Director Compliance and Inspections

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. Our staff are responsible for workplace safety, technical safety, labour mobility, and many other facets of everyday life.

About Our Opportunity

The Director, Compliance and Inspection provides strategic leadership for technical safety compliance and inspection programs across Nova Scotia. Reporting to the Executive Director, Technical Safety, you will oversee regulatory activities in areas such as fuel safety, boilers and pressure equipment, power engineering, elevators and lifts, amusement devices, electrical safety, and cranes. Your work ensures that compliance efforts are effective, risk-based, and responsive to both legislative requirements and stakeholder needs.

You will lead policy analysis and regulatory evaluation, guiding the development and review of policies, plans, and procedures to strengthen regulatory effectiveness. Collaboration across regulatory units is central to this role, as you coordinate program work to promote consistency, efficiency, and the sharing of best practices throughout the division.

A key aspect of the position is promoting labour mobility and free trade. You will represent Nova Scotia on interprovincial and national forums, working to harmonize standards and facilitate the movement of skilled workers and products, supporting economic growth and workforce development.

Above all, your leadership will be driven by a strong public safety lens. By fostering collaboration, empowering staff, and engaging stakeholders, you will help create safer workplaces and communities across the province.

Primary Accountabilities

• Direct the Technical Safety Division in promoting public and workplace safety through risk-based pathways, setting requirements, and enforcing compliance with legislation and standards.
• Develop and implement models, standards, plans, and processes that support regulatory excellence, collaborating on policy approaches that align with stakeholder needs and the Safety Branch strategy.
• Leverage data to identify program risks, service gaps, and opportunities for renewal, supporting the development of a robust data governance framework to ensure reliable, actionable insights for regulatory decisions.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and open communication, empowering staff to contribute to safety outcomes and embrace change as part of regulatory evolution.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with industry, government, code committees, and other partners, promoting transparency, mutual respect, and shared responsibility for safety outcomes.
• Champion ongoing refinement of compliance and inspection practices, integrating feedback and lessons learned to enhance regulatory impact.
• Plan and manage human and financial resources effectively, promote diversity and a healthy workplace, and ensure operational excellence.
  
  

Qualifications and Experience

To be successful in this role, you will need:

Significant leadership and management experience in compliance, inspection, or technical safety 

Proven experience in policy and program development, operational management, and project implementation.
Demonstrated ability to interpret regulations, policies, and procedures.
Extensive experience in data analytics, including the use of metrics, measurement techniques, and statistical analysis.
Strong negotiation, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
Strategic orientation and analytical thinking, with a track record of delivering high-level advice and decisions.
Experience building and motivating high-performing teams.
Ability to lead change and translate ideas into action.

Assets
Degree or significant experience in compliance, inspection, technical safety, engineering, or a related field.

Experience managing regionally dispersed teams.
Experience working in government (municipal, provincial, federal).

The Government of Nova Scotia has adopted the LEADS Leadership Framework.  During the interview, candidates will be expected to express how they have demonstrated the key behaviours and capabilities required to effectively lead in a caring and inclusive environment. LEADS Domains includes Leads Self, Engage Others, Achieve Results, Develop Coalitions and Systems Transformation. Please follow LEADS for more information. 

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

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.

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.