Consulting Services – Director, Climate Change, Toronto

Our client is a Canadian, employee-owned multidisciplinary professional services firm that delivers a comprehensive range of technical and strategic services, including consulting, information technology, engineering, process development, project and construction management to the Mining, Metallurgical, Energy, and Infrastructure sectors. The firm has served clients for over 80 years and has project experience in more than 150 countries around the world, delivering solutions that are smarter, more efficient, and innovative.

Our client is widely recognized for its ability to bridge the gaps between research and innovative technologies, and between engineering and reliable operations. The firm is particularly known for working with senior client management to develop business strategies; managing and optimizing production; executing projects that involve the scale-up of process technologies; and managing start-ups, commissioning and ramp-ups.

Our client delivers unprecedented business results for its clients through a commitment to quality, lower operating costs, more efficient utilization of capital assets, higher standards for safety and risk management, faster start-ups and continuous performance improvements in all projects and programs.

Scope of Position

This is an exciting new leadership role to build a business practice around Climate Change. Climate Change and resiliency considerations are taking a much more prominent role in large multi-stakeholder projects as well as smaller projects across various markets in Canada and abroad. Reporting to the Managing Director of the Environmental Services Group (ESG), this person will take ownership of the company’s Climate Change initiatives, create a business strategy, and implement a Climate Change consulting business. The role is located in the Greater Toronto Area however, the Climate Change practice will be actively focusing on targets in the key growth markets across Canada and globally. This role is also accountable for leading the implementation of relevant strategies to build a Climate Change consulting business, and to include climate change resiliency in the company’s other projects. Such strategies will position our client to become a leading service provider in Climate Change and resiliency consulting in Mining & Metals, Infrastructure and Energy.

This role is primarily external facing, developing a leading-edge Climate Change practice and service offering for external clients.

Functional Tasks

• Develop and implement a business plan to build a revenue and profit generating consulting business around Climate Change.
• Interact at VP and CEO level of clients to advise them on Climate Change and resiliency.
• Identify relevant public policy trends, regulatory impacts (environmental, operational, and financial) and anticipate emerging challenges that may affect business operations.
• Monitor and review activities of environmental groups, think-tanks, and other influential external stakeholders.
• Communicate developments and provide research and analysis to internal stakeholders.
• Assist in the execution and delivery of Climate Change strategies.
• High level interaction with external stakeholders, especially members of regulatory authorities, NGOs, community groups, rate-payer associations, etc.
• Educate employees and management on Climate Change-related topics.
• Assist in the preparation of supporting materials, including communication materials, training documents and technical reports.
• Participate in projects with cross-functional teams to address business opportunities or challenges.
• Provide environmental expertise for new projects.

Key Performance Deliverables

In light of the identified responsibilities, the following are specific deliverables that the position is designed to achieve.

• Specific additional measures of performance will be discussed with the successful candidate.

Competency Profile

The following competencies listed below define the role of Director – Climate Change:

Strategic Approach

Develops a strategic plan to realize the vision. Revises strategy in light of changing circumstances. Takes a long-term view of organizational success. Works to clarify long term organizational goals. Able to stand back from immediate problems in order to focus on more far reaching ideas.

Initiative

Proactive. Seizes opportunities and acts upon them immediately. Takes responsibility for own actions and addresses problems before asked.

Influence

Articulates the key points of an argument persuasively. Negotiates skillfully and convinces others to own point of view. Directly and indirectly impacts the decisions/opinions of others. Mobilizes people into action.

Results Orientation

Focuses strongly on achieving agreed upon outcomes and ensures that key objectives are met. Conveys a sense of urgency and drives issues to closure. Aims to improve upon past performance. Establishes aggressive personal targets and strives to achieve them.

Customer/Client Orientation

Strives to provide customers/clients with personalized and efficient service. Anticipates customers’/clients’ needs. Quickly follows up on customer/client contacts and complaints. Monitors and acts on measures of customer/client satisfaction.

Industry & Market Awareness

Seeks to anticipate and respond to industry and market changes/challenges by understanding key characteristics, issues and the factors driving them. Aware of competitor’s products, services and position.

Team Skills

Helps to create a sense of team spirit and harmonious relations through cooperation and support. Balances personal goals with those of the team. Fosters collaboration among team members.

Commercial Acumen

Applies appropriate commercial and financial principles. Appreciates the commercial impact of own work on the organization’s total expenses and revenues. Understands situations in terms of costs, profits, added-value and return on investment.

Preferred Experience / Education

The following indicates specific industry, academic and functional experience/qualifications that are important to the successful achievement of the identified responsibilities and performance deliverables:

• Education: Bachelor’s/University Degree.
• Additional Education Preferred: Master’s/Graduate Degree.
• Preferred field of study: Science, Engineering, Geology or Environmental Management; Post-Grad a plus.
• Work Experience: minimum 10 years.
• Thorough knowledge of environmental legislation and relevant regulations.
• Familiarity with policy issues central to Environment and Climate Change.
• Excellent written and verbal (formal and informal; negotiation; coaching) communication skills and excellent presentation skills.
• Effective and demonstrated interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Discretion in handling proprietary and confidential information.
• Travel may be required.
• Strong leadership abilities and ability to influence.
• Visionary thinker with the ability to turn that into a strategy and deliver complex and integrated plans and objectives.
• Ability to manage through ambiguity in program implementation.
• Understanding of the social environment and the existing trends and practices inherent in working with Non-Governmental Organizations.
• Functional experience in government affairs with proven relationships and coalition-building skills essential.
• An understanding of legislative processes and decision making by federal and provincial governments.