Business Improvement Specialist

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 Business Improvement Specialist facilitates multiple concurrent business improvement projects to reduce inefficiencies and bottlenecks across the organization, focusing on technology, business management processes and other service deliverables. The role improves process efficiency, service delivery, and employee experience through business process management, improvement facilitation, and change adoption. Through taking the lead, collaborating with business partners, or contributing as part of a team, this role is integral in identifying inefficiencies, conducting root cause analysis, developing business cases and implementing solutions. Additionally, the Specialist provides guidance on continuous improvement methodologies while maintaining enterprise-wide visibility into process maturity and improvement opportunities. Primarily responsible for implementing small to medium-scale improvement projects, the Specialist may also collaborate with others to support aspects of larger, complex, strategic improvements.

What you do:

• Leads, partners on, or contributes as a team member to multiple small to medium-scale improvement projects, from initial exploration and business case development through to benefits realization.
• Facilitates end-to-end project delivery for business improvement projects, supporting effective planning, governance, risk management, and delivery of expected outcomes.
• Works with business owners to scope projects, define success criteria, and implement solutions that improve efficiency, service delivery, and employee experience. Facilitates meetings, workshops and working sessions to identify improvement opportunities and drive solution development (e.g., SIPOC, VOC needs analysis, value stream mapping, A3, 5 Whys, fishbone analysis, 5S, VA/NVA analysis, 8 wastes, gemba walks, kanban, decision-making modelling, visual management, DMAIC, poke-yoke, etc).
• Designs and implements workflow and automation solutions using no-code or low code tools, including developing metrics and dashboards to monitor performance and improve process efficiency.
• Applies process-based simulation, as appropriate, to evaluate operational changes before implementing improvements.
• Supports the development and maintenance of enterprise-wide process governance, visibility, ad maturity assessments
• Conducts and/or facilitates process and data analysis to support decision-making, build business cases, measure improvement impact, and ensure sustainable benefits (e.g. data collection plans; KPIs, run charts or dashboards, visual management, six sigma analysis, etc.).
• Applies business process management methodologies to streamline workflows, eliminate bottlenecks, and enhance cross-departmental service delivery.
• Contributes to the continuous improvement of business process management and project/portfolio management methodologies, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities.
• Develops and refines internal frameworks, toolkits, and best practices to enhance business improvement capabilities.
• Supports the use of our business process management system and its process map repository by assigning licenses, onboarding new users, maintaining training materials, ensuring proper repository structure, updating the system dictionary and providing basic user support.
• Engages teams at all levels—from front-line employees to executives—to generate, assess, and refine improvement ideas that drive measurable business benefits.
• Supports change management efforts by identifying risks, shaping communication strategies, and fostering stakeholder alignment.
• Works closely with business units to drive adoption of new processes and improvements.
• Provides hands-on coaching and support corporate training sessions, community of practice sessions or workshops on business process methodologies, continuous improvement, operational excellence and structured problem solving.
• Assists in developing training materials and delivering sessions to support the adoption, transition, and operationalization of implemented process improvements and solutions

What you bring:

• A bachelor’s degree in business administration, engineering, operations management, or other acceptable field.
• A minimum three (3) years of business improvement project delivery experience delivering small to medium-scale and complexity improvement projects in a corporate service environment.
• Completion of a relevant business process management or project management certifications, such as Lean or Six Sigma (Black/Lean Bronze or higher), project management (PMP), or other related applicable certifications.
• Demonstrated experience with business process management methodologies, such as Lean, TPS, A3, kaizen and Six Sigma.
• Familiarity with commonly used business process management and project management tools such as Smartsheet, SAP Signavio, ARIS, or IBM Blueworks.
• Experience using discrete event simulation packages such as Simio, Simul8, FlexSim or Arena is an asset.
• Demonstrated expertise in business and process improvement, identifying inefficiencies, conducting root cause analysis, and implementing solutions,
• Skilled in managing multiple projects, adapting to shifting priorities, and applying data-driven decision-making to support business cases and measure impact.
• Adept at collaborating across departments to align efforts and drive change adoption.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and presentation skills, combined with expertise in problem-solving, stakeholder engagement, and both qualitative and quantitative analysis.
• Strong interpersonal skills with a collaborative style are essenential.

What we offer:

• Market-competitive base salaries and variable incentive plan
• Generous and inclusive benefits offering including retirement benefits plan
• Hybrid work program
• Earned time off program
• Paid vacation and personal care leave
• Learning, development, and advancement opportunities
• Onsite gym with towel service in a national landmark in the heart of Vancouver’s waterfront
• Friendly, unique, and respectful workplace

Location: Vancouver, Canada

Job type: Bargaining Unit, Full-Time, Permanent, Hybrid

Working environment: Normal office conditions, with occasional requirement to visit or manage projects at port site.

This is Canadian-based employment, and it is expected that all employees maintain legal entitlement to work in Canada. Applicants selected to move forward in the hiring process may be subject to 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 support applying to our openings, please contact us at careers@portvancouver.com.

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 indigenous relations and commitment to reconciliation, please visit our website.