The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) is a federal Crown corporation with the mandate to promote efficient and effective standardization in Canada. Located in Ottawa, SCC has a Governing Council comprised of up to 13 members and a staff of approximately 90. The organization reports to Parliament through the Minister of Industry and oversees Canada’s national standardization network.
The International Chair of a committee is responsible for the overall management of that committee, including any subcommittees, working groups, ad-hoc groups.
Key Responsibilities and activities:
Reporting to SCC management, Standards Solutions Branch, the International Chair is responsible for the following:
- act in a purely international capacity, divesting him- or herself of a national position; thus s/he cannot serve concurrently as the delegate of a national body in his or her own committee;
- guide the secretary of that technical committee or subcommittee in carrying out his or her duty;
- conduct meetings with a view to reaching agreement on all committee documents
- ensure at meetings that all points of view expressed are adequately summed up so that they are understood by all present;
- ensure at meetings that all decisions are clearly formulated and made available in written form by the secretary for confirmation during the meeting;
- take appropriate decisions at the enquiry stage
- advise the technical management board on important matters relating to that technical committee via the technical committee secretariat. For this purpose s/he shall receive reports from the chairs of any subcommittees via the subcommittee secretariats;
- ensure that the policy and strategic decisions of the technical management board are implemented in the committee;
- ensure the establishment and ongoing maintenance of a strategic business plan covering the activities of the technical committee and all groups reporting to the technical committee, including all subcommittees;
- ensure the appropriate and consistent implementation and application of the committee's strategic business plan to the activities of the technical committee’s or subcommittee’s work programme;
- assist in the case of an appeal against a committee decision. In case of unforeseen unavailability of the chair at a meeting, a session chair may be elected by the participants,
- Comply with SCC’s Code of Conduct.
Essential Qualifications
- Relevant professional experience with standardization
- Understanding of international and national standards development processes
- Understanding and ability to speak the standards business terminology
- Operation of national and international standards organizations, including the written rules, procedures and directives
- Relevant professional experience or experience as a chair/leader
- Ability to travel and attend meetings in accordance with the approved meeting schedule;
- Working knowledge and the ability to apply the rules, procedures and processes:
Knowledge
- Standards Council of Canada’s Act, mandate, structure, plans and priorities
- Understand the nature of international standards organizations’ work and its resulting benefits
- Be fully knowledgeable of the subject and market needs
- Project management principles, practices and techniques
Skills
- High proficiency to communicate, verbally and in writing in the English language
- Active listening skills
- Develop solutions through innovative and creative thinking in a consensus environment
- Advanced time management, prioritization and planning skills,
- Advanced computer skills and the ISO/IEC/SCC web-based IT tools and applications
Abilities
- Ability to think strategically to promote and to position the ISO/IEC/JTC initiatives and work activities
- Ability to lead and inspire delegates and experts from the sector towards consensus
- Ability to commit time and resources to the role
- Ability to act proactively and communicate diplomatically
- Ability to foster and value cooperation with other ISO and IEC Committees and partners including those from regulatory bodies
- Ability to lead meetings effectively with a view to reaching agreement and to ensure that positions and decisions are clearly understood
- Ability to ensure that all positions and views (at meetings and by correspondence) are given equal treatment
- Ability to manage projects according to agreed target dates in accordance with the project plan from preparation to completion
- Ability to propose decisions to progress or to stop work on the basis of its market or global relevance