Instructor: Shoshanna Fraizinger, CCP FAACE
Shoshanna Fraizinger is an Associate at Arup Canada, based in Toronto, and the Canadian Regional lead for the firm’s Cost & Risk Advisory practice. A Civil Engineering graduate of Ryerson University, she brings over 25 years of experience in capital project delivery, cost engineering, and risk advisory, with deep specialization in the nuclear and regulated infrastructure sectors, including more than a decade supporting Ontario’s nuclear refurbishment programs.
Shoshanna is an AACE Certified Cost Professional (CCP) and PMI Project Management Professional (PMP), with extensive experience advising owners on estimate governance, escalation and uncertainty treatment, commercial strategy, and lifecycle cost decision‑making. Her work spans major capital programs across nuclear, energy transition, rail, and public infrastructure, where she is frequently engaged as a technical authority and reviewer for complex estimates and business cases.
She is an active thought leader within the profession, having authored multiple technical papers on estimating, scheduling, and owner governance issues, and co‑authored an AACE Recommended Practice for estimate classification in the nuclear industry. Shoshanna regularly teaches AACE certification courses, supports practitioner development across Canada, and contributes to internal and external technical forums.
Shoshanna is the 2023–2024 Past President of AACE International, a member of the AACE Technical Board, and is actively involved with Women in Nuclear, the Canadian Nuclear Society, and CII’s Joint Project Controls & Risk Community of Business Advancement (CBA).
Description
This seminar is tailored for current and aspiring managers and leaders in technical, project, and client‑facing roles. It focuses on building the behavioral, leadership, and decision‑making capabilities required for effective management in cost‑ and commercially intensive environments. The seminar addresses effective communication, including verbal and non‑verbal techniques and strategies for overcoming communication barriers. It explores emotional intelligence, the distinction between leadership and management, and ethical decision‑making in professional practice. Real‑world examples and case studies are used to examine client relationship management, commercial negotiations, and conflict resolution. The program also considers the role of technology in modern management and includes interactive sessions on giving and receiving feedback.
The seminar supports the AACE Total Cost Management (TCM) Framework by strengthening the human‑skill enablers that underpin effective estimating, planning, risk management, stakeholder engagement, and commercial governance. Emphasis is placed on the application of professional judgement, ethical leadership, integrated teams, structured communication, and stakeholder management in complex project settings.
Participants will review key topics to support capability building for leading teams, engaging clients, managing conflict, and making defensible commercial decisions where outcomes are shaped by both technical analysis and human behavior. Learning is applied through practical scenarios, case discussions, and structured reflection giving participants the necessary tools to develop their own actionable plans to apply these skills in their professional roles, supporting sustained improvement in people management effectiveness.
Learning Areas and Objectives
Communication and Stakeholder Practice
- Apply structured communication techniques to clearly convey technical, cost, risk, and commercial information.
- Demonstrate active listening and feedback practices that improve alignment, decision quality, and information traceability.
- Adapt communication approaches to suit stakeholder role, authority, and decision context.
Leadership and Team Performance
- Differentiate leadership and management functions and apply appropriate behaviors across project phases and team maturity levels.
- Apply principles of team effectiveness (role clarity, trust, psychological safety) to improve delivery performance.
- Assess and respond to team dynamics that influence productivity, quality, and risk exposure.
Emotional Intelligence and Professional Judgement
- Demonstrate emotional intelligence when managing interpersonal dynamics, uncertainty, and pressure.
- Apply self‑awareness and empathy to improve collaboration, negotiation outcomes, and professional relationships.
Client and Stakeholder Relationship Management
- Identify and analyze stakeholder needs, interests, and constraints affecting project and commercial outcomes.
- Apply expectation‑management techniques to maintain alignment between scope, cost, risk, and value.
- Manage difficult stakeholder interactions while preserving trust and credibility.
Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
- Diagnose sources and types of conflict within teams and stakeholder groups.
- Select and apply appropriate conflict‑management styles based on context and risk.
- Apply principled, interest‑based negotiation techniques to achieve sustainable outcomes.
Ethical Leadership and Governance
- Recognize ethical dilemmas arising in project, cost, and commercial decision‑making.
- Apply structured ethical decision‑making frameworks consistent with professional and organizational standards.
- Evaluate the impact of leadership behavior and organizational culture on ethical and reputational risk.
Commercial and Financial Acumen
- Interpret fundamental financial information relevant to managerial decision‑making.
- Assess the commercial implications of leadership decisions, including risk allocation and value trade‑offs.
- Integrate commercial awareness into stakeholder engagement and negotiation activities.
Feedback, Learning, and Continuous Improvement
- Apply structured feedback models to support individual and team development.
- Evaluate personal leadership capability gaps and identify targeted improvement actions.
- Develop a documented action plan to transfer learning into professional practice.
Knowledge Areas
- Professional Practice and Leadership
- Communication and Stakeholder Management
- Team and Organizational Performance
- Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
- Ethical Leadership and Governance
- Commercial and Financial Awareness
- Continuous Professional Development