.  Experience gained in the shipbuilding, submarine or ship repair industries as an executive is desired.
• Relevant undergraduate degree or college diploma/certificate (e.g. business, engineering, material management) and a Master’s degree in Business Administration or professional purchasing designation.
• Proven ability to lead and manage the commercial portfolio, previous responsibility for operations, production and supply chain teams of 500+ people, and be well-versed in each area.
• Proven ability to work with Government customers, to include complex contracts.
• Proven ability to work with Government customers, to include complex contracts.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively leverage IT systems to improve procurement efficiency and outcomes. Use of independent judgment and discretion in drafting, reviewing, interpreting, and negotiating a variety of contracts with a focus on customer and vendor contracts.

Additionally, the successful applicant will possess and demonstrate the following attributes:

• Integrity
• Commitment to safety
• Strong business acumen and problem-solver
• Team-builder
• Continuous improvement mindset

All successful applicants must meet requirements for Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP), Canadian Government Security clearance, and U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). This position also requires NATO security clearance.

What We Offer:

Irving Shipbuilding is proud to offer a competitive salary and benefits package, including but not limited to medical, dental, and vision.

For additional information please contact:

Jim Rennie: rennie.jim@irvingshipbuilding.com

To Apply for this Career Opportunity:

Please complete the online application form. An up-to-date resume of past experience and education is required.

All applications will be reviewed by one of our recruiters.  If the recruiter sees a potential opportunity (current or future) that matches your skills and experience, you will be contacted to discuss your qualifications for a position with Irving Shipbuilding.
 
We thank all candidates for their interest, however, only those selected for interviews will be contacted. 

To learn more about our products and services, click here.

Irving Shipbuilding Inc. is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in its employment practices and to providing an environment free from discrimination and harassment for all employees.

We do not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or employment agencies, and we are not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.