Vice President, Marine Operations

BC Ferries•Victoria, BC

9d•Onsite

About The Position

We're seeking a proven executive to lead all aspects of marine operations, inspiring teams to achieve exceptional safety, performance, and customer service. Every day, BC Ferries safely connects people, businesses and communities along the coast of British Columbia. Operating one of the largest and most complex ferry systems in the world, we deliver an essential public service that millions of customers rely on each year. This is an opportunity for a visionary marine leader who is passionate about people, safety, and operational excellence to join our Executive Leadership Team as Vice President, Marine Operations. Reporting to the President & CEO, you will help shape the long-term direction of marine operations while ensuring the safe and reliable service that communities, customers, and businesses across coastal BC rely on every day. In this role you will make a lasting impact by providing strategic leadership to an essential public service, influence enterprise-wide decisions, and foster a culture of safety, accountability, professionalism, and operational excellence. Working alongside talented leaders across the organization, you will help strengthen the reliability, resilience, and long-term sustainability of BC Ferries while supporting the people and communities we serve. If you are an accomplished marine executive who is passionate about leading people, driving meaningful change, and delivering results that matter, we invite you to help chart the course for the future of BC Ferries.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree, supplemented by a postgraduate degree, executive leadership program, or an equivalent combination of advanced education and executive-level experience is required.
Master's License, such as a Master Mariner Certification, senior marine certificate, or an equivalent professional marine qualification, is required.
10+ years of progressively senior leadership experience in Marine Operations is required, with experience serving in command at sea considered a strong asset.
5+ years of senior business-related experience.
Extensive executive leadership experience setting strategic direction, leading large and diverse teams, and delivering organization-wide results aligned with corporate objectives.
Demonstrated ability to influence enterprise decision-making, foster constructive labour relations, build strong partnerships, and communicate effectively across a broad range of stakeholders.
Proven success leading organizational change, modernization, and innovation initiatives that strengthen operational performance, reliability, and long-term sustainability.
Exceptional analytical, strategic, and business acumen, with deep knowledge of marine operations and the ability to balance operational priorities, risk, and long-term organizational goals.

Nice To Haves

experience serving in command at sea considered a strong asset.

Responsibilities

Providing executive leadership to a large, distributed and unionized marine workforce, including clear accountability for leadership effectiveness, succession depth, capability development, constructive labour relations and the consistent application of marine operating standards.
Working closely with Engineering, Fleet Maintenance and other corporate functions to align vessel availability, refit schedules, asset renewal priorities and operational readiness; ensures marine operating requirements are reflected in fleet renewal, major capital programs and other initiatives as appropriate.
Representing BC Ferries with external stakeholders, where appropriate, on matters affecting marine operations, safety, the company’s strategic priorities, relationships with community and other subjects where it is deemed appropriate.
Establishing the long-term direction of Marine Operations and ensuring organizational capability, leadership capacity, operating models, and management systems that align with future service requirements, (marine) regulatory expectations and corporate objectives.
Leading a culture of vessel safety, accountability, regulatory excellence and public trust, and reinforcing professional mariner standards, leadership discipline and a positive, proactive operating environment across the marine division.
Leading the long-term modernization and transformation agenda for Marine Operations, ensuring future operational capabilities, technologies, workforce models and service delivery approaches support BC Ferries' strategic plan and help the company strengthen reliability, safety and resilience over time.
Ensuring safe operations through effective governance, risk management and sustained compliance with marine safety legislation and related regulatory frameworks while providing executive sponsorship/oversight for policies, standards and management systems required to support safe, reliable, and sustainable marine operations.
Making enterprise-level trade-offs regarding service delivery, operational risk and resource allocation to support marine operations; is accountable for operating budgets and those capital investments (where appropriate) that support safe, reliable, and sustainable marine operations.
Participating in enterprise-wide decision-making processes regarding the development of organizational strategy, investment priorities, service delivery initiatives, organizational health and risk management processes.