At VIA Rail, we are shaping the future of passenger rail transportation in Canada. Our Long-Distance, Regional and Remote (LDRR) services connect cities and Indigenous communities, while showcasing iconic landscapes aboard The Canadian, The Ocean, and the Hudson Bay.

To modernize this fleet and build a sustainable network, we are launching an ambitious renewal program. Based primarily in Montreal, our team leads a strategic initiative with a national scope.

Why join us?

Because in addition to tackling stimulating challenges, you will benefit from a people-focused, innovative environment dedicated to professional growth.

OUR BENEFITS

• Flexible work schedule and hybrid work policy (depending on the position)
• Comprehensive benefits package (medical, dental, disability, and life insurance)
• Competitive pension plan with employer contributions
• Employee assistance and wellness support programs
• Continuous learning opportunities (e.g., Power BI, advanced analytics, project management)
• Career advancement opportunities within a transforming organization
• Collaborative, inclusive, and innovation-driven work environment

Position

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Project Controls, the Senior Master Scheduler serves as the expert in integrated planning and schedule management for the major LDRR program.

The incumbent is responsible for developing, integrating, maintaining, and continuously improving a reliable and structured master plan and project schedules aligned with the organization's strategic, operational, financial, and contractual objectives. The role acts as a key partner to the Program Manager, Project Directors/Managers, Project Controllers, Schedulers, and Risk Advisors.

This role encompasses three primary areas of responsibility:

• LDRR Program Planning Management (35%)
• Planning Management for Major Construction Projects (50%)
• Technical Consultant and Practice Leader for Schedulers and Project Controllers (15%)
  
  

1. Planning Management – Major LDRR Program

Within the LDRR program, the Senior Master Scheduler is responsible for integrating all project plans into a coherent, actionable, and decision-oriented master schedule.

Key Responsibilities

• Structure and maintain the integrated program master schedule by incorporating detailed plans produced by Project Managers, Project Controllers, internal Schedulers, and external vendors.
• Confirm, in collaboration with stakeholders, the program planning structure, including key milestones, inter-project dependencies, supplier interfaces, critical deliverables, and execution sequencing.
• Develop and maintain robust analysis of the critical path, near-critical paths, available float, and major dependencies that may influence the program target date.
• Facilitate integrated planning workshops with Project Managers, vendors, operational teams, and stakeholders to validate scheduling logic, assumptions, constraints, and schedule risks.
• Monitor actual program progress and quickly identify variances, potential delays, bottlenecks, and impacts on critical milestones.
• Provide program leadership with clear, fact-based, forward-looking visibility on schedule health, emerging issues, critical dependencies, and recommended corrective actions.
• Produce periodic executive reports on program performance and schedule health.
• Collaborate with the Risk Advisor to conduct quantitative schedule risk analyses, including Monte Carlo simulations.
  
  

2. Planning Management for Major Construction Projects within the LDRR Program

For construction projects, the Senior Master Scheduler acts as the planning expert throughout the entire project lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain project schedules.
• Collaborate with the Project Manager overseeing the construction of an industrial facility, engineering teams, contractors, suppliers, operational teams, and internal stakeholders to build realistic and comprehensive project schedules.
• Identify critical project dependencies and interfaces with other LDRR program initiatives.
• Assess the quality of contractor and supplier schedules, including level of detail, dependency relationships, alignment with contractual commitments, and ability to support performance tracking.
• Support the Project Manager in analyzing the impacts of changes, delays, claims, contractual issues, or scope modifications on the overall project schedule.
• Prepare scenario analyses, including schedule acceleration, resequencing, recovery planning, and delay mitigation strategies.
• Prepare progress and schedule reports for both project and program teams.
  
  

3. Technical Consultant – Planning Maturity and Support for Schedulers and Project Controllers

In addition to responsibilities within the LDRR program, the Senior Master Scheduler serves as the technical reference for schedule management across the organization’s scheduling and project controls community.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted advisor to Schedulers and Project Controllers to improve the quality, consistency, and maturity of planning practices.
• Develop, document, and continuously improve scheduling standards, templates, coding structures, minimum planning requirements, quality criteria, and schedule governance practices.
• Support schedulers in developing robust project plans, including work breakdown structures (WBS), logical dependencies, milestones, assumptions, constraints, calendars, resources, and tracking mechanisms.
• Deliver coaching, training, practical workshops, and technical support to Schedulers, Project Managers, and Project Controllers.
• Collaborate with the CPMO to define processes, tools, roles, and responsibilities related to project, program, and portfolio planning.
• Contribute to implementing advanced practices such as integrated cost-schedule management, resource capacity management, performance analysis, look-ahead scheduling, trend analysis, delivery forecasting, and quantitative schedule risk analysis.
  
  

Desired Profile

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in planning, scheduling, or complex program management.
• Proven experience in major programs and large-scale infrastructure, construction, or real estate projects.
• Experience with projects and programs involving multiple stakeholders, vendors, critical dependencies, and operational constraints.
• Experience developing, integrating, and maintaining complex master schedules.
• Experience in critical path analysis, performance monitoring, variance management, impact assessment, and executive reporting.
• Experience coaching teams or developing standards within planning groups or PMOs.

Technical Competencies

• Strong knowledge of integrated planning principles, critical path methodology, logical dependencies, milestones, float management, baselines, and forecasting.
• Solid understanding of project controls practices, including WBS, CBS, cost-schedule integration, resources, risks, performance metrics, and governance.
• Advanced proficiency with scheduling tools such as Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, or equivalent software.
• Ability to assess schedule quality and provide practical improvement recommendations.
• Knowledge of schedule risk management practices, including scenario analysis and Monte Carlo simulations.
• Ability to develop dashboards, performance indicators, and executive-level decision support reporting.

Behavioral Competencies

• Strong leadership and technical credibility with multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent analytical, synthesis, and communication skills.
• High level of rigor, attention to detail, and ability to structure complex information.
• Ability to work effectively in ambiguous, evolving, and high-pressure environments.
• Excellent communication skills with technical, operational, and executive audiences.
• Ability to constructively challenge plans, assumptions, and schedules proposed by internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong solution-oriented mindset, commitment to continuous improvement, and focus on organizational maturity.

Education and Certifications

• University degree in Project Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or another relevant field.
• Master’s degree in a relevant discipline is considered an asset.
• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification is considered an asset.