Join us in enabling trade through Canada's largest port
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is an arm’s-length federal agency responsible for the shared stewardship of the lands and waters that make up the Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest port. Our mandate, as outlined in the Canada Marine Act, is to enable Canada’s trade objectives on behalf of all Canadians, ensuring the safe movement of goods through the Port of Vancouver while protecting the environment and considering local communities.
As an organization with a significant impact on communities and businesses across Canada, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is dedicated to diversity, inclusion, and sustainability. We strive to create a workplace that mirrors the richness of our community, empowering all employees to achieve their full potential.
The Senior Portfolio Advisor facilitates effective oversight of the VFPA project portfolio by interpreting portfolio performance and developing decision-ready analysis for senior leadership and executive audiences. Drawing on deep project and program delivery expertise, the role provides informed perspectives on risks, dependencies, and portfolio-wide implications.
This role bridges the flow of information between the Project Management Office (PMO), project delivery functions, and decision-makers, ensuring that portfolio communication needs are understood and fulfilled. The role supports the strengthening of the integrity, transparency, and effectiveness of VFPA’s project and portfolio management capabilities.
What you do:
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Synthesize monthly and quarterly portfolio reporting to clearly articulate material changes, key risks and dependencies, and decision points for portfolio review forums with the Executive Leadership Team (ELT).
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Develop decision-ready insights and recommendations for portfolio review forums, framing clear options and implications for senior leadership decision-making, in support of the Manager, Project Portfolio Management.
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Provide portfolio analysis and insights that support the Manager and Director in ELT meetings and contribute to briefing materials prepared for the Board of Directors, enabling timely decisions affecting delivery capacity and risk exposure.
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Monitor portfolio risks and dependencies, supporting escalation and decision-making on mitigation options through analysis to inform executive awareness of portfolio-wide risk exposure and continuity impacts.
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Develop analytical models, portfolio assessments, and scenario analyses to evaluate portfolio performance, assess key risks, and identify opportunities to improve portfolio outcomes and alignment across multiple interdependent initiatives.
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Provide accurate, timely variance analysis on the delivery of the Project Portfolio, highlighting corporate implications and decision points, and supporting management by interpreting variances and informing consideration of response options.
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Lead the identification, development, and implementation of improvements to PMO lifecycle processes, stage-gate criteria, and portfolio methodologies to strengthen cross-departmental collaboration and effectiveness of portfolio management practices.
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Provide independent, portfolio-level interpretation of project documentation—including business cases, charters, and change requests—primarily for portfolio forums, to assess alignment with governance expectations and organizational strategy.
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Drive the preparation of analytical evidence and recommendations to support the interpretation of project reviews, escalations, and decision support led by the Manager, Project Portfolio Management.
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Advise leadership and staff on the application of PMO methodologies and portfolio frameworks, clarifying expectations, supporting alignment across stakeholders, and informing leadership assessment of the quality and readiness of portfolio materials.
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Define and maintain portfolio performance definitions and reporting conventions (e.g., health criteria, variance thresholds, and risk rating standards) to strengthen consistency and comparability across portfolio reporting.
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Attend and support quarterly (or as scheduled) portfolio review forums with the Manager/Director and executive and leadership teams to assess the project portfolio and inform portfolio adjustments to improve business outcomes.
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Engage with Project Leads and other senior portfolio stakeholders to review the Project Portfolio and recommend adaptive and corrective responses.
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Provide advisory input to teams developing business cases by assessing delivery feasibility, implementation options, key risks, and the portfolio-level implications of proposed initiatives.
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Support the portfolio change control process to reduce risk and ensure effective and efficient delivery of the Project Portfolio.
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Provide advice and guidance on optimal communication protocols and channels regarding organizational project change consistent with PROSCI/CCMP best practices.
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Demonstrate to others the use of the PMO methodologies, processes, and tools, generate learning content and supports adoption and knowledge transfer.
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Provide strategic insights and delivery expertise to PMO improvement initiatives, supporting the PMO leadership team in advancing portfolio governance, reporting standards, decision-support practices, and overall PMO capability and maturity.
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Perform other assigned duties as required.
What you bring:
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree in business administration or in an acceptable discipline.
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Minimum five (5) years of progressive experience in portfolio management, governance, or business analysis with at least one (1) year in project or program leadership and delivery within an environment involving a portfolio of multiple interdependent projects.
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Experience demonstrating the use of PMO methodology, processes, and tools to others.
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Completion of a relevant project or program management designation (e.g. PMP, PMI-CP, PgMP, PfMP) or other acceptable designation. Formal education in Operational Change Management (e.g. PROSCI/CCMP) is preferred.
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Experience supporting preparation of materials to inform leadership and executive decision making, and leading governance-related improvements across complex portfolios.
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Advanced analytical and critical-thinking skills, with the ability to interpret complex portfolio dynamics, challenge assumptions, and develop evidence-based insights that support senior-level decision making.
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Strong leadership and portfolio advisory capability, including the ability to evaluate project proposals, assess portfolio impacts, and formulate clear, defensible recommendations for executive audiences.
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Exceptional communication and narrative-building skills with the ability to translate complex information into concise, compelling briefs and presentations for senior leadership and portfolio review forums.
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High degree of influence and relationship-management skill, with the ability to navigate diverse stakeholder perspectives, facilitate agreement, and guide adoption of PMO standards without formal authority.
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Expertise in assessing implementation feasibility and organizational implications of portfolio decisions, including risks, dependencies, change readiness, and delivery impacts across a complex multi-stakeholder environment.
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Ability to act as the subject matter expert on project management best practices, providing strategic advice, challenge, and insight across enterprise portfolios—including large, complex, or multi-million-dollar initiatives.
What we offer:
- Market-competitive base salaries and variable incentive plan
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Flexible remote work program
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Earned time off program
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Paid vacation and personal care leave
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Learning, development, and advancement opportunities
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Onsite gym with towel service in a national landmark in the heart of Vancouver’s waterfront
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Friendly, unique, and respectful workplace
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Generous and inclusive benefits offering including retirement benefits plan
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Job type: Bargaining Unit, Full-Time, Permanent, Hybrid
Working environment: Normal office conditions. Flexibility to respond to issues during non-working hours as required.
MARINE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY CLEARANCE
The incumbent must obtain and maintain a valid Marine Transportation Security Clearance as this position is required to access restricted areas/information as defined by the Marine Transportation Security Regulations.
This is Canadian-based employment, and all employees are expected to maintain legal eligibility to work in Canada. Applicants advancing in the hiring process may be subject to technical assignments, psychometric assessments, and/or background checks, including but not limited to criminal record, credit, and/or reference checks.
At the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, we are dedicated to employment equity and a workplace reflective of the diversity of our port community. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates including women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, and members of visible minorities. Reasonable accommodation can be provided in the selection process and while working with the port authority. If you require assistance with applying to our openings or are seeking accommodations to apply in an alternative format, please contact us at [email protected]. We are committed to supporting your needs and will do our best to provide the necessary assistance.
We recognize and acknowledge that we are located on the traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. To learn more about our First Nation relations and commitment to reconciliation, please visit our website.
