As a Director General of Real Estate Services, you lead a strategic function within the Department of National Defence responsible for managing the department's real property portfolio. This executive-level position involves overseeing real estate acquisition, disposition, leasing, and facility management across multiple locations and installations. You provide senior leadership to a team of real estate professionals and work collaboratively with other government departments, the private sector, and external stakeholders to ensure DND's real property assets are managed efficiently, sustainably, and in alignment with government priorities.
Your responsibilities include developing and implementing real estate policies and strategies, managing significant capital and operating budgets, and ensuring compliance with Treasury Board directives and government environmental standards. You advise senior military and civilian leadership on real property matters affecting operational readiness and organizational objectives. The role requires you to balance competing priorities, manage complex negotiations, and drive continuous improvement in real estate service delivery across the department's diverse portfolio, which includes military bases, office buildings, warehouses, and specialized facilities.
This position operates in a dynamic federal government environment where you collaborate with Treasury Board Secretariat, Public Services and Procurement Canada, other departments, and private sector partners. You may be based in the National Capital Region or at a major DND installation, depending on organizational needs.
Key Responsibilities
Manage real estate services activities for government real property, Coordinate maintenance, repairs, and capital projects, Ensure compliance with building codes and accessibility standards, Maintain property records and asset inventories
Required Skills
Property management, Building systems knowledge, Contract administration, Project coordination, Regulatory compliance, Relevant technical skills, Communication, Teamwork, Problem-solving
Typical Education
Education and experience commensurate with the role requirements
Training
Candidates typically hold a bachelor's degree in real estate, commerce, business administration, engineering, or a related field. An MBA or advanced business qualification is often preferred for this senior level. Professional certifications such as P.Eng. (Professional Engineer), CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member), or designations from the Real Estate Institute of Canada demonstrate expertise in the field.
Successful candidates bring extensive experience in real property management, strategic planning, and executive leadership. Professional development opportunities include Treasury Board courses on federal real property management, executive leadership programs offered through the Public Service Learning Program, and participation in professional associations such as the Canadian Real Estate Association or the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Ongoing development includes exposure to emerging technologies in facilities management, sustainability practices, and federal procurement processes.
Entry Plans
Entry to this Director General position typically occurs through public service competitions open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Candidates may come from within the DND civilian workforce through internal advancement, from other federal government departments, or from the private sector. Most appointments require a minimum of 10-15 years of progressive real estate management experience, with several years at a senior management level (such as Director or Executive Director).
Common pathways include: advancement from lower-level real estate management positions within DND; lateral moves from similar roles in other government departments or agencies; or external recruitment of experienced professionals from the private real estate sector. Some candidates enter through the Federal Student Work Experience Program or graduate recruitment initiatives and progress through the ranks over their career. Selection is based on demonstrated competencies in strategic thinking, financial management, stakeholder engagement, and executive leadership, assessed through the formal public service competition process.
Part-Time Options
Director General positions are typically full-time, permanent roles given the strategic and executive nature of the responsibilities. However, the federal public service does offer flexible work arrangements where operational requirements permit. Flexible hours and telework options may be available for specific aspects of the role, particularly for policy development, planning, and administrative work, though the position requires regular in-person presence for meetings with senior leadership, site visits to real property assets, and stakeholder engagement.
Candidates should discuss specific accommodation needs during the recruitment process. The federal public service is committed to supporting work-life balance and may be able to accommodate requests for flexible schedules or part-time arrangements where feasible, though Director General positions are rarely structured as part-time roles due to their executive scope and organizational expectations.
Related Careers
No related military careers on file for this position.
