The Senior Operations Specialist, Leadership & Learning serves as the primary owner for strengthening the capability, performance, and long-term growth of the skilled trades leadership team across Seaspan’s Victoria Shipyards (VSL). Reporting to the Director, Operations this role is responsible for the management, coordination and facilitation of learning and leadership strategies to enhance workforce effectiveness. This role is expected to have 1-2 direct reports to support.
This Senior Specialist role will act as a liaison between internal partners, including Trade Superintendents, HR & Safety as well as external partners including Training Vendors and unions to enable the trades leadership to drive improvements that support the safe, productive and efficient operations of the trades workforce.
Note: Due to business needs, this position is required to be fully on-site based at 825 Admirals Road, Victoria.
What you'll do
- Plan, coordinate, and deliver comprehensive training programs with a focus on leadership development, safety compliance, and workforce capability building for unionized leadership.
- Operationalize workforce development strategies by aligning training initiatives with organizational goals and the strategic roadmap set by senior leadership.
- Implement and improve leadership development programs for front-line trades supervisors, emphasizing practical, field-ready skills and performance outcomes.
- Facilitate leadership and safety training sessions, ensuring content is engaging, relevant, and directly applicable to day-to-day yard operations.
- Partner with cross-functional teams (e.g., Operations, Safety, HR) to enhance onboarding and Day One orientation processes, improving early employee engagement, safety awareness, and productivity.
- Support workforce readiness by identifying skills gaps and developing targeted training solutions to meet current and future operational needs.
- Collaborate with external partners, including unions, training providers, and industry subject matter experts, to source, align, and integrate external training opportunities with internal workforce strategies.
- Develop and manage training budgets, including forecasting future workforce development costs, optimizing resource allocation, and ensuring cost-effective delivery of programs aligned with operational priorities.
Monitor and evaluate training effectiveness through data tracking, feedback, and performance metrics; provide actionable recommendations to improve program impact and operational efficiency.
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What you'll bring
- Post-secondary education degree in business or Adult Education; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 5-7 years of progressive experience in learning and development, organizational development, or leadership development, preferably in a skilled trade, industrial, or manufacturing environment. Combination of work experience with the above and in a skilled trade may be considered.
- Experience working in a unionized environment and/or heavy industry.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and partner engagement skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office (particularly Excel) and other relevant software.
- Strong analytical skills and experience using metrics to evaluate training effectiveness.
Ability to work with limited direction and to function as a team member.
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Why you'll love working here
- This is a full-time, permanent position. With multiple operations and long-term projects, Seaspan employees enjoy job stability as we look ahead to build ships for decades to come.
- In addition to an annual bonus and pension plan matching, this role provides you with a very competitive salary in line with the successful candidate’s experience.
We also provide the best-in-class health and wellness benefits package for this position, including things such as extended health care (i.e. paramedical services for massage therapy, speech therapy, mental health coverage, physiotherapy, and more), dental care, vision care, life insurance, medical leave coverage, parental leave coverage, $500 personal spending account, and an Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP).
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The estimated salary for this position is $112,500 - $137,500. In determining final salary, Seaspan considers many factors including the successful Candidate’s skills and experience as well as position location and internal equity. The final base salary offer will be at the Company’s sole discretion and presented as part of a competitive total compensation package.
Seaspan Shipyards is one of North America’s most modern shipyards and unique in its ability to provide a complete range of services including new construction, conversion, refit, repair and life-cycle maintenance work for Canada’s Coast Guard and Navy as well as commercial vessels including cruise-ships and deep-sea vessels. Seaspan Shipyards operations include Vancouver Shipyards, Vancouver Drydock and Victoria Shipyards.
To learn more, visit our website: www.seaspan.com
This position may involve defense articles and/or technical data regulated by the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and the U.S. Arms Export Control Act. In compliance with ITAR, the successful candidate will be subject to a security clearance through the Canadian Controlled Goods Program as regulated by the Controlled Goods Regulations and Defense Production Act. The successful candidate will be required to maintain their security clearance throughout their employment in this position.
Seaspan is committed to Employment Equity, supports diversity in the workplace, and encourages applications from all qualified individuals including, women, members of visible minorities, Indigenous persons, and persons with disabilities. If you require any accommodations at any stage of the recruitment process, please reach out to our Talent Acquisition team at [email protected] for confidential support. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment.
