General Manager, Guelph Transit

City of Guelph; Guelph; Hybrid; CAD 147,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking municipality as the General Manager of Guelph Transit, where you will lead a dedicated team in enhancing public transit services for a vibrant community. This role involves strategic oversight, financial management, and fostering an inclusive work environment. With a commitment to excellence, you will engage with stakeholders to optimize transit operations and ensure compliance with accessibility standards. This is an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact on the community while working in a supportive and dynamic environment.

Benefits

Paid vacation days

Paid personal days

Hybrid work arrangements

Defined benefit pension plan

Extended health and dental benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Parental leave top-up

Tuition assistance

Employee recognition programs

Qualifications

• Experience in managing public transit services or similar operational environments.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and industry best practices in transit.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and operational oversight for Guelph Transit Services.
• Manage departmental budgets and ensure compliance with policies and legislation.

Skills

Leadership

Financial Management

Project Management

Communication Skills

Problem-Solving

Negotiation Skills

Education

Post-secondary education in Business Administration

Public Administration

Transportation Planning

Job description

Why Guelph

When you join the City of Guelph, you join a team of over 2000 employees who deliver services the community relies on every day. Together, we are bringing to life Guelph’s vision of an inclusive, connected, and prosperous city where we look after each other and our environment. As a single tier municipality, we offer a variety of occupations and career specialities within our organization. Guided by the goals and objectives of the Future Guelph: Strategic Plan and committed to the Corporate Values of integrity, service, inclusion, wellness and learning, the candidate will aid in the achievement of the Community Vision for an inclusive, connected, prosperous city.

What we offer

We offer competitive wages and comprehensive benefits to meet the needs of our diverse employees. Many of our positions offer:

• Paid vacation days, increasing with years of service
• Paid personal days;
• Hybrid and flexible work arrangements;
• Defined benefit pension plan with OMERS, including 100-per-cent employer matching;
• Extended health and dental benefits, including Health Care Spending Account;
• Employee and Family Assistance Program;
• Parental leave top up program;
• Learning and development opportunities including tuition assistance
• Employee recognition programs.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Deputy CAO of Public Services, the General Manager of Guelph Transit will provide leadership and oversight for the complete management, direction and operation of Transit Services, in support of quality customer service outcomes. With over seven million passengers choosing Guelph Transit as their preferred mode of transportation, the successful candidate will bring leading edge operational and management practices to aid Guelph Transit in achieving a higher level of service delivery excellence.

Key duties and responsibilities:

Leadership

• Provide visible and positive leadership, developing and nurturing a work environment that is inclusive, respectful and motivating for staff.
• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of Guelph Transit Services, including conventional bus services and mobility services.
• Engage with stakeholders and develop new strategies to optimize the revenue generated through transit services, as well as design and operate a transit system that best meets the needs of the community.
• Oversee the analysis of service delivery issues and development of system revision.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) customer service and transportation standards.
• Collaborate and liaise with other departments on complementary initiatives to achieve optimum results for the City and residents.
• Maintain good working relationships with all stakeholders, including all levels of management and staff, Mayor and members of council, external partners, and the community.

Department Management

• Establish long-term direction for the department consistent with the City of Guelph’s Strategic Plan.
• Establish the annual work plan for the department and for staff, evaluate performance, monitor results and provide coaching, training and development opportunities as needed.
• Promote and monitor Health and Safety for compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
• Ensure compliance with Collective Agreements, City policies, Council resolutions, City by-laws, and other applicable federal and provincial legislation.
• Establish policies, operating procedures, work methods and standards for the department and contracted services; monitor performance and initiate corrective action as required.
• Track best practices, technical trends, developments and advances in transit operations and management on an ongoing basis.
• Proactively communicate departmental programs and achievements to Council, the community and all stakeholders.
• Respond verbally and in writing regarding issues related to the department’s service delivery from members of Council, the general public, media, departments, and customers.
• Recommend staff reports and presentations to the Deputy CAO, communicating information and recommending program changes.

Financial Management, Performance Monitoring and Measurement

• Responsible for the preparation, presentation and management of the department’s capital and operating budgets; monitor and report budget variance to the Deputy CAO; implement corrective action as required.
• Analyze and optimize revenues and pursue grant funding to complement existing budgets.
• Consolidate and review departmental annual work plans and budget with recommendations to the Deputy CAO.
• Ensure compliance with all City policies and bylaws for purchasing/tendering.
• Review calls for tender and purchase requisitions requiring approval for the department on contracted services in accordance with established policies.
• Establish a quality assurance program to monitor the department’s annual performance against established departmental key performance indicators and industry best practices. Make recommendations and take corrected action as required.

Qualifications and requirements

• Completion of post-secondary education in Business Administration, Public Administration, Transportation Planning, or a related field.
• Considerable experience related to managing and overseeing a public transit service or comparable operational environment.
• Progressive leadership experience in a unionized environment, including labour relations and collective agreement interpretation, along with considerable experience leading and motivating staff. Knowledge of relevant legislation, regulations, and industry best practices in transit.
• Proven knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and other applicable federal and provincial legislation.
• Significant experience in project management, strategic planning, system evaluation and business case development.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive, empowering and accountable work culture.
• Ability to successfully develop and manage budgets while achieving performance targets.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively and develop strong working relationships with all levels of staff, stakeholders and the general public.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement and quality customer service.
• Candidates with an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Hours of work35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Some evening and weekend hours will be required to attend meetings and support various initiatives.

Pay/SalaryNon-Union Grade: 10: $147,958.72 – $184,948.40

How to applyQualified applicants are invited to apply using our online application system by May 28, 2025. Please note all applicants must complete the online questionnaire specific to this position at the time they submit their resume and cover letter in order to be considered.

Please visit the job posting listed on our City of Guelph careers page and click on the “Apply for this job” button. Instructions will follow.

The City of Guelph is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where employees feel welcome, valued and engaged. Our employment policies strictly prohibit all forms of discrimination on any of the grounds in relevant laws. All employment practices are solely based on individual merit, qualifications, and organization's needs at the time. In keeping with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, we are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals in our job application procedures. If you need an accommodation in order to participate in the hiring process, you may contact us to make your needs known in advance.

Personal information collected through the recruitment process will be used solely to determine eligibility for employment. We thank all candidates in advance; however, only those being considered for an interview will be contacted.