Author: paddy.moore@oceansupercluster.ca

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Canada's Ocean Supercluster>>Articles by: paddy.moore@oceansupercluster.ca
By: Ralph Eldridge, Indigenous Engagement Lead, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

 

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
By: Ralph Eldridge, Indigenous Engagement Lead, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

As a child, through the eyes of innocence, it was hard not to associate the term “holiday” with warm fuzzy feelings of celebration and togetherness; holiday celebrations that closed out the year and began a new one, summer vacations that seemed to go on forever, or even just a single day off school that allowed for one more day of weekend slumber. Sure, there was November 11th, but the reaches and effects of past wars and fallen soldiers offered up, at most, a brief reflection of my generation’s privileged space. Even as a Mi’kmaq person growing up in Newfoundland, struggling to find my place and connect with my culture that had been all but erased through generations of policies that forced assimilation, my struggle pales bleakly in comparison to those impacted by the legacy of Canada’s residential school system. Given the churches’ role in administering these schools, no irony is lost in referencing this week’s commemorative day as a “holiday.” [Holiday, Old English hāligdæg or ‘holy day’]

A year ago this week, Canada officially marked the first federal statutory holiday to honour the lost children and survivors of church-run, government-funded residential schools. Again, this year, as we recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we take time to remember those that, for too long, were forgotten and those that continue to experience the impacts of intergenerational trauma.

The federal statutory holiday comes in response to recommendation #80 of the Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) Commission’s 94 Calls to Action. The TRC Commission came about as an element of Canada’s largest ever class-action lawsuit. It spent nearly 8 years speaking to witnesses and survivors of abuse at residential schools and summarizing their findings within a 6-volume report in 2015. The report outlined 94 specific measures that could be implemented to acknowledge the painful history of the residential school system, and to create systems to prevent future such atrocities.

Choosing September 30th to mark this day was a very deliberate decision, as the date also coincides with Orange Shirt Day, a day Indigenous people set to recognize of the harm the residential school system did to children’s sense of self-esteem and well-being and also to affirm that, indeed, every child matters. This movement was born out of Phyllis Webstad’s poignant story, recounting how she was stripped of her clothing on the first day of mission school, including her orange shirt. Symbolically, of course, Phyllis’ favourite orange shirt represents much more than an article of forbidden clothing. It characterizes how family, culture, and hope have sytemically been ripped from Indigenous people for generations and how that loss permeates so many aspects of Indigenous life.

Sadly, it took six years to move forward on TRC report recommendation #80. Last year, revelations of an estimated 200 burial sites at a former BC residential school on the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation and further evidence by the Cowessess First Nation of an additional 750 unmarked graves at a former residential school in Saskatchewan played a part in expediting the 2021 holiday announcement. Since that time, even more discoveries have been made, primarily in western Canada, with an estimated 2,300 grave sites now revealed – 2,300 untold stories.

Indigenous people are often asked what can be done to support reconciliation. The first thing I would recommend is to show your colours and support Orange Shirt Day. Please skip the temptation to buy your orange shirt from a box store; rather, buy directly from an Indigenous organization, artist, or community. Secondly, read and seek to understand the 94 Calls to Action. They contain the roadmap to reconciliation and concrete measures to help Indigenous people in their journey to healing. Actionable recommendations are targeted toward primary conditions such as child welfare, education, healthcare, language and culture, and justice. Yet, despite the well intentions of each of these 94 recommendations, seven years have passed, and only 13 recommendations have been implemented. As Canadians, we have a moral responsibility to do better than this. Every Canadian should understand the true history of how Indigenous peoples were treated by the church and government. We need to push this agenda to the fore and make our parliamentarians commit to implementing the 94. We need to understand that being Indigenous in Canada has been no holiday.
At the Ocean Supercluster, our efforts towards reconciliation are, in part, being realized through our Two-eyed Seeing project. As we embark on a renewed mandate, we are striving to build a better model that breaks down barriers for Indigenous communities to partner on our supported projects and looks towards the generation of community-driven initiatives that focus on Indigenous priorities and opportunities.  Member feedback from our Ocean Ambition sessions across the country has been tremendously supportive of the Two-eyed Seeing model, with a strong desire to be part of the initiatives, training and workshops. Stay tuned for opportunities in the very near future.
Ralph Eldridge
Indigenous Engagement Lead,
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

 

Canada’s Ocean Ambition: Shaping the next phase of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Canada's Ocean Supercluster>>Articles by: paddy.moore@oceansupercluster.ca
By: Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Almost four years ago, I made a significant change in career direction to be able to be part of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster journey. As I reflect on the last four years, it has been an amazing journey so far.

We set out with a big ambition, to change the way ocean business is done in Canada, to build an ocean economy that was more collaborative, digital, sustainable, inclusive and world-leading.

The journey has been both a rewarding and challenging one with a few bumps along the road as we built the team and processes while we were working to build the membership and project pipeline; lots accomplished in a short period with help and patience from our members and our stakeholders and I hope you share in my excitement as we reflect on where are today: a fantastic team of OSC employees that are passionate about the future of our country, our planet and the ocean economy and a tremendous membership that is working hard across the country and increasingly around the world to build solutions that are tackling climate change, decarbonizing shipping, increasing worker safety, providing more sustainable seafood and better monitoring our environment.

