Senior Master Planner, Major Projects

 Reference Number : 530 

Status : Permanent - Full-time  

Annual Salary / Hourly Rate : $91 506 - $113 037

Number of positions to be filled : 1 

Application Deadline : 01/27/2025

Did you know that VIA Rail is carrying out ambitious projects to modernize its services and infrastructure? From our new ultramodern train fleet to ongoing improvement of our infrastructure, we’re building the future of transportation in Canada. Working for VIA Rail is being a part of a collective effort in sustainable mobility. 

The Long-Distance, Regional and Remote (LDRR) lines serve many major cities and several Indigenous communities: they are a crucial vital link. In addition, they bring travellers from around the world to see some of Canada’s most glorious landscapes on the iconic The Canadian, The Ocean and The Hudson Bay lines. As the LDRR fleet is aging, VIA Rail is launching an ambitious program for its renewal. As the project core team will be centralized in Montréal, the program’s span will reach across Canada as the new locomotives and cars will enter into service.

Reporting directly to the Senior Manager Project Control and working in close collaboration with the LDRR  Sr. Program Manager, the LDRR Senior Master Planner will be dedicated to the LDRR renewal program, playing a key leadership role in ensuring the seamless coordination of interrelated activities within a complex multi-project program. This role requires a proactive approach to aligning interfaces between internal stakeholders and suppliers. This will ensure alignment with VIA Rail’s strategic goals, program objectives, and target deadlines.

The Senior Master Planner is the essence in driving program integration, guaranteeing that all projects work in harmony to achieve the target dates without disrupting the overall timeline. They ensure that potential risks are proactively mitigated and that dependencies between projects are well-managed to support successful program delivery.

Responsibilities:

• In collaboration with the Program Sr. Manager, take charge of program planning by leading the integration of project plans developed by suppliers, project managers and project controllers & planners into a Master Plan;
• Coordinate the review of the Master Plan with stakeholders to maximize alignment with the requirements and constraints of current operations while ensuring consistency with the objectives for entry into service. Apply best practices and act as an expert resource. Develop, communicate and ensure consistency of plannings and critical path analysis;
• Review and provide feedback on suppliers' detailed schedules to ensure quality, interface alignment, and consistency with the overall objectives and milestones of the program's master schedule;
• Works with Project Managers and Project Controllers to improve the quality of project plans in accordance with best practices and planning standards;
• Provides visibility to the program management team on Master Plan progress and potential delays/obstacles;
• Develop value-added performance indicators to monitor the health of the program;
• Provide support to PCO for keeping the WBS of the project schedules and the CBS always linked in order to create liable cost projections;
• Collaborates with the Risk Advisor to run Monte-Carlo simulations on the master schedule to evaluate risk of delays;
• Collaborates with CPMO to establish processes, governance and methodology for program and project capacity management at VIA Rail;
• Collaborates with other Master Planners to develop program and project planning standards for VIA Rail within the CPMO.

Requirements:

• University degree in Administration, Project Management, Industrial Engineering, or equivalent;
• 10 years of relevant experience;
• Experience in project or program management, such as project governance, project dashboard/performance management, and related tools;
• Proven experience in strategic planning and integrated capacity management;
• A minimum of  5 years experience as a team manager with direct or indirect reports; ability to lead teams locally and remotely;
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Project, Primavera, Excel;
• Advanced knowledge in Monte Carlo simulations related to schedule risks;
• Good knowledge of EPM (enterprise project management);
• Excellent communication and leadership skills;
• Bilingual (oral and written).

Competencies:

• Working together: Shares knowledge with colleagues and contributes to the establishment of efficient work practices. Provides suggestions on how processes and procedures may be best adapted to the changing working environment.
• Making things better: Collects information from different sources and uses it to effectively resolve problems and offer quality services.
• Communicating: Provides constructive comments to other team members. Clearly communicates by providing appropriate details. Asks questions in order to fully understand requirements, expectations and/or issues.
• Driving results: Applies knowledge and skills in his/her field to resolve problems in a variety of common situations.
• Leadership: Proactively initiates group discussions to review and align objectives, guiding the team toward consensus on optimal solutions. Facilitates the selection of compromises that minimize the impact on overall goals and ensure effective resolution of schedule clashes.

At VIA Rail, we are proud to be an employment-equity employer and we strive to form teams that reflect the diversity of Canadian society. We aim to remove barriers to employment accessibility and aspire to provide an inclusive and equitable work environment where everyone is valued, regardless of their identity or differences, to enable them to reach their full potential.

If you need assistance in making the recruitment process or the position you are applying for more accessible, please let us know. Alternate arrangements may be offered to individuals who request them at any stage of the recruitment process. All information received in relation to arrangements will be kept confidential.

Note that we will only contact those who are selected for an interview.

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