National Sector Lead, Security & Defense

NATIONAL MARKET SECTOR LEAD Security & Defence

Location: Preference for Ottawa based

Architecture has the power to transform, to unite and to inspire. It is the physical manifestation of an organization’s goals and objectives. More importantly, it can be a catalyst for new discoveries, academic discourse, business process improvement, cultural exploration, medical innovation, protecting the sovereignty of the nation or pushing the physical boundaries of sport.

Architecture49 boasts a history spanning over half a century of profoundly significant contributions to cities and communities across Canada and beyond. Our people share a depth of experience in designing award winning, high-profile projects around the globe. Together, we create inspiring spaces that elevate the health, social vitality and sustainability of our communities. At Architecture49 we thrive when we are bringing the built environment to life for our clients. We offer complete interdisciplinary Architectural Services from project inception long past opening day. We connect with our clients early through project feasibility, site and funding analysis and needs assessment. Workplace strategy and functional programming set the framework for complete design services. Through the lens of project first thinking, we strive to create a studio environment characterized by continual information sharing, resourcefulness, collaboration and efficient decision making.

SECURITY & DEFENCE AT A49

The landscape of national security and defense is complex, highly regulated, and constantly evolving. Our Security and Defence practice is recognized as a national leader in the optimization, design and engineering of high security infrastructure for the Canadian public sector. This requires a skilled blend of interpreting government policy, analyzing how it affects the security and defence sector and calling upon the collective expertise of a highly specialized team to create the ultimate in secure facilities serving all Canadians. This sector includes a broad range of building types including highly secure infrastructure for some of Canada’s most critical governments organizations, to buildings that house and service the newest of equipment supporting critical operations across the country on all land, air and sea bases.

At A49 our practice is dedicated to transforming Security & Defence environments into places of innovation and secure state of the art operational hubs, all the while considering the human centred needs of Canada’s Armed Forces. We work closely with Security & Defence providers, industry partners, and stakeholders to understand their unique vision and operational requirements. Through this collaborative process, we ensure that our designs align seamlessly with the goals of our clients, resulting in durable facilities that are functional, aesthetically pleasing, safe and help to protect critical program personnel, equipment and related infrastructure.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Architecture degree with the ability to be licensed across Canada.
• 15+ years of experience in the Security & Defence market.
• Recognized thought leader in the field.
• Bilingual (English and French) would be considered an asset

RESPONSIBILITIES

As the National Sector Lead, you will play a pivotal role in driving the success of our Security & Defence marketnationally targeting new client development that is aligned with the A49’s growth objectives. Reporting to the National Director of Business Development you will work collaboratively with the Regional Managing Principals and Security & Defence leads to drive market growth across Canada. You will help to assess development opportunities in key regions that will be required to position A49 to successfully capture and deliver unprecedented large scale infrastructure projects expected to protect arctic sovereignty, strengthen our military readiness and house new large scale equipment to modernize the Canadian armed forces. Additionally, in this role you will identify local client retention strategies and ensure that project specific goals are met and leveraged both regionally and nationally to help build the sector.

The role has strategic, operational practice and thought leadership requirements with responsibilities related to:

Business Rigour & Financial Accountability

• Lead in the development and administration of the National and Regional Security & Defence Sector revenue/ project development to achieve A49’s financial goals and growth targets.
• Lead in go, no-go proposal decisions to ensure profitability targets are achievable and national sector and regional strategic direction is supported.
• Lead the development of net revenue forecasts for business development.
• Establish and track hard and soft revenue backlog for the sector, considering national, regional and client base.
• Lead strategy sessions for proposals/ presentations/ interviews and assist in developing win themes.
• Lead the development of strategies including proactive market positioning of A49 services and value offerings.
• Responsible to manage risk of project lead contracts as per the A49 proposal / projects ‘DOA Delegation of Authority Matrix’. Co- ordinate final sign off as required by the President.
• Provide professional architectural seal on drawings and contract documents where you are the supervising architect.

Targeted Growth & Brand Enhancement

• Build and evolve the Security & Defence practice nationwide and in your regional area and act as a knowledgeable thought leader in Security & Defence on behalf of A49.
• Represent A49 Security & Defence at relevant industry conferences through presentation work, networking functions and public speaking.
• Lead and build the national sector competencies.
• Develop the national sector strategy for the Canadian market.
• Work with regional Managing Principals to prepare strategic plans for future development of the sector at the regional levels.
• Maintain strong long-term client relationships and develop new clients.
• Work with A49 National Director of Business Development to develop strategy for growth and execution plan to support.

Deepen industry expertise and credibility by developing and positioning knowledge development (. white papers, speaking engagements).

• Establish and maintain relationships with key partners in the market (. contractors, consultants, .

Employee Engagement & Alignment

• Conduct performance reviews for your sector core team/ project team members as identified and support their career development and knowledge development.
• Conduct performance reviews for direct staff reports.
• Jointly with regional Managing Principals, set salary range and review final candidate selection for new hires under your supervision.
• Develop/ identify key personnel for succession, sector growth, etc.

Operational excellence and project quality

• Review monthly operational data including core team utilization, Security & Defence project multipliers, revenue analysis (profit/loss), hard and soft backlog, marketing and business development initiatives, client/ consulting invoicing, work in progress and accounts receivable, overhead optimization, client/ colleague satisfaction and overall quality of work produced.
• Action any/ all required corrective activities to KPI metrics that are trending or deviating from targets.
• Lead major sector projects (as warranted).
• Conduct regular monthly National Sector meetings to communicate regarding project and operational concerns and issues.
• Attend monthly national A49 management meetings.
• Oversee contract negotiations for project work and oversee dispute/ claims management for Security & Defence projects that you are identified as PIC.

• Work collaboratively with other regional A49 firm leaders (sector leaders, to document A49 processes, practices, methodology and knowledge.

Core Competencies

At A49 we believe that clearly defining core competencies helps align our staff with the company's strategic goals. It provides a framework for hiring, training, and retaining talent that aligns with the skills and capabilities essential for our success. The following competencies are essential for the role of National Sector Lead, Security & Defence:

• Effective Communicator able to articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and concisely in both verbal and written format ensuring that messages are easily understood by diverse audiences.
• Experienced Decision-Maker with strong decision-making skills and the ability to consider relevant information, analyze options, and choose the best course of action to achieve organizational goals.
• Adaptable with a demonstrated ability to be open to change, embrace new ideas, and adjust strategies to meet evolving business challenges.
• Strategic Thinker able to see the bigger picture, understand the long-term goals of the organization and develop and implement strategies to achieve those goals, considering both internal and external factors.
• Influencer and Motivator able to inspire and motivate team members by using effective persuasion, fostering a positive work environment, and leading by example to encourage high levels of commitment and performance.
• Emotional Intelligence demonstrated byself-awareness, empathy, and cultivating positive relationships.
• Team Builder that can create cohesive and high-performing teams, foster collaboration, and recognize and leverage individual strengths.
• Integrity and Ethics characterized by a history of honest, ethical behavior, and consistency in decision-making, serving as a role model for ethical conduct.
• Results Orientation focused on achieving measurable outcomes and driving performance while maintaining a commitment to quality.

Compensation:
AB, BC, NT, NU, SK & YK: $159,300 – $211,000
MB & ON: $145,300 – $200,100
NB, NL, NS, PEI & QC: $143,900 – $191,100 Disclosure:
The final salary awarded for this role may vary from the above range based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs. The wage range provided in this job posting may be subject to change for business purposes.