Director, Supply Chain Optimization
Port of Vancouver

After consulting with key stakeholders at Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the following opportunities and challenges were identified for the new Director, Supply Chain Optimization:

Evolving Organization: The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (the “Port”) has grown in size and complexity over the past 15 years as it transitioned from a government run organization to an authority model governed by an independent board and evolved through the amalgamation of three neighbouring, legacy port authorities. As the organization has grown, departments have been reorganized to support the changing needs of the business and its stakeholders. The Port’s mandate is to enable Canada’s trade objectives, so the opportunity that the supply chain portfolio presents is significant and has reached a tipping point that has led to a need to consolidate responsibilities under one leader.

Supply Chain Optimization: The Port facilitates the movement of over $280 billion of goods annually through its marine, terminal, and land operations. They must orchestrate a multitude of third parties including transportation organizations, municipalities, railways, terminal operators, shipping companies, and much more so that goods can flow from origin to destination. Their role as a regulator, coordinator, and operator means that the Port has an incredible vantage point from which they can enable supply chain efficiency for parties that sit at each node in the value chain, while creating cost-saving and optimization opportunities for the Port itself. With the support of the business units, the Director will own the development and execution of the supply chain optimization program, responsible for defining KPIs and managing various programs from end-to-end.

Data & Technology:  Important pillars of the supply chain optimization are data accessibility, digital technologies, and advanced analytics. One of the Port’s key objectives is to develop a supply chain visibility program, or “Insight driven Gateway”, a series of operational planning an optimization tools tailored to participating industry members. These tools will support actions to increase capacity and operating efficiencies across the supply chain and will create a comprehensive system of record for data related to goods movement. Based on an understanding of user needs and of the information available, the Director will be a catalyst in the development of the Port’s end-to-end process capabilities, resiliency, and digital/data analytics innovation to advance operational excellence across the organization.

Stakeholder Relationships: To increase data literacy in the gateway and to enable collaboration with interested stakeholders, the Director will need to liaise both internally and externally with a strong customer service orientation. Particularly, getting buy in from third party players on data sharing agreements that will ultimately promote supply chain visibility, is a priority; the Director will need to articulate how the program will ultimately drive business value not only across the supply chain, but also for individual players. As a representative of VFPA at public forums and on various committees, they will also effectively communicate digital and data related initiatives to all stakeholders. Internally, the Director will ‘bridge the gap’ between technology and business and will act as an evangelist for supply chain innovation.

Leadership: The new Director will have the opportunity to lead and manage departmental projects relating to supply chain optimization, while also building a strong, agile team. With the goal of fostering the development of VFPA’s emerging leaders, the Director will ensure that the team is motivated and engaged to optimize service delivery to all stakeholders.

Strategic Contribution & Planning: The new Director will have the opportunity to contribute to the organization’s long-term vision and business strategy as a participant in various leadership, management and inter-departmental teams. The Director will contribute to decision-making, planning, implementation, and management of business initiatives throughout the organization. To do so, the Director will need to develop an understanding for and work to enhance the Port’s capacity for digital change and initiatives, and translate this into departmental planning.

National Impact: The Port’s mission is to “enable Canada’s trade objectives, ensuring safety, environmental protection and consideration for local communities.” It does this in the context of a complex supply chain impacted by numerous stakeholders with many collective agreements. In fact, all recent supply chain interruptions have been outside of the Port’s immediate purview. As such the new Director will collaborate with the VP, Planning and Operations and the Executive Team to determine appropriate actions to provide business and technology solutions and will keep apprised of new technology and optimization opportunities across the supply chain in order to ensure focus and delivery of this nationally significant mandate.