Join the team at the Wilder Institute's Calgary Zoo and bring your experience to create meaningful impact! The Wilder Institute's Calgary Zoo is seeking a permanent, full-time Project Manager who will play a key role in delivering a wide range of capital projects through initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and close-out.
The Project Manager will lead and manage with cross-functional project teams, including consultants, contractors, and internal stakeholders, throughout the project. They will provide their expertise to advise and direct on project delivery techniques, standard operating procedures, constructability, and preparation of materials ensuring alignment with best practices and organizational requirements. Projects will include supporting the delivery of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). For this project, the Project Manager will help with coordination, documentation, communication, and administrative support throughout all phases of the project.
Our Purpose | We act for wildlife; saving species and inspiring people to join us.
Our Core Values | Drive impact, nurture connection, cultivate hope, and be bold.
What you will do:
- Leads and manages assigned capital projects by ensuring all aspects of execution, control, monitoring and closure for assigned capital projects are fully implemented.
- Provides support and assistance to Senior Project Managers on major capital projects throughout project planning and execution.
- Ensures that projects are completed on schedule, on budget, and to the specified performance criteria & specifications set out in the Capital Submission document, contract, project plan and/ or scoping and design documents.
- Develops and executes master plans, projects and programs scopes, schedules, budgets ensuring acceptable quality using zoo project management methodologies within a collaborative environment.
- Anticipates, identifies and mitigates project risks to scopes, schedules, budgets, quality, animal welfare, safety and the environment.
- Ensures the effective planning, preparation, execution and monitoring of construction schedules and budgets with established parameters.
- Reviews and approves invoices while effectively managing budget changes and related documents.
- Tracks project milestones and schedules and institutes necessary workflow, personnel, and financial resource allocations, making alterations when necessary.
- Handles potentially sensitive and confidential information involving projects.
- Ensures that work is completed in compliance with applicable building codes and other relevant legislation and regulation including Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) requirements.
- Provides technical expertise to support project deliverables.
- Develops RFP's, reviews and evaluates proposals, makes recommendations to senior management and awards contracts.
- Selects an appropriate project delivery model for each assigned project or program.
- Coordinates permit applications and collaborates with regulatory agencies to ensure responses to comments and timely receipt of all permits.
- Develops and deploys project management best practices, methods, and processes as well as provides support in PMO business process development, implementation and execution.
- Manages and collaborates with cross-functional teams (within a matrix organization) consisting of design professionals, construction contractors and internal stakeholders as required for each assigned project.
- Initiates and establishes with stakeholders their roles, responsibilities, interfaces, needs and dependencies required to deliver successful projects and programs.
- Makes independent decisions on work methods and procedures while identifying practical and economical solutions to the various challenges which may be encountered during project implementation.
- Works collaboratively with Finance to procure the required design and contracting services and strictly adhering with zoo procurement and finance policies and procedures.
- Acts as the interface between external team members and the zoo’s internal stakeholders for all operational, safety and animal welfare requirements and protocols.
- Participates and provides on-going support in the future development of preventative maintenance programs for all new zoo assets.
- Ensures all project documentation is properly initiated, authorized, and maintained, as well as filed appropriately for project record purposes within the Facilities’ SharePoint site.
- Additional training that may be required and provided by the zoo includes Asbestos/Mold Remediation, Boom Lift, Confined Space, Fall Protection, Fire Extinguisher, First Aid, Forklift, Hazard Assessment and Control, Lock Out/Tag Out, Pest Control, Respiratory Protection, Skid Steer, Transportation of Dangerous Good, Vehicle Operator, AZA Zoo PM Course.
- Other duties as assigned.
What you will bring:
- At least 5 years of progressive project management experience involving complex facility projects.
- A bachelor’s degree or college diploma in engineering, engineering technology, project management, construction or architecture is required.
- P.ENG/C.E.T. designation or commitment to obtaining designation is required.
- Project management certification or commitment to obtaining certification is required.
- Proven experience in successfully delivering and managing capital projects in the $1M-$40M range.
- Possesses a high level of expertise with an in-depth knowledge of project management methodologies and project delivery models.
- Adept with preparing and managing budgets; possess a mathematical aptitude.
- Must be able to read and understand construction drawings and documents.
- Must be experienced with the tender and bid process, progress claims, release of holdbacks.
- Zoo habitat design experience is an asset.
- Competent in the use of computerized project management systems including but not limited to MS office suite.
- Adept in multitasking and the ability to respond well to rapidly changes needs and priorities.
- Demonstrated leadership, diplomacy and team building skills including the ability to manage up, across and down multiple cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
- Strong interpersonal, written and verbal skills are essential.
Working Conditions:
- Many administrative duties include working on a computer in an office setting.
- Meetings and site inspections in the field, including construction sites.
- Adverse weather conditions, heights, confined spaces and around construction equipment typical of construction sites.
- Works among Zoo animals and Zoo visitors.
The Wilder Institute's Calgary Zoo is an outdoor facility and all staff working at the zoo must be comfortable working in a large variety of outdoor conditions. The Wilder Institute's Calgary Zoo follows the advice of Environment Canada when responding to temperature and air quality issues.
What the Zoo Offers:
- Competitive compensation, vacation and flex days entitlement
- Flexible benefits plan, including a health spending account
- Employer matching RRSP program
- Discounts on food, beverage, and merchandise
- Participation in the Staff Pass Benefit plan
- A fun, rewarding work environment and the opportunity to work in a park full of wild animals
Are you ready to join one of Canada’s leaders in wildlife conservation? If this position suits your skills, experience and personal attributes, we want to talk to you.
Apply by doing the following:
Watch this video about the conservation work being done at the Wilder Institute's Calgary Zoo. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J1VH1MBXm0) Submit your resume with a cover letter via our online application system. Fill in the Application questions:
- Confirm eligibility to work in Canada.
- If hired, when would you be available to start?
- Please describe how your experience and skills would align with this position.
- If hired, what are your salary expectations for the role?
Applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada.
If this position is a fit for you, we encourage you to apply with a resume and cover letter online by our application deadline: November 30, 2026.
The Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo strives to cultivate a workplace in which everyone feels welcome and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. As a conservation organization, we respect and value the diversity of all life and come together as individuals and teammates to achieve the organization’s mission and vision. We recognize the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and work to advance our culture to ensure diverse viewpoints are heard, and everyone has an equitable chance to succeed and thrive.
This position is an existing vacancy within our organization. The Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo uses basic knockout questions in application to support screening; applications are otherwise assessed and selected by real humans.
All candidates are thanked for their applications and advised that they will be contacted once applications have been reviewed and a final decision has been made.
