Special Advisor

Job Description

Senior Special Advisor (SSA) Capability Management & Technology Lifecycle Program

Location: Ottawa (Onsite)
Duration: 3 Months Possible Extension
Clearance: Secret (Mandatory)

We are seeking a Senior Special Advisor (SSA) to provide strategic leadership in designing and initiating a comprehensive Capability Management Program that spans the full capability lifecycle.

This role is ideally suited for candidates with deep experience in Technology Lifecycle Management (TLM) capability development sustainment governance and multi-stakeholder defence environments.

Role Overview

The SSA will lead the strategic design of an enterprise-level Capability Management Program establishing governance structures operating models lifecycle processes and documentation required to manage complex C5ISRT portfolios from development integration sustainment end-of-life/disposal.

You will oversee stakeholder engagement operational analysis governance design capability sustainment frameworks integration pathways and disposal planning culminating in a unified high-level 5-Year Capability Roadmap.

Key Responsibilities

1. Orientation & Stakeholder Engagements

• Conduct targeted engagements with internal and external stakeholders across operational technical and support communities.
• Map operational and business functions support structures and interdependencies.
• Identify systemic risks vulnerabilities and capability gaps.
• Extract strategic themes and lines-of-effort to inform the conceptual design of the Capability Management Program.

1. Program Governance Organizational Design & Framework Development

• Design the governance architecture required to manage the Capability Management Program.
• Define authorities oversight functions decision pathways and KPI structures.
• Build the organizational and process foundations needed to support multi-year capability oversight.
• Ensure alignment with federal departmental governance and multi-agency collaboration requirements.

1. Capability Sustainment & Operational Management

• Develop processes for sustaining current mission-critical C5ISRT capabilities under organizational control.
• Define workflows documentation standards and lifecycle oversight models.
• Support resource optimization prioritization and risk management across legacy and new capability portfolios.

1. Capability Development & Integration Frameworks

Development Framework

• Define the processes for managing new capability development efforts initiated internally or externally.
• Establish governance checkpoints integration criteria and cross-stakeholder coordination mechanisms.

Integration Strategy

• Develop a Capability Integration Framework governing acceptance validation transition and sustainment readiness.
• Define operational handover processes and lifecycle controls for new capabilities.

Stakeholder Integration Plan

• Map external dependencies and define G6-equivalent decision authority across the capability lifecycle.
• Clarify roles for engineering operations sustainment procurement and joint partners.

1. End-of-Life (EOL) & Disposal Strategy

• Develop a comprehensive disposal strategy for legacy systems.
• Establish processes timelines resourcing estimates and governance touchpoints.
• Enable controlled transitions that decommission outdated systems while sustaining operational readiness.
• Address resource competition between sunset systems and emerging capabilities.

1. Strategic Documentation & 5-Year Roadmap

• Synthesize all program elements into a clear executive-ready 5-Year Capability Management Roadmap.
• Produce senior-level briefing materials for leadership governance boards and interdepartmental stakeholders.
• Ensure documentation supports long-term capability planning investment prioritization and operational alignment.

Mandatory Qualifications:

• Valid Secret Clearance (required at submission).

Strategic Advisory Experience

• Minimum 5 years within the last 8 years delivering strategic advisory services for large-scale multi-year federal programs.
• Demonstrated experience developing governance structures policies and long-term strategic planning documentation (e.g. 5-year roadmaps).

Technology Lifecycle Management (TLM) Defence/Security/C5ISRT

• Minimum 5 years within the last 10 years designing and implementing TLM strategies in a defence security or high-complexity operational technology environment.
• Must include experience with:
• Capability Development.
• Capability Integration.
• Sustainment/Operational Management.
• End-of-Life / Disposal Planning.
• Experience working across multiple departmental or inter-agency stakeholders.

What Will Make You Stand Out

• CAF Signals CELE CIS experience or senior NCM backgrounds with capability oversight responsibilities.
• Experience working in or supporting G6/J6/A6 or equivalent capability management directorates.
• Hands-on experience in capability development operational sustainment readiness governance or force development.
• Familiarity with C5ISRT or other high-complexity mission/operational systems.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Strong strategic thinker with proven experience structuring governance and lifecycle programs.
• Comfortable navigating classified environments and multi-agency command structures.
• Able to convert complex stakeholder input into crisp executive-level documentation.
• Strong command of capability lifecycle concepts from development to disposal.

Due to the nature of this mandate and strict compliance requirements only candidates meeting all mandatory qualifications will be considered.