Ocean Ambassador Program - Mélanie Sauvé

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Can you tell us about your career before joining Ocean Group?

My career path has been rather atypical. For as long as I can remember, I have been attracted to fields that are less conventional for a woman. I started as a dispatcher in the transportation industry and then had the opportunity to work in the concrete industry. That was when I had a revelation: I wanted to be a project manager in construction. In the 2000s, women were rare in the industry, especially in project management. I gradually worked my way up the ladder, and while I was still working, I earned an AEC in construction engineering.

Throughout my career, I have worked on a wide variety of projects, including the construction of a cement plant, civil (road) projects, warehouses, and one of my favourites: the renovation of a former cold storage warehouse into luxury condominiums, with approximately 120 units budgeted at $500,000 to $5 million each. I put my project management career on hold in 2009 for the birth of my first child, and then my second in 2010. For four years, I focused on my family and reoriented my career to urban planning for a city, which allowed me to develop regulatory expertise and become a reference for building projects in the community.

In 2020, following a family decision, I left the Montérégie region to settle in our beautiful capital, in full COVID confinement. I took on the management of construction projects for a local construction company, but I missed the challenge. In July 2022, I was contacted via LinkedIn for a position with Ocean Group. Initially, it was for a position as a Business Development Assistant, but after discussions, my profile better matched that of an Operations Assistant for the Construction and Repair team: it was professional love at first sight.

How has your career evolved since you joined the company?

I started as an Operations Assistant for just six months, then moved to a Project Management Technician position for about a year. I learned a lot about the technical side of vessels and different jobs by asking lots of questions and going out into the field a lot.

Ocean Group also allowed me to go back to school and get a certificate in project management while working.

Since last April, I have been working as an Engineering Project Manager in the Technical Design Department. I have been offered a very interesting position: in addition to managing major naval projects, I support my manager in improving and growing the engineering department!

Can you tell us more about your role as Project Manager - Engineering?

I am responsible for project management and activity planning for the technical design department, as well as for technical work packages for construction projects and major vessel refits. I ensure that technical deliverables/requirements are delivered on time and within budget, and the team collaborates with stakeholders.  I supervise the work of naval architecture firms, ensure that best practices in engineering project management are maintained, and monitor project execution.

What are your short- and long-term career goals at Ocean Group?

In the short term, I would like to continue to learn, gain experience, develop and one day hold a management position. I would like to lead a team and help it grow and develop.

I see a bright future for Ocean Group, both for my career and for the company. We are on a roll! We have gone through a lot of changes in the last few years and now we are moving towards the future.