Director- Rail and Transit

SYSTRA Canada is part of the SYSTRA group, an international consulting and engineering group, a world leader in the design of transport infrastructures. SYSTRA Canada is an engineering and consulting firm whose primary focus is to offer transportation solutions, whether for passengers or goods: feasibility studies of building a new railway line, increasing the capacity of the existing infrastructure, privatization of a railway.

Context:
This role involves leading rail and transit projects, overseeing teams, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality projects while fostering innovation and client satisfaction. The Director of Rail/Transit will drive technical excellence, manage operations, and deliver the design and construction.
Missions/Main Duties:
Strategic Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

Provide strategic direction and overall management of all construction activities on assigned subway project segments from planning through to revenue service.
Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with delivery service providers and stakeholders to enhance project efficiency and effectiveness.
Collaborate with stakeholders to negotiate partnership agreements aligned with project objectives.
Meet regularly with client leaders, delivery and stakeholder leaders to assess progress, resolve issues, and mitigate risks.
Tailor communication to various stakeholder levels regarding project status, concerns, risks and actions.
Plan and facilitate stakeholder meetings, including external stakeholders and internal senior leadership, to ensure transparent project communications.

Design & Construction Oversight

Oversee and manage interfaces between the client, stakeholders, and delivery service providers.
Work with architects, engineers, and contractors to develop innovative, sustainable design solutions that meet regulatory standards.
Govern constructability development, alternative technical concepts, and design variances.
Drive decision-making on complex design and construction issues using project intelligence from reports, risks, meetings, and schedules.
Manage contractors, suppliers, and vendor relationships to optimize collaboration, resource utilization and mitigate project risk
Monitor contractor performance across all project phases to ensure compliance with contractual obligations and quality standards.
Conduct regular site inspections to verify adherence to safety protocols and project requirements.
Reinforce acceptable standards of workmanship throughout all project stages.

Team & Resource Management

Lead a large, multi-organization design compliance and construction teams, delegating responsibilities effectively.
Assess and plan project resourcing, including resource allocation and capability, to align with comprehensive task requirements.
Mentor direct reports and ensure cascading guidance on construction, design, scheduling, risk, quality and cost estimation.
Monitor and manage staff performance to ensure alignment with performance objectives.
Promote an inclusive, diverse and high-performing team culture focused on continuous improvement.

Project Governance

Advance scope, policies, and plans related to construction management, infrastructure development, system development, and change management.
Ensure timely resolution of claims and disputes from design and construction contractors.
Provide final review and approval of material planning for successful contract administration.
Define and disseminate success criteria across the project lifecycle.
Implement and manage changes to ensure the project is delivered in a controlled manner, adhering to cost, scope, schedule.
Facilitate project focus meetings centered on service and project delivery.
Develop evaluation methods to assess service effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
Profile/Skills:
Minimum of 18 years of experience in construction services
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, or equivalent field
Possess a proven track record in establishing and managing collaborative delivery partnerships within the construction industry
Experience of progressive contract models, including PDB and/or Alliance
Strong understanding of design principles and engineering methodologies
Project management experience on large scale civil engineering projects, preferably rapid transit projects
Experience working with a large team of technical professionals and large-scale contractors
Demonstrated experience successfully managing the competing objectives of many external and internal stakeholders.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills with experience managing a variety of internal and external stakeholders, including municipalities
Experience overseeing tunneling projects, particularly within the context of underground station construction
Experience and understanding of relevant regulations and industry best practices related to underground construction to ensure compliance and mitigate risks associated with tunneling operations
:
SYSTRA Canada is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce.
« SYSTRA Canada has an equal access employment program and encourages women, Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, and people with disabilities to apply. »
Note: In this description, the masculine gender is used for easy reading purposes and includes the feminine.
We use AI-enabled tools in our recruitment platform (iCIMS) for tasks like resume parsing and candidate matching. These tools do not make hiring decisions; all applications are reviewed by a human recruiter, and final decisions are made by our hiring team. For questions about our hiring process or AI tools, please contact infocanada@systra.com.