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 Secretary is responsible for managing the technical and administrative services of an international technical committee or sub-committee. 

Key Responsibilities and activities

Reporting to SCC management, Standards Solutions Branch, the International Secretary is responsible for the following:

1. Monitor, report, and ensure active progress of the work, and shall use its utmost endeavour to bring this work to an early and satisfactory conclusion;
2. Ensure that the ISO/IEC Directives and the decisions of the Technical Management Board are followed;
3. Act in a purely international capacity, divesting themselves of a national point of view;
4. Prepare committee drafts, arranging for their distribution and the treatment of the comments received;
5. Prepare enquiry drafts and text for the circulation of the final draft International Standards or publication of International Standards;
6. Ensure the equivalence of the English and French texts, if necessary with the assistance of other national bodies that are able and willing to take responsibility for the language versions concerned;
7. Assist in the establishment of priorities and target dates for each project;
8. Notify the names and coordinates of all working group and maintenance team convenors and project leaders to the office of the CEO;
9. Propose proactively the publication of alternative deliverables or cancellation of projects that are running significantly overtime, and/or which appear to lack sufficient support;
10. Establish the agenda and arrange for its distribution;
11. Arrange for the distribution of all documents on the agenda, including reports of working groups, and indicating all other documents which are necessary for discussion during the meeting;
12. Ensure that the decisions endorsing working group recommendations contain the specific elements being endorsed;
13. Make decisions available in writing for confirmation during the meeting and poste the decisions within 48 hours after the meeting in the committee's electronic folder;
14. Prepare the minutes of meetings to be circulated within 3 months after the meeting;
15. Prepare reports to the Technical Management Board (TC secretariat), in the IEC within 3 months after the meeting, or to the parent committee (SC secretariat);
16. Provide advice to the chair, project leaders, and convenors on procedures associated with the progression of projects;
17. Maintain close contact with the office of the CEO and with the members of the technical committee regarding its activities, including those of its subcommittees and working groups;
18. Update in conjunction with the office of the CEO the record of the status of the membership of the committee; and,
19. 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 secretary/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 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 manage meetings and discussions effectively
• Ability to effectively manage and facilitate decision-making processes, disagreements and guide the committee or group to consensus;
• Ability to manage projects according to agreed target dates in accordance with the project plan from preparation to completion
• Ability to use problem solving skills, demonstrating sound reasoning abilities and logical decision-making;