The world is paying attention to what we are doing in Canada, and we had an amazing opportunity to stand on the world stage at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where we participated in a panel on revitalizing our ocean economy on World Ocean Day with Whitney Johnson (Ocean Sustainability, Salesforce), Andrew Hudson (Water and Ocean Governance, UNDP), and Martin Koehring (World Ocean Initiative, Economist Impact). We also spoke in Portugal as part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. I talked about our story to tell in my blog in June and the need for us to continue to increase our ambition, and that is what gets me incredibly excited about where we go from here.

As you are aware, the overall rebranded Global Innovation Cluster program was renewed in the April 2022 budget. We have worked hard all summer, pulling together our renewal application for submission on September 29th.

As Canada continues to develop the Blue Economy strategy, we as a Board and OSC stakeholders have been thinking about our ambition for the future size and potential of the Canadian blue economy and what the OSC’s role is in helping to achieve this. How do we continue to grow companies, increase collaboration, stay connected, increase our pool of skilled and diverse workers, and make sure the world knows about our impressive capabilities in Canada? How do Canadian companies continue to play leadership roles in the future of energy, transport and seafood? How do we continue to increase our data sharing to ensure we are making the best decisions for our country and world? How does the ocean economy make a much more significant contribution to our Canadian GDP than it does today?

We also look forward to getting our artificial intelligence programming started as part of the pan-Canadian AI strategy. Combining Canada’s strengths in artificial intelligence with our knowledge of the ocean will provide many opportunities for companies to build solutions that leverage the power of AI and data.

I hope you will take the time to join us at one of the six locations we will be visiting in the month of September to talk more about the OSC’s ocean aspiration for Canada and our programming areas and role going forward. The OSC was built based on member input, and we want to continue to make sure we are supporting our members. We would love to hear from you as we think about the role the OSC can play in the future of our Canadian ocean economy and our planet.

I hope you had a wonderful summer. My daughter was celebrating her 13th birthday this summer, so it has been a busy one for us, making her transition to being a teenager as memorable as possible.

Please do not hesitate to reach out at any time with questions or feedback, and I look forward to seeing many of you in September.
Kendra MacDonald
CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster and Fórum Oceano Announce Collaborative Partnership to Advance Pan-Atlantic Blue Economy

Canada's Ocean Supercluster>>Articles by: paddy.moore@oceansupercluster.ca

(Lisbon, Portugal) – Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) and Fórum Oceano have announced their new, collaborative partnership to promote sustainable investment and growth of the blue economy in regional and international networks. This agreement, signed yesterday at the Canadian Embassy in Lisbon, will formalize the partners’ collaboration particularly in the areas of data and Artificial Intelligence (AI).   

Enhanced international cooperation is needed to unlock the potential of data and AI solutions to address global ocean challenges. In their pan-Atlantic partnership, the OSC and Fórum Oceano will work together to exchange competence and experience within operation, development and governance of the ocean clusters to advance work in these spaces. 

The partnership between OSC and Fórum Oceano will include:  

  • Knowledge exchange and transfer on the use of AI in ocean economy 
  • The facilitation of pan-Atlantic collaboration in R&D in ocean data and AI  
  • Increase collaboration of Atlantic coastal cities in climate resilience planning and climate change adaptation 
  • Shared and cross promotion and public awareness on the advancement of the blue economy 
  • Access to the services offered by the innovation centers included in the Blue Hub Portugal Canadian innovation, research and development spaces
  • Collaboration between partners in each cluster to undertake projects, events and partnership opportunities 

“Sharing knowledge, experience and data is key to a successful blue economy,” said Kendra MacDonald, CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster. “We are excited about the potential of this partnership with the Fórum Oceano where we will work together with our memberships to cross collaborate and advance solutions in the global blue economy.”

Canada has recognized the need to support the commercialization of AI driven ocean solutions by funding the launch of the OSC’s new AI Ocean Program, as part of the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy (PCAIS). This program stream represents, for one of the first times in Canada, the launch a program dedicated to funding ocean innovation using AI platforms.

“Cooperation is strategic for making a sustainable blue economy happen. The challenges are systemic, as also the opportunities. We are very excited with this MoU with Super Ocean Cluster from Canada,” said Ruben Eiras, Secretary General of Forum Oceano. It opens new horizons for synergies with our recent innovation ecosystem projects financed by the EuropeanCommission: Blue Hub Portugal,  a network of 7 blue innovation centers for Blue economy in ports; Portugal Blue Digital Hub, an European Digital Innovation Hub for Blue Economy, where we will have 1 million euros a year for financing blue Digital startups and SMEs.”

About Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is a pan-Canadian, industry-led transformative cluster focused on tackling some of the biggest challenges across ocean sectors through a collaborative program designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of globally relevant solutions, while also building a highly-capable, inclusive workforce. The OSC has approved 86 projects with a total value of more than $400 million which will deliver more than 130 new made-in-Canada ocean products, processes, and services to sell to the world. 

Media Contact:
Nancy Andrews
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
nancy.andrews@oceansupercluster.ca
709.725.7070

 

Project Analyst

Canada's Ocean Supercluster>>Articles by: paddy.moore@oceansupercluster.ca
Location:             Anywhere in Canada (remote work arrangement)

 

ABOUT US:

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (“OSC”) is an innovative and imaginative organization with national scope that is ensuring we as Canadians, achieve sustainable economic growth in our ocean-based industries while preserving the health and protection of one of our greatest natural resources.

The OSC collaborates with investors and partners from across ocean industries to develop and commercialize innovative solutions and create growth opportunities within Canada’s ocean economy, delivering cross-sectoral solutions, building a strong global ocean brand, and increasing Canada’s ocean workforce. Our organizational values diversity, creativity, ambition, collaboration, and inclusion. The OSC has a team of over 25 employees across seven provinces and growing.

The Ocean Supercluster creates new business opportunities for large-scale companies (anchor firms) as well as small to medium size entities (SMEs). It promotes and facilitates new partnerships between businesses, research institutions, and academia, helping them to undertake new business initiatives, develop and market innovative products, and become part of new and existing supply chains. OSC supports organizations to be globally competitive, expand into new markets and to significantly grow the ocean economy.

 

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Reporting to the Director, Project Delivery and Intellectual Property, the project analyst will work within the project delivery team.  The project analyst will support all aspects of project delivery focused on tracking and reporting on project portfolio status to key stakeholders including the project delivery team, senior leadership team and the Board on an on-going basis.

The OSC currently has a portfolio of over 80 projects with almost $400 million in project value and close to 300 project partners. With projects led across Canada this creates an exciting opportunity for a project analyst to get to know a broad array of ocean sectors and companies and apply their project management and analytics skills supporting strong delivery of project outcomes.

 

Key Accountabilities:

  • Support reporting to key stakeholders including project activity reporting throughout project lifecycle with specific focus at project initiation and completion
  • Engage with members to collect key data as required
  • Perform portfolio analyses and support key performance indicator collection and reporting
  • Support and strengthen organizational data management and information exchange initiativesincluding intellectual property and data registries, as required
  • Work with broader team on KPIs including efforts related to automating processes for data collection, data entry, reporting and continuous improvement initiatives across Salesforce applications.
  • Support collection of data on project milestones to promote on the OSC website and in social media campaigns
  • Support broader activities and initiatives within the project delivery team as required

 

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

  • Commitment to working as part of diverse teams to deliver outcomes
  • Experience in project delivery
  • Curiosity to identify reporting opportunities for unique portfolio outcomes
  • Passion for working in a dynamic, innovative environment and supporting successful project outcomes
  • Knowledge of salesforce
  • Focus on data accuracy
  • Ability to work effectively and collaboratively as part of a remote work environment
  • Minimum of 3-5 years’ experience project reporting
  • PMP would be an asset
  • Experience or excitement working in the ocean sector would be an asset

We are excited to continue building our team with experienced, diverse professionals who are passionate about realizing Canada’s opportunity and growing the ocean economy in a digital, sustainable, and inclusive way. 

 

Apply Now:  Submit your cover letter and CV in confidence to HR@oceansupercluster.ca

 

 

 

Chief Growth and Investment Officer (CGIO)

Canada's Ocean Supercluster>>Articles by: paddy.moore@oceansupercluster.ca
Location:             Anywhere in Canada (remote work arrangement)

Start Date:           preferably by April 1, 2023

 

ABOUT US:

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (“OSC”) is an innovative and imaginative organization with national scope that is ensuring we as Canadians, achieve sustainable economic growth in our ocean-based industries while preserving the health and protection of one of our greatest natural resources.

The OSC collaborates with investors and partners from across ocean industries to develop and commercialize innovative solutions and create growth opportunities within Canada’s ocean economy, delivering cross-sectoral solutions, building a strong global ocean brand, and increasing Canada’s ocean workforce. Our organizational values diversity, creativity, ambition, collaboration, and inclusion. The OSC has a team of over 25 employees across seven provinces and growing.

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster creates new business opportunities for large-scale companies (anchor firms) as well as small to medium size entities (SMEs). It promotes and facilitates new partnerships between businesses, research institutions, and academia, helping them to undertake new business initiatives, develop and market innovative products, and become part of new and existing supply chains. OSC supports organizations to be globally competitive, expand into new markets and to significantly grow the ocean economy.

 

ABOUT THE ROLE: 

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), the Chief Growth and Investment Officer (“CGIO”) will work closely with the CEO on the organization’s strategic growth plan along with an investment strategy and portfolio.  The CGIO will lead the OSC’s focus on driving company growth and will partner with the Chief Engagement and Communications Officer (“CECO”) and Chief Operating Officer (“COO”) on building the innovation ecosystem through talent, community and brand.

The CGIO will actively look for opportunities to partner to work on investments and involvement in projects that have the potential to significantly grow the ocean economy. The overarching Technology Leadership Program is intended to strengthen the partnerships between SMEs, large firms, academic and research institutions.

The CGIO and team will be accountable to actively engage with partners and experts on a global basis to develop innovative solutions to lower the costs of ocean data acquisition, increase the quality and quantity of data. The CGIO will lead the ongoing enhancement of networking, investment, technology, and partnering systems to drive greater efficiency and improved analytics and metrics to track program performance, priorities, return on investments, as well as to promote OSC and the oceans economy sector outcomes more broadly.

 

Key Accountabilities:

Growth Strategy & Plan

  • Lead the Growth Strategy and plans with clear deliverables and KPIs
  • Facilitate growth through collaboration and exploring sector trends, opportunities, and solutions
  • Identify net new prospects through cross-industry collaboration on next generation innovation and growth
  • Create strategies to improve industry/sector capacity to bring concepts, products, and/or services to market
  • Take action to accelerate development and commercialization of made-in-Canada innovation that are driving technological solutions, digitized data collection, and enhanced working environments

Relationship Management

  • Manage key relationships with partners/stakeholders through trust, engagement, and involvement
  • Cultivate strong partnerships internally and externally to enhance productivity and processes to deliver on OSC priorities

Technology Leadership Program

  • Lead project idea development, project selection, funding, and on-going monitoring of projects
  • Report on the progress of the technology leadership program objectives, gaps, outcomes and KPIs
  • Build connections across projects to share ideas, innovations, learnings, best practices, and outcomes

Investment Plan:

  • Build strategic investment opportunities for international collaboration and enhancing commercial supply chain access for Canadian ocean technology providers.
  • Identify and engage with potential domestic and global investors through proposal preparations and investor presentations
  • Establish investment policies, standards, systems, related processes, portfolio management structures, and decision-making frameworks
  • Ensure prudent investment portfolio management including allocation of assets, governance protocols for compliance reporting, process for recommendations and decision making

IP/Data Strategy & IP/Data Registry:

  • Oversee Intellectual Property creation and IP portfolio management
  • Establish process for members to secure appropriate IP rights aligned with their strategic positions, commercial interests, investment level and best practice
  • Oversee governance framework to foster data sharing with clear and transparent rules on data access, IP protection, and registry management

 

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

The CGIO will bring the professional values, collegial leadership style, ambition and runway to grow the oceans industry and sector, as well as OSC.  The CGIO will be an enthusiastic, tech savvy, accomplished, confident, low-ego executive who is passionate about leading from a strong foundation of values based on teamwork.  The CGIO will bring strong relationship skills to enhance sector engagement, drive innovative solutions and excellence; and motivate self and team to consistently deliver on targets and goals. The CGIO will be required to travel more than 30% of the time and is able to work in a remote/hybrid model with a flexible schedule.

 

Experience:

  • Minimum of 10 years’ senior leadership experience in one or more roles focused on growth, innovation, technology, strategy and or investor relations
  • Minimum of 10 years of middle management leadership experience in dynamic, complex, project-based environments with multiple diverse stakeholders
  • MBA designation would be an asset
  • Experience in the Oceans sector would be an asset

 

Strategic and Innovative Thinking:

  • Agile, innovative, strategic thinker with ability to contribute to and execute on continuous improvement
  • Brings a global perspective able to contribute to the overall 5-year strategy
  • Strong business and financial acumen with understanding of investor relations and investment portfolios
  • Effective decision-making; considerate of multiple factors in a dynamic, complex, nuanced environment

 

Results Focused:

  • Proven track record of working in a high-paced environment focused on delivering KPIs to achieve results
  • Strong decision-making capabilities achieved through consultation and supported by evidence and best practice
  • Highly motivated with strong change resiliency
  • Strong planning and organization skills with ability to delegate
  • Strives for continuous improvement towards world leading processes, practices, programs, and investments

 

Relationship Leadership:

  • Strong networking, marketing, and engagement capabilities to increase awareness, build contacts, create opportunities, and gain insights and gain early inclusion in strategic investment discussions
  • Strong leader who can build and manage a diverse, high performing, and outcomes focused team
  • Trusted and respected relationship builder who can work with diverse stakeholders with unique needs and expectations (internally and externally) to find solutions to challenging issues/problems
  • Open to diverse opinions and approaches and seeks out different perspectives on challenging and or emerging trends and opportunities
  • Champion for equity, diversity and inclusion and demonstrates commitment through actions
  • Excellent interpersonal skills to communicate verbally, in writing, and in presentations
  • Ability to move internal and external stakeholders forward

 

We are excited to continue building our team with experienced, diverse professionals who are passionate about realizing Canada’s opportunity and growing the ocean economy in a digital, sustainable, and inclusive way. 

 

Apply Now:  Submit your cover letter and CV in confidence to www.royerthompson.com

 

Chief Engagement & Communications Officer (CECO)

Canada's Ocean Supercluster>>Articles by: paddy.moore@oceansupercluster.ca
Location:             Anywhere in Atlantic Canada (remote work arrangement)

Start Date:           preferably by April 1, 2023

 

ABOUT US:

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (“OSC”) is an innovative and imaginative organization with national scope that is ensuring we as Canadians, achieve sustainable economic growth in our ocean-based industries while preserving the health and protection of one of our greatest natural resources.

The OSC collaborates with investors and partners from across ocean industries to develop and commercialize innovative solutions and create growth opportunities within Canada’s ocean economy, delivering cross-sectoral solutions, building a strong global ocean brand, and increasing Canada’s ocean workforce.  Our organizational values diversity, creativity, ambition, collaboration, and inclusion.  The OSC has a team of over 25 employees across seven provinces and growing.

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster creates new business opportunities for large-scale companies (anchor firms) as well as small to medium size entities (SMEs). It promotes and facilitates new partnerships between businesses, research institutions, and academia, helping them to undertake new business initiatives, develop and market innovative products, and become part of new and existing supply chains. OSC supports organizations to be globally competitive, expand into new markets and to significantly grow the ocean economy.

 

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Engagement & Communications Officer (“CECO”) will lead innovative engagement and communications strategies, programs, events and systems to foster sector collaboration, build ocean talent, increase awareness of Canada’s ocean brand and build the ocean community.

The CECO will work collaboratively with partners, members, Indigenous communities, regional and global communities, and all levels of government to further strengthen and expand Canada’s ocean ecosystem and build new opportunities for innovation. This includes supporting the creation of new ocean startups, increasing partnerships, connecting entrepreneurs to resources, facilitating SME-supply chain collaborations and advising ocean industry leadership. The CECO and team will be responsible for all aspects of brand management, media communications, and impactful communication strategies to build awareness and report on OSC activities.

The CECO will be accountable for talent programming working with ecosystem partners to build inclusive talent attraction programs; address shared talent challenges; raise awareness of ocean opportunities; and enhance required skills and competencies.  The CECO will seek out funding opportunities with public and private individuals and/or organizations to support OSC project activities.

 

Key Accountabilities:

 

Ecosystem Engagement

  • Develop and execute on the Innovation Ecosystem Strategy including KPIs and regular tracking/reporting, and increasing the visibility of OSC programs, relationships and knowledge of ocean activities and marine assets
  • Develop and implement an international engagement strategy including KPIs and regular tracking/reporting
  • Oversee the OSC’s Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategic initiatives

 

Communications and Brand/Reputation Management

  • Lead the OSC communications and branding strategies and activities including social media presence, traditional media, keynote speaking opportunities, website and member portal, and enhance online presence

 

Community/Member Relations

  • Lead the design and execution of engagement activities with a multi-faceted and diverse membership
  • Lead the shaping and implementation of engagement with indigenous leaders and communities
  • Develop and support strong trusted relationships with OSC members to share insights and learnings
  • Champion for equity, diversity and inclusion and demonstrates commitment through actions

 

Oceans Sector Talent

  • Oversee inclusive talent attracting and retention programs to increase sector capacity and capabilities, attract the best entrepreneurs; and support the growth of a diverse and inclusive workforce
  • Gather and report on talent trends, analytics and program outcomes

 

Government Relations

  • Develop and implement engagement strategies with all levels of government and related agencies
  • Contribute to creation/modification of government’s policies, regulations and legislation to ensure they reflect the needs of members and provide a competitive operating environment for the industry

 

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE:

 

The CECO will be a dynamic, relationship focused, innovative, collaborative leader who is motivated to engage with others towards building awareness, education and solving ocean sector challenges.   The CECO will be an accomplished, low-ego, confident executive passionate about leading from a strong foundation of values based on teamwork, driving innovative solutions; and consistently delivering.

 

Experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree in a related field including communications, marketing, public affairs, government relations
  • Minimum of 15 years working experience in progressively more senior leadership roles in various areas of responsibilities (e.g. engagement, communications, government relations, community relations)
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience in an executive level role
  • Successful experiences in partnering with Indigenous communities
  • Experience in dynamic, complex, project based environments with multiple diverse stakeholders

 

Strategic and Innovative Thinking:

  • Demonstrated success in developing/implementing multi-faceted engagement and communication strategies
  • Proven ability to cultivate and sustain strategic partnerships, including community based and member organizations, government agencies, and in both the public, private and NFP sectors
  • Strong business and financial acumen, along with experience in politically sensitive community processes
  • Effective decision-making with ability to consider multiple factors in a dynamic, complex, nuanced environment

 

Relationship Leadership:

  • Relationship-centric style willing to seek out diverse viewpoints from perspective of all stakeholders
  • Collaborative and inclusive team player motivated to find solutions to challenging issues and problems
  • Ability to create and implement impactful and meaningful engagement and communication strategies
  • Strong people leader who can build and manage a diverse, high performing, and outcomes focused team

 

Results Focused:

  • Focus on continuous improvement efforts towards world leading processes, practices, and programs
  • Effectively manages change; demonstrates flexibility and agility to deliver in a transforming environment
  • Strong planning and organization skills with ability to delegate
  • Able to work under tight timelines in a fast-paced environment while ensuring quality and accountability

 

Interpersonal Skills

  • High emotional intelligence; able to understand the needs and concerns of partners, members and communities
  • Resourceful, proactive, self-motivated leader with a strong sense of ownership and accountability
  • Exceptional communication and presentation skills (written, verbal and in presentations)

 

We are excited to continue building our team with experienced, diverse professionals who are passionate about realizing Canada’s opportunity and growing the ocean economy in a digital, sustainable, and inclusive way. 

 

Apply Now:

Submit your cover letter and CV in confidence to the CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster:  HREXEC@oceansupercluster.ca

HR Manager – Hiring

Canada's Ocean Supercluster>>Articles by: paddy.moore@oceansupercluster.ca
HR Manager

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

www.oceansupercluster.ca

 

About us:

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is an innovative and imaginative organization with national scope that is ensuring we as Canadians, achieve sustainable economic growth in our ocean-based industries while preserving the health and protection of one of our greatest natural resources.

The OSC’s mandate is to collaborate with investors and partners from across ocean industries to develop and commercialize innovative solutions to shared challenges. The OSC guides ideas from the conceptual to the actual; partnering with industries who have big goals and innovative concepts. Actualizing these ideas is our passion and the process is our mission.  Our organizational values include creativity, inclusion, collaboration, and inclusion.

About the candidate:

The OSC has a team of over 25 employees across six provinces and growing.  We are looking for an innovative thinker to drive our HR agenda and contribute to the growth, retention and development of the team supporting the ocean economy and the health of the planet.  Reporting to, and working with, our CAO, the successful candidate will be our primary HR lead across a variety of areas and help drive our HR agenda and take ownership of key HR activities and initiatives.   With a number of HR programs and initiatives in place, we are looking for someone to take lead and make recommendations to build on what is already in place.  This is an exciting role that will help shape HR at the OSC and provide value across a variety of areas for the organization.

Roles and Responsibilities:

  • Lead and oversee recruitment and hiring
  • Drive our performance management and employee engagement programs
  • Deliver and shape our learning and growth plan
  • Oversee our onboarding and offboarding programs
  • Participate in the OSC’s EDI committee and with implementation of our EDI plan
  • Play an active role on the OSC’s social committee
  • Assist with planning staff retreats and offsites
  • Drive reporting and maximize the use of data/usage of HR systems
  • Help enhance existing HR policies, systems and processes, creating new policies and processes as required
  • Formulate employee retention strategies and approaches to retain talent
  • Drive OSC’s internal communications as it pertains to talent and HR

Ideal Candidate Profile:

  • 5-10 years of relevant experience in HR across a variety of functional areas including performance management
  • Experience leading/designing programs or enhancing elements of existing programs/policies
  • Familiarity with (or experience) establishing and executing talent strategies
  • Comfortable working both with senior teams and junior staff members
  • Ability to connect and easily forge relationships with staff
  • Comfortable working remotely and engaging virtually with key stakeholders
  • A self-starter, who can work independently to successfully deliver outcomes

We are excited to continue building our team with experienced professionals who are passionate about realizing Canada’s opportunity and growing the ocean economy in a digital, sustainable, and inclusive way. 

 

Apply Now: HR@oceansupercluster.ca.

 

 

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announces Two-Eyed Seeing Initiative toward meaningful Indigenous participation in Canada’s ocean economy

Canada's Ocean Supercluster>>Articles by: paddy.moore@oceansupercluster.ca

 Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announces Two-Eyed Seeing Initiative toward meaningful Indigenous participation in Canada’s ocean economy

Today, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) announced the Two-Eyed Seeing Initiative working towards meaningful Indigenous participation in Canada’s ocean economy. This initiative will engage and collaborate with Indigenous organizations and communities to foster greater inclusion and participation in OSC projects and activities and build direct and meaningful partnerships.

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is investing $230 thousand in the first phase of the initiative to shift towards fulsome and meaningful engagement of Indigenous communities as outlined in Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, inclusive of Elders, youth, and those historically excluded living away from their communities.

Work on this exciting initiative began early this month and will continuously inform OSC policy and program development over the coming year. Led by SOAR Professional Services along with Indigrow Business Management and Dillon Consulting, the Two-Eyed Seeing Initiative will focus on:

  • Conducting an Indigenous-led review of the current OSC project selection process and provide recommendations to further the definition of “meaningful” community-based engagement/involvement;
  • Undertaking engagement with OSC Membership to promote the benefits partnering and collaborating with Indigenous groups as a pillar of project planning and implementation;
  • Broaden OSC’s organizational Indigenous cultural competency and awareness for OSC staff, board, and members;
  • Undertaking engagement with Indigenous organizations and communities to help identify Indigenous-focused ocean challenges and opportunities;
  • Creating an OSC Indigenous Partnerships Program to help realize opportunities which can support both ocean outcomes (ecosystem and commercial outcomes) and Indigenous-focused project identification and delivery; and,
  • Developing a “Two-Eyed Seeing” Indigenous Traditional Knowledge framework that guides OSC organizational and Indigenous community relationship and partnerships building through shared understanding and an integrated body of ocean knowledge.

Quotes:
“As we continue to grow Canada’s ocean economy, it is essential that Indigenous communities be not only involved but also meaningfully engaged at every step of the way. The Government of Canada is proud to support Canada’s Ocean Cluster in this collaborative project with Soar Professional Services to ensure that policies and programs are co-designed and co-developed through Indigenous partnerships.” – The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“This initiative is much more than just engaging more meaningfully with Indigenous groups. We intend to drive system change within the ocean ecosystem that focuses on fostering relationships, elevating opportunities for Indigenous communities, and setting our course as a sector towards reconciliation with all Indigenous peoples from coast to coast to coast.” – Ralph Eldridge, Indigenous Engagement Lead, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

“SOAR is proud to work with OSC on their Two-Eyed Seeing Initiative. From the inception of SOAR, Two-Eyed Seeing has been the foundation of what we do. Combining Indigenous and Western knowledge allows us to co-create customized, resilient solutions that are considerate of Indigenous world views on sustainability for generations to come.” – Ryan Dunbar, President, SOAR Professional Services

About OSC
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is a pan-Canadian, industry-led transformative cluster focused on tackling some of the biggest challenges across ocean sectors through a collaborative program designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of globally relevant solutions, while also building a highly-capable, inclusive workforce. The OSC has approved 86 projects with a total value of more than $390 million which will deliver more than 120 new made-in-Canada ocean products, processes, and services to sell to the world.

