Program Director, NWS Defence Operations

Nasittuq Corporation • Ottawa, ON

5h • Hybrid

About The Position

Nasittuq Corporation operates and maintains the North Warning System (NWS), a joint Canada-United States early-warning radar system. The Program Director is responsible for the overall delivery and performance of the NWS contract. This senior leadership role oversees operational execution, business planning, client relations, and cross-functional teams supporting critical northern operations. The Program Director acts as the key liaison with the Government of Canada, ensuring contractual, operational, and service delivery requirements are met while promoting a results-oriented and collaborative operating environment. The ideal candidate is a senior leader with strong business acumen, experience overseeing complex remote operations, and the ability to drive operational excellence and cross-functional alignment.

Requirements

• Post-secondary degree in Engineering or Science, or a related technical post-secondary education
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in an engineering or technical services environment
• Minimum 5 years’ experience managing large, complex programs
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or eligible to obtain
• Proven success delivering large-scale, federally regulated technical services programs
• Demonstrated understanding of Government of Canada procurement DND operations and regulatory compliance
• Superior analytical, problem solving and decision-making skills
• Advanced proficiency in MS Office applications
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a SECRET (Level II) Security Clearance

Nice To Haves

• Strategic leadership & vision–translates strategy into actionable operational plans and measures results
• Operational excellence–ensures efficiency, quality and accountability across multi-site operations and aligns operations to meet SOW deliverables
• Financial acumen–strong fiscal acumen with proactive risk and compliance oversight
• Regulatory & contract compliance–develops deep of GOC procurement and defense operations
• Cross-functional collaboration– fosters integration and communication across diverse departments and locations to enable seamless program execution
• Stakeholder & relationship management– builds and maintains trusted relationships with government partners, clients and internal teams
• People leadership– coaches leaders and holds teams accountable
• Change & crisis leadership– leads through transformation and operational challenges with adaptability and composure

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership and oversight to cross-functional managers, compliance (safety, environmental, quality), project management and sustainment/engineering operations
• Develop and execute annual business plans and strategies to ensure effective financial and human resources planning
• Oversee allocation of all resources to achieve program and contractual deliverables
• Lead and mentor a diverse team of leaders, fostering a culture of trust, accountability to deliver results aligned with strategic and contractual goals
• Provide operational discipline, ensuring the organization’s goals are sustainable and aligned with mission and values
• Serve as the key liaison with the NWS client and other external stakeholders
• Anticipate and manage organizational risks including financial and operational, to ensure sustainability and effectiveness
• Establish and monitor KPIs to evaluate operational performance and drive continuous improvement
• Apply technical and operational acumen to effectively oversee operations and support informed decision making across the program

Benefits

• Flexible working hours
• Hybrid work policy
• Modern office amenities
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives
• Comprehensive training and development programs for Inuit Land Claim Beneficiaries

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree