Manager, Program Standards

About Us

The Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration works to provide fairness, safety and prosperity for all Nova Scotians by helping them live, learn and work to their highest potential. We have a staff of more than 500 employees working from offices throughout Nova Scotia. Together we are responsible for workplace safety, fire safety, pensions, apprenticeship, adult education, and many other facets of everyday life.

The Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency (NSAA) is responsible for supporting and advancing apprenticeship training and certification across the province. Working collaboratively with industry, training providers, regulatory authorities, and provincial and federal partners, the Agency develops and maintains occupational standards, curriculum standards, examinations, certification pathways, and policies that support a highly skilled workforce.

As apprenticeship systems continue to evolve provincially and nationally, the Agency is committed to innovation, collaboration, and responsive approaches that support industry, apprentices, employers, and training providers while advancing workforce development priorities across Nova Scotia and Canada.

We are seeking a strategic, innovative, and collaborative leader to join our team as Manager Program Standards.

About Our Opportunity

Reporting to the Director of Standards and Examinations, the Manager, Program Standards provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for Nova Scotia's apprenticeship occupational standards, curriculum standards, examinations, and recognition of prior learning portfolios. You will lead a team of professional and technical staff and help ensure the quality, integrity, consistency, and continuous improvement of provincial and interprovincial apprenticeship products and services.

As Nova Scotia's lead representative on national and regional apprenticeship development initiatives, you will work with federal, provincial, and territorial governments, industry, regulatory bodies, training providers, and other partners to advance skilled trades priorities. This role is well suited to a strategic and collaborative leader who can navigate complex issues, build consensus, challenge conventional approaches, and champion practical, innovative solutions that respond to evolving workforce needs.

Primary Accountabilities

As the Manager, Program Standards, you will:

• Lead, mentor, and support a team responsible for occupational and curriculum standards, logbooks, examinations, transfer credit, credential recognition, and related apprenticeship products and services.
• Oversee Nova Scotia's participation in the Canadian Red Seal Program, including interprovincial standards development, examination activities, harmonization initiatives, and implementation of Red Seal products and policies.
• Represent Nova Scotia on national and regional committees and working groups focused on apprenticeship standards, training, examinations, certification, labour mobility, and workforce development.
• Provide leadership for Atlantic apprenticeship harmonization initiatives and other multi-jurisdictional projects involving curriculum, examinations, and occupational standards.
• Manage the development, maintenance, quality assurance, and implementation of occupational standards, curriculum standards, logbooks, certification and level examinations, and supporting resources.
• Lead the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and operational frameworks related to standards, examinations, recognition of prior learning, transfer credit, cross-trade credit, and credential recognition.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with industry representatives, subject matter experts, training providers, regulatory agencies, government departments, and other partners.
• Analyze complex issues and provide strategic advice, briefing materials, reports, presentations, and evidence-informed recommendations to senior leaders and government officials.
• Identify and advance opportunities for modernization, innovation, risk management, and continuous improvement across the program portfolio.
• Manage human, financial, and operational resources, monitor program performance, and ensure priorities and services align with organizational and government objectives.
  
  

Qualifications and Experience

You have a university degree in education, public administration, business administration, policy, engineering, adult education, or a related discipline, along with several years of progressively responsible leadership experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

• Significant experience leading complex programs, projects, or initiatives in a multi-partner environment.
• Experience managing and developing professional teams and creating a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing workplace.
• Demonstrated experience in policy development, program management, strategic planning, and engagement with diverse partners and interest holders.
• Knowledge of apprenticeship systems, workforce development, skilled trades training, credential recognition, curriculum or standards development, examination administration, or regulatory frameworks.
• Experience analyzing complex issues and developing practical, evidence-informed recommendations for senior leaders or government officials.
• Strong communication, facilitation, negotiation, relationship-building, project management, organizational, and financial management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and innovatively, navigate ambiguity, build consensus, balance competing priorities, and deliver responsive solutions.
• Demonstrated cultural competence and the ability to work respectfully with industry, educational institutions, regulatory bodies, government partners, Indigenous communities, African Nova Scotian communities, equity-deserving groups, and subject matter experts.
  
  

The following would be considered assets:

• Experience in apprenticeship, certification, skilled trades, education, workforce development, or a regulatory environment.
• Knowledge of the Canadian Red Seal Program and interprovincial apprenticeship systems.
• Experience with occupational standards, curriculum development, examinations, credential assessment, or recognition of prior learning.
• Experience leading national, regional, or multi-jurisdictional projects or working groups.
• Experience developing or implementing strategies that improve accessibility, reduce barriers, or support workforce participation.
• French-language proficiency.
  
  

We will assess the above qualifications and experience using tools such as assessments, presentations, interviews, reference checks, etc.

Equivalency

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs.  For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.

Working Conditions

• Normal work week is 35 hours/week, 7 hours/day in office.
  
• May be required to work overtime on occasion.
  
  

Additional Information

The successful candidate may work from any NSAA Labour, Skills and Immigration office across the province if space is available, providing flexibility in location while remaining connected to our provincial team.

Why Join the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency?
This is an opportunity to play a leadership role in shaping the future of apprenticeship and skilled trades training in Nova Scotia and across Canada. You will work with a dedicated team of professionals and partners to advance standards, curriculum, examinations, certification pathways, and workforce development initiatives that support apprentices, employers, and industry.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to influence provincial, regional, and national priorities while helping build an apprenticeship system that is innovative, responsive, accessible, and aligned with the evolving needs of the skilled trades workforce.

We welcome applications from individuals who are passionate about public service, workforce development, collaboration, and building strong apprenticeship pathways for future generations of skilled trades professionals.

What We Offer

• Career development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career
• Engaging workplace: our employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies
• Countless career paths
• A dynamic, client-focused office environment where service excellence and teamwork are our focus.