About SOAR
SOAR Professional Services LP (SOAR) is an innovative, employee-owned planning, engineering, environmental science and mSOAR prides itself on servicing our client’s needs. Our team members have been providing Indigenous focused services for over ten years. SOAR prides itself on servicing our client’s needs. We have had the opportunity to deliver on projects within our core technical areas of planning, environmental and engineering with projects ranging from feasibility studies, business plans and pre-design to advanced engineering including detailed design.

SOAR has a proven ability to foresee potential obstacles and develop solutions based upon an extensive knowledge of Indigenous funding mechanisms, governance and management structures. SOAR is committed to a one window approach to service delivery for our clients and have commonly partnered with a broad network of companies to best service our clients towards their objectives and vision. This approach allows us to work with the right partner for every project through facilitated guidance with our Indigenous team and has proven time and again to be the correct balance for our client needs.

About Indigrow
Indigrow Business Management (Indigrow) is an Indigenous-owned management consulting company that works specifically with Indigenous businesses and communities, including social enterprises and not-for-profit organizations. They have a relentless focus on driving business growth and positive community impact – particularly in Indigenous communities.

Since its launch in 2020, Indigrow has provided an array of management consulting services to over 60 Indigenous businesses, social enterprises, and not-for-profit organizations throughout Atlantic Canada. Headquartered in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL, they currently have four staff located across three locations in Newfoundland and Labrador with plans to expand beyond the province in 2023.

Media Contact:
Nancy Andrews
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
nancy.andrews@oceansupercluster.ca
709.725.7070

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announces $6.3M C-MASS Project – A Near-Real-Time Monitoring Solution for the Ocean’s Near Shore Zone

Canada's Ocean Supercluster>>Articles by: paddy.moore@oceansupercluster.ca

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announces $6.3M C-MASS Project – A Near-Real-Time Monitoring Solution for the Ocean’s Near Shore Zone

Today, alongside project partners, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) announced the $6.3 million C-MASS project (Coastal Mapping/Monitoring via Autonomous Systems & Services). Using uncrewed autonomous vehicles, this project will develop a near-real-time monitoring solution for the ocean’s littoral (near shore) zone to deliver actionable data to marine industries.

Traditionally, monitoring and mapping programs are costly, limited, and rarely maintain current and relevant information. Critical coastal data often lacks necessary coverage and immediacy, especially in emergencies. It’s therefore difficult to plan, implement, and support marine operations. The C-MASS project will leverage partners’ existing products and capabilities to advance state-of-the-art capabilities in Geospatial Information Systems (GIS), Internet of Things (IoT), and Autonomous Uncrewed Systems (AUS) to collect and maintain actionable data for marine industries such as coastal defence; life sciences; nearshore aquaculture/shellfish harvesting; climate change monitoring; emergency and infrastructure planning/management; search and rescue; ports and shipping and more.

With a total project value of over $6.3 million, the OSC will provide $1.8 million in funding with the balance coming from project partners. The C-MASS Project is led by Mount Pearl, NL based Compusult Ltd. who’s working with Canadian partners StrobelTEK, Spiri Robotics, PicSea Canada Ltd., CogNova Technologies, and the Government of Nova Scotia as well as international partner, Resolve Robotics.

The data collected through the C-MASS project will improve evidence and awareness of coastal change and support decision-makers adaptation to a changing climate. This project is applicable to ocean communities around the world and can advance partner technologies global blue economy. C-MASS will create and maintain 10 full time jobs through its duration.

Media Contacts:
Nancy Andrews
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
nancy.andrews@oceansupercluster.ca
709.725.7070

Michael Pickard
Compusult Limited
marketing@compusult.com
709-745-7914

Quotes:

“With support from Canada’s Ocean Cluster, this project will change how coastlines are mapped and what we know about the environment all thanks to near-real-time monitoring. This novel Canadian-made technology has the potential for many uses that can lead to improved living standards for ocean communities worldwide.” – Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“The C-MASS project is an example of the power of the Global Innovation Clusters to bring partners together to solve big, challenging real-world problems. Gaining more accurate coastal data will bolster emergency responses and support day-to-day marine operations across a range of industries, from life sciences to search and rescue. We’re proud to support this project, not only for its economic impacts but also for the improved understanding it will provide about the impacts of climate change on our oceans and coasts.” – Joanne Thompson, Member of Parliament for St. John’s East

“The C-MASS project team is developing a solution to collect better data and monitor our coastlines so we can use near-real time information to make decisions for ocean operations, supporting both the productivity and the well-being of our ocean environment.” – Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

The monitoring and mapping of Canada’s coastal areas is extremely challenging: the environment is harsh and constantly changing. This is becoming an even higher priority for our country every day – for things like maritime border security, search and rescue, and environmental monitoring and mitigation. This project brings together technologies from a team of small, world-leading tech companies, which is led by Compusult. Together, we are designing a system unlike anything in the world right now, using well-developed GIS software, and a suite of robotic vehicles by air, land, and sea to visualize, monitor, and manage coastal zone data.” – Paul Mitten, Vice-President, Compusult

About OSC
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is a pan-Canadian, industry-led transformative cluster focused on tackling some of the biggest challenges across ocean sectors through a collaborative program designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of globally relevant solutions, while also building a highly-capable, inclusive workforce. The OSC has approved 86 projects with a total value of more than $390 million which will deliver more than 120 new made-in-Canada ocean products, processes, and services to sell to the world.

Watch the announcement:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhiYnSuvPD0

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announces $5M Adaptive Microlearning Technology Project for Fatigue Risk Mitigation in the Marine Sector

Canada's Ocean Supercluster>>Articles by: paddy.moore@oceansupercluster.ca


Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announces $5M Adaptive Microlearning
Technology Project for Fatigue Risk Mitigation in the Marine Sector

Today, alongside project partners, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) announced two new projects including the $5 million Adaptive Learning Technology Project – The Future of Marine Fatigue Risk Mitigation, led by Training Works, a Newfoundland and Labrador based EdTech company. This project is creating a comprehensive tool for Fatigue Risk Mitigation in marine organizations by leveraging combined advancements in biometrics, environmental data, and microlearning.

Through Training Works flagship educational technology Skilltinuous, the project will give marine workers the tools to recognize, understand and anticipate fatigue while providing moment of need microlearning to help mitigate the risk associated with fatigue – a critical advancement in a sector where irregular schedules, challenging operating conditions and operation across multiple time zones impacts the level of worker fatigue and its associated risks.  This comprehensive fatigue risk mitigation educational technology will equip marine organizations and their workers with a new tool that can stand alone or run alongside existing organizational fatigue management systems, to support human performance and help to create healthier, safer, and more productive work environments.

With a total project value of close to $5 million, the OSC will provide $1.9 million in funding with the balance from project partners, including the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, which is contributing $335 thousand towards the initiative. In the Adaptive Learning Technology project, Training Works will work with partners Compusult Ltd., Altera Infrastructure, Qikiqtaaluk Corporation, and the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland, to develop a commercially viable fatigue risk mitigation learning technology which can be scaled across marine industries. The resulting technology will link biometric and environmental data to identify fatigue markers and provide individualized corrective action(s) and risk mitigation techniques through Training Works’ adaptive learning platform, Skilltinuous.

The Adaptive Learning Technology project will create and maintain 22 full time jobs through its duration with the potential for more than 100 indirect jobs as a result. The first market for commercialization will focus on offshore workers within Canada’s Ocean Supercluster’s membership. The project team will explore marine connections to create new opportunities to bring the solution to customers within the Canadian marine marketplace.

Quotes:

“With support from Canada’s Ocean Cluster, the project partners will develop a comprehensive program aimed at improving seafarers’ safety. We are pleased to support this project and to help those working on our seas return home safely.” – The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“Fatigue at sea is a problem that spans all marine industries, and the impacts can be potentially catastrophic. With support from the Ocean Cluster, the project partners are working on a technological solution to help identify and mitigate fatigue and provide corrective actions, which will improve safety, reduce accidents and save lives. We’re proud to support this project for the positive impact it will have on workers.” – Joanne Thompson, Member of Parliament for St. John’s East

“Supporting innovative companies like Training Works helps to grow and diversify Newfoundland and Labrador’s tech ecosystem, while advancing our innovation economy. The leading-edge technology created through this project will help to improve worker safety and productivity. We support collaboration, research and development and the commercialization of new digital ocean technologies that further position our province as a world leader in this sector.” – Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology

“The Adaptive Microlearning Technology team is developing cutting-edge technology to make working on the ocean safer and more efficient for workers. As we help build the workforce of the future these are important tools in both traditional and emerging ocean industries.” – Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

“Fatigue and its associated risks are widely acknowledged in the marine industry and across all other industries. Our goal is to enhance our Skilltinuous platform to identify fatigue markers in seafarers using biometric and environmental data. Once the markers are identified, Skilltinuous will deliver countermeasures in the form of microlearning to mitigate the risk of fatigue. This is a groundbreaking project that will have wide-ranging benefits for worker safety in the marine industry” – Tamara Vatcher, CEO, Training Works

Watch the announcement: https://youtu.be/mhiYnSuvPD0

About OSC
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is a pan-Canadian, industry-led transformative cluster focused on tackling some of the biggest challenges across ocean sectors through a collaborative program designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of globally relevant solutions, while also building a highly-capable, inclusive workforce. The OSC has approved 86 projects with a total value of more than $390 million which will deliver more than 120 new made-in-Canada ocean products, processes, and services to sell to the world.

Media Contact:
Nancy Andrews
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
nancy.andrews@oceansupercluster.